How to Japa as a Student: Scholarship tips.

Hi there, I know why you’re here, so let’s cut to the chase. You’re searching for opportunities abroad as well as scholarship tips, and this seems like a good place to start. You might be tired of schooling in Nigeria and feel like you might be able to japa as a student. If you followed the link up to this point, it’s obvious that you sought an alternative. The purpose of this article is to give you ready scholarship tips and practical information that can help you land the education you desire in the country of your dreams. So, instead of scrolling through Twitter for the latest on ASUU, you can use the information and tips for scholarships you find here today to take real action for your tomorrow. So let’s begin

The Best Countries to Study Abroad

Canada

Canada is simply one of the best countries to japa to as a student. There are plenty of jobs available and the people are so accommodating that you wouldn’t want to return home. Healthcare in Canada is one of their biggest perks. It’s nice to know that you will be taken care of. Popular universities in Canada include the University of Toronto, the University of British Columbia, and McGill University.

Germany

Germany’s universities are generally free of charge, the only costs being administrative (only 100 EUR/year or 200 EUR/year). If that’s not enough to sell you, I don’t know what would be. The people are accommodating and the country is simply too organized. Popular universities in Germany include Heidelberg University, Humboldt University of Berlin, and Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

US

Half a century ago , almost a million Nigerians immigrated to the United States, making them the largest African immigrant group in the nation. Seeing how large the Nigerian population is, homesickness will be easy to combat and overcome. Popular universities include Northeastern University, New York University, and Cornell University.

UK

The United Kingdom (UK) has the highest number of Nigerian students studying abroad. Nigerian students prefer the UK because of access to affordable and world-class education and learning facilities. Studying in Great Britain comes with less hassle of a language barrier and socio-economic differences. Popular universities include the University of Hertfordshire, University of Leeds, and University of Birmingham.

General Requirements

International passport

If you do not have a passport, it’s best to apply for one early. This is because it would be needed for the rest of the procedure, which includes functioning as an identification card for foreign embassies and applying for scholarships. It can be gotten from any of Nigeria’s National Immigration Service offices. 2 by 2-inch duplicate passport copies are also necessary.

Language Proficiency Certificate

Apart from the English proficiency exams such as TOEFL and IELTS, other countries have proficiency exams like Def and Dalf, which are required by France.

Birth Certificate

Before you japa as a student, you’d need to show citizenship by the embassy and validate the data given on the international passport. Birth certificates are issued by the National Census Commission of Nigeria.

Secondary School Transcripts or University Transcripts

You might have to email your school to get your transcript across to you. This might take a while, so you should get it done quickly.

WAEC/SSCE Result

Some foreign countries also accept WAEC/SSCE as proof of a high school degree. It is issued by the exam body and can be retrieved online with a scratch card.

Recommendation Letter

Usually written to attest to your good behaviour, it can be written by any person in a position of authority. It serves as a testimonial of great conduct from a member of the community.

Bank Statements

These are necessary to show your capability to sustain a lifestyle while overseas. It can be a personal bank statement or one from your sponsors.

Study Visa

This is to show you have been granted permission to japa as a student to the desired country. It explains how long you are going to stay and the benefits attached to the type of visa.

Health Documents

Most countries require testing for diseases such as yellow fever, COVID, or hepatitis, among many others. It should also show a historical record of your health to determine whether it provides certain benefits.

Scholarships

I’m sure throughout this text you’ve been thinking, “Well, this is all nice and great, but how do I afford all this?”. If money is the issue, then I dare say that you have no issue at all. Because this is where scholarships flex their muscles. Having all the information in the world isn’t enough to clear up some of the difficulties in studying abroad, and this is where scholarships come in. They are the bridge between a motivated student and everything they wish to achieve. Tailored for international students like you, scholarships take the brunt of your educational aspirations, enabling you to focus without worrying about financial obligations. This is a multifaceted opportunity, and I’d be giving you some scholarship tips to help you make the most of it.

Differences between scholarships and grants

Both scholarships and grants are types of gift aid, which means students do not need to pay the money back. But grants are usually need-based and often go to young people who can not afford the cost of their studies. Scholarships, though, can be either need-based or merit-based.

Differences between scholarships and student loans

Unlike scholarships, student loans are a form of financial aid that needs to be paid back, sometimes with interest.  

Who can apply for scholarships?

If you meet the application requirements, you’re free to apply. Always check if you can apply, if the scholarship application deadlines are up-to-date, and if the scholarship is open to national students, international students, or both.

General application requirements for scholarships:

Registration or Application form. Here you’d be registering by completing an online form.

A letter of motivation or a personal essay  You would be tempted to lift this from the internet. I would advise that you don’t. What makes a personal statement compelling is its originality. Losing it would be detrimental, and the judges can definitely sense that.

 A letter of recommendation

Do you have a person of authority that you respect in your community? It could be a religious head or a former boss. You can ask them to write a letter of recommendation for you. If they like you enough, you’d get a glowing letter.

A letter of acceptance from an academic institution

To get scholarships from independent bodies, you would have to have received an offer of admission from your desired school.

 Official financial statements/Proof of low income

You might be asked to prove that you need the financial assistance by providing official bank statements for a couple of months.

Proof of extraordinary Academic or Athletic Achievement.

This could be a certificate, medal, or plaque that proves your achievement in whatever area is relevant to the scholarship in question.

What types of scholarships are out there?

Scholarships for excellent academic results (also called merit scholarships)

You need to be a top student to apply for this type of scholarship. To find out if a university offers this type of financial aid, check out the ‘costs and funding’ page on the official university website.

Scholarships for research, artistic, or athletic achievements.

If you’re into any of the above listed, then you should look out for scholarships in this category. Sport scholarships are really popular in the US, but you will likely find opportunities in other countries as well. 

Scholarships for students with low incomes

Universities and other organisations invest in need-based scholarships because future graduates often give back to their community and try to help others who face the same struggles.  

Scholarships for under-represented groups (e.g. women, Hispanic and African-American students, citizens from developing countries):

 Students here still have to meet the requirements, but those are very general and broad, not focused on a specific region, minority, or ability.

How to search for scholarships

Knowing all the scholarship tips is only half the work. Finding the scholarships to apply for is another matter entirely. All the tips for applying for scholarships don’t make applying any easier. To make this “matter” easy for you, here are the study abroad pages for some countries that offer scholarship tips and information:

Official info about scholarships in Austria Official scholarship information in Denmark Official info about scholarships in France. Official info about scholarships in Germany. Official scholarship information in Sweden Official info about scholarships in the Netherlands. Official info about scholarships in the UK. In addition to these resources, Setlinn has all the information you need about scholarships. You’re perfectly free to ask all the questions you might have too! If you haven’t signed up on Setlinn, here’s your cue to do so!

Final notes

If you’ve gotten here, I want to assure you that the stellar education that you want is out there. You just need to be assertive in finding it. Take a risk on yourself. With all the opportunities out there, and the scholarship tips you’ve read, it’ll be a crime not to! Don’t stop your search here. Browse through all the resources you can find, ask all the questions you have, do all the extra research that you need. I guarantee that if you put in the effort, you’d get the education that you deserve. Congratulations in advance!