The beginning of a new school year is the perfect time to start looking for scholarships. Whether you’re a high school or university student, many different types of financial aid are available to help with your education expenses. One common way for students to find the money for school is through a scholarship program run by a corporation or organization. The application process might seem too complicated—but don’t worry! We’ll show you how easy it is to apply online and win free education money. Let’s get started…
This is the time to start looking for scholarships, and it’s not as hard as you might think!
If you’re like me, I always thought applying for scholarships was a big deal when I was in high school. That only smart people got them—that there was some secret club where all the other intelligent kids hung out and talked about how brilliant they were.
But here’s the thing: nothing could be further from the truth! I remember being so surprised when my parents told me they had applied for a scholarship back in our home country before we immigrated to Canada. And now look at what happened—I’m writing this article because of their hard work (and a lot of luck).
Know what types of scholarships you can apply for.
Knowing what types of scholarships you can apply for is essential because they vary widely. For example:
- Universities, governments, and private organizations (like the Dick Martin Scholarship Award) offer scholarships.
- They’re available in many different fields of study.
- Some scholarships are only open to students who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada.
Get to know the scholarship provider.
The first step in applying for a Canadian scholarship or grant is to get to know the organization that will provide it. To do this, you’ll want to ask yourself a few questions:
What are their goals?
What are their values?
How long have they been in business?
Do they have a mission statement, and what does it say?
How do they define success?
How do they measure success?
What are their core competencies (i.e., strengths)?
You must understand as much as possible about these organizations before you start your application process because many nuances between them could affect how competitive your application will be.
Ensure that you meet the entry requirements.
Before applying for any scholarship, ensure you meet the entry requirements.
This sounds obvious. But don’t take it for granted! You might have a top grade point average and an impressive list of extracurriculars. Still, if the scholarship requires a certain number of years of experience in sales or another field, there’s no point in applying. Check out the website for details on what they’re looking for—that way, when someone asks why an award was given to someone else instead of you, you’ll be able to say something like, “They had more relevant experience.”
Don’t assume that just because you’re a good student (and probably trying to save money), applying for scholarships is not worth your time. It never hurts—and sometimes helps quite a lot—to go through the process, even if it doesn’t result in an award this year.
Decide whether to apply online or via traditional methods
You’ve been toiling away at your computer, writing a storm, or refining that thesis. You’ve got the data, and it’s time to write about it! But where do you start?
There are two ways to apply for Canadian scholarships online: using an online form (which is easier) or submitting an application through email (which takes more time). While both methods are secure, only one lets you do everything at any time from anywhere in the world—and that’s via an online application.
The best part? Once your application has been submitted and reviewed by a committee member, they’ll send an email confirming their decision…so there is no need to worry if they received it!
Start your scholarship application early in the year
> You should establish your timeline if you’re a student looking to apply for scholarships. If possible, try to apply for scholarships in February or March – this way, you’ll have plenty of time to complete the application process without feeling rushed.
You don’t want to wait until November or December before starting your applications; it can take anywhere from 2-8 weeks after applying for a scholarship before hearing back about whether or not you’ve been awarded one! If deadlines are associated with each scholarship (and most have them), remember that most will close between July and October.*
Take time to write your responses, and allow plenty of time to proofread them before submission
In addition to ensuring you’ve got all the required information, you must proofread your responses.
You may think that spell-check will catch most of your mistakes, and you can get away with a quick read-over before submitting. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. There are some common spelling errors people make when writing in other languages or using different systems of numbers (e.g., English versus American).
For example, Canadians use “fries” instead of “chips” and “billion” instead of “million million” in their language; so if you don’t get these details right in an essay or on your application forms, then it might come across as unprofessional and cause problems later on during the selection process.
To avoid problems caused by minor errors, take time to complete any paperwork related to Canadian scholarships or grants applications. Proofread everything carefully before submitting anything! If possible, have someone else read over what you’ve written, too – they may spot something unnoticed by yourself!
If at first you don't succeed... try, try again!
Don’t give up if you don’t get the scholarship you want! Try to find out why you didn’t get it, and improve your application for next time. Maybe other scholarships are better suited to your needs or interests. If so, apply for those instead!
Also, try to think about what else you could do to improve your chances of getting a scholarship in the future: perhaps focusing on a particular area of study would be helpful; maybe volunteering at an organization will help demonstrate how keenly interested you are in social issues or environmental concerns you are, or if all else fails… keep trying until someone gives it to you!
Now go forth and prosper!
Start searching for scholarships early, so you don't miss any important deadlines!
The best way to get a scholarship is by applying for one!
Start searching for scholarships early, so you don’t miss any important deadlines!
Don’t wait until the last minute. Don’t put off applying for scholarships, even if you think you won’t win them—there’s always a chance that something could change, and your life could take an unexpected turn.
Don’t wait for someone else to tell you about a scholarship—you have all the resources at your fingertips! Don’t expect to get a scholarship just because you are a good student; plenty of other people may be better than you at academics or sports, and they might still get their hands on some cash-filled envelopes too! Also, don’t expect anything in return when it comes down to it: these grants are offered out of goodwill towards human beings who need help getting through college (and paying back their student loans).
For more about Scholarship applications and Designated Learning Institutes, Check out our Post on “Apply to Canadian scholarship programs now”
Conclusion
So, there you have it! Plenty of scholarships and grants are waiting for you to apply for. But remember that it’s not a race—there’s no need to rush yourself or get stressed out. Take your time, research the options available, find one that best suits your needs and interests, then sits back and waits for the money to come rolling in!
