Scholarships: Are You Really The Deserving One?

By Author: Vijay K Shetty
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Scholarships!!! Well this is quite a lucky thing for a student to get in his life, but do I need to say it is equally a tricky thing? Everyone student needs a scholarship because it is a financial aid to help the students cope up with their further educational fees. But how is it different from financial loans? The reasons could be many and the ultimate one being its free money that meant you need not pay back.

It is really a boon for a student who wishes to pursue his education abroad with financial conditions of his/her family being a hindrance. However a huge number of scholarships are going waste and unused every year. So it is time for India to wake up and let know the students of various scholarship programmes. The students who are seeking scholarships should start off with a research. This would include enquiring about the scholarships programme in every university or school's website. It is also required for the students to do their home work on what kind of scholarship are they seeking? What exactly are the reasons for them to award you? What is the number of scholarships being awarded that particular year? Etc.

Gosh!! ...
... That is too much of procedure to follow for you to get a financial aid. However, if you have been awarded one, it is worth being given for your talent and research. The most common scholarships can be classified into

a) Merit-based: Awarded based on a applicant's achievement in the fields of academic, creative skills, sports, and other exceptionable talents in extra-curricular activities. These are awarded directly by the any private organisation or the university itself.
b) Need-based: Awarded based on the applicant's financial background. These are awarded by the founder or donors of the scholarship programme for the needy.
c) Demographic based: Awarded based on the applicant's family background, race, religion, caste, gender. The most common scholarship programme under this category in India are the minority scholarships
d) Career-specific: Awarded to that applicant's who have a dream to pursue their higher education or a specific field of study. These are awarded by the university itself.
e) Bond-based: This is self-describing, here the awardees are required to work for a particular company or give his service to a college, failing on which he has to repay the amount paid as his fees. This is most common in tall 3 armed forces in India.

So we know universities and the government are the main sources for scholarships. But there are still many, like:
Voluntary Organisations
Charity Trusts
Community Foundations

But with the College fees in Universities abroad becoming expensive every year, I personally feel every Indian student deserves a scholarship to pursue his/her education. Just imagine a cup of coffee or costs 3 dollars in the U.S. So it would mean the parents back at home to send their kids approximately around Rs.140/-. Wow!!! Do, u really think parents can afford to make their kids study abroad for a year or two? Looks cool, but in reality it is difficult. It is time to think over. A scholarship if u really deserves it, or still troubles your parents?

Vijay K Shetty, Get more information on: Scholarship Student, Children's Scholarship Fund