International Student Scholarship Consultant | BeMo®

Studying abroad is expensive, so getting help from an international student scholarship consultant can really save you some money. In addition to towering tuition fees international students have to pay to attend their chosen university, they have additional expenses such as visa and study permit applications, international moving costs, and other related expenditures. International student advisors are often trained as international student scholarship consultants, to become experts at finding scholarships, bursaries, and grants specifically for students studying abroad.

In this article, we will go over why you need an international student scholarship consultant and how they can help you make a dent in your expenses. So whether you are an undergrad looking to decrease your expenses, or a med school hopeful wondering how to pay for medical school, our article will help you find the right financial help for your academic goals.

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Why You Need an International Student Scholarship Consultant

Being an international student is expensive. Everyone knows that universities all over the world always charge higher tuition if you are an international student. And these numbers can be staggering. For example in Canada, the tuition cost for one year of undergraduate study can be 10 times higher for international students than for their “domestic” peers. And this does not include the myriad of fees you have to pay while you apply for visas, study permits, and any other paperwork required of you as you transition to your life abroad.

Furthermore, as a new arrival, you will need to plan expenditures such as housing, transit, food, utilities, and more. All of these add up to a very impressive amount of money. We are not saying that local students are not faced with the same dilemma, but international students may be less familiar with what to expect, so they need to prepare themselves for this amount before they arrive at their destination. Hence, budget planning and strategizing are extremely important.

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So, how can you lower these expenses? How can you mitigate some of the more hefty expenditures like tuition? Luckily for international students, most governments and schools offer financial aid to students from abroad. The catch is, not everyone is eligible for these scholarships, and even if you are, the application process can be so confusing and cumbersome that you may give up on these altogether.

Essentially the problem is: how can you apply for any of these scholarships if you do not know if you qualify? While there may be some information on the government and school websites that outlines the requirements of the scholarship application, there may be some catches there. It’s very important to strategize your scholarship applications to make sure that you apply to the ones where you are actually eligible. You do not want to waste time, effort, and sometimes money, on applications where you have little to no chance of receiving.

Secondly, once you find the scholarships you are eligible for, it’s important to make sure that you are a competitive applicant. Many scholarships are meritorious, which means they are given out based on academic and community accomplishments. So, if you find a scholarship you are eligible for that requires a GPA of 4.0, but you do not meet these standards, perhaps looking at another scholarship may be more beneficial for you. Essentially, you want to only apply to financial aid which you have a good chance of attaining.

Lastly, the application process itself can be confusing. Scholarship applications are not easy. They often require the submission of essays and references, as well as your transcripts and scores. In addition to filling out the application form, you will be required to send in an equivalent of college essays or personal statements. If not a full essay, then an equivalent of an activities section, such as the Common App Activities section, where you outline your academic and extracurricular accomplishments.

All of these requirements can be overwhelming. The help of an international student scholarship consultant can not only guide you through the process but help you find financial aid opportunities that are the best fit for you and your needs, as well as help you draft applications that will impress the scholarship committee. Read on to learn more.

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How an International Student Scholarship Consultant Can Help

Let’s go over the 4 main reasons why you should consider hiring an international student scholarship consultant to help you minimize your educational expenses.

These consultants know how scholarships work for international students. Whether you are applying to undergrad, grad school, medical school, or other professional programs, financial consultants can help you navigate the applications and make sure you apply to the right opportunities.

Not only have they helped other international students obtain this financial aid, but they study the system and newly available scholarships as part of their job. They research available opportunities and what is required of a student to receive them. They know which federal, state/provincial, municipal, and school-specific scholarships are available. While on-campus international student advisors may possess some of this knowledge, they may also have limited scope. The trouble is, they simply cannot pay attention to all the new financial opportunities that come up for international students. They work with hundreds of students on campus, so they cannot provide you with undivided attention when it comes to your scholarship search and applications.

However, a private international student scholarship consultants’ main focus is staying up to date on this information. They are experts in more than just filling out the applications. They are experts at filing, categorizing, and learning new scholarships, specifically for international applicants. For example, if you are applying to medical schools that accept international students, a consultant will know what kind of scholarships are available to you at each of the schools you are pursuing and what kind of scholarships you can apply for at the state/provincial and community level.

Conclusion: Is an International Student Scholarship Consultant Worth It?

As we already mentioned, you do have the option of on-campus college admissions counseling for international students. These counselors are usually good for helping with certain aspects of your transition to a new school, such as your visas and study permits. However, keep in mind that they are beholden to the school first and foremost - you are not their priority. This does not mean that they do not want to help you, but it does mean that they have more responsibilities to their employer than to you.

Secondly, as we already mentioned, you are also not their priority because they have hundreds of other international students to look after. They simply cannot spend their time looking for appropriate scholarships for you and helping you with every step of the application.

However, you can find specially trained international student scholarship consultants to help you maximize your chances of getting financial help. Remember, these professionals are trained to help you with scholarships, specifically.

Most such experts will require a fee for their services but think of what you get in return. They can help you find scholarships to cover or minimize fees for tuition, applications, travel, housing, amenities, and so much more. The fee you pay for the services of an international student scholarship consultant will seem insignificant when you receive scholarships that significantly minimize your expenses. And the beauty is, they can help you find more and more scholarships each year you stay abroad, so you can always keep your educational expenses down.

FAQs

1. What is an international student scholarship consultant?

These professionals help you find and apply for scholarships you are eligible for as an international student.

2. Should I choose an on-campus or off-campus consultant?

You can certainly try using the services of an on-campus consultant, but they may be short on time to help you with every step of the application process. Plus, they may have limited knowledge of what scholarships are available to you.

There are specially training international student scholarship consultants off-campus, whose main goal is to research and keep up to date with all the scholarships available to international students. They also tend to be well-versed in eligibility and application requirements, so they can help you find the right scholarships.

3. Where can I find a consultant?

We would suggest looking online first. Make sure to check out the consultant’s reviews and whether they have a good track record. Ideally, you will be able to have a discussion with the consultant to make sure they are the right fit. For example, take note of whether they understand your needs and what kind of financial help you require most. Ensure that they understand your financial needs and situation.

4. How can a consultant help me get scholarships?

A quality consultant will be there for you every step of the way. They will help you find the right scholarships, ensure that you are eligible, and help you prepare every application component. Finally, they will look over your application one last time before you submit it, making sure there are no errors.

5. What kind of scholarships am I eligible for as an international student?

You can be eligible for a variety of scholarships, including federal, state/provincial, municipal, community-based, merit-based, and more. The key is to find the right scholarships for you among this sea of opportunities.

6. Can I reapply for scholarships every year? Will the consultant help me?

Yes, absolutely! An expert consultant will help you find scholarships as you continue your educational journey. For example, they may help find scholarships based on your academic success or change in your status, so make sure to reach out to them with this news!

7. Will the consultant help me with every aspect of the application?

Yes, they will help you with everything, from finding the right opportunities to proofreading your components.

8. Can the consultant fill out and complete my scholarship applications for me?

No, a quality consultant will help you learn how to navigate these applications. They will not do your work for you. With their help, you will become more familiar with the process, which will eventually let you work on these applications independently. This is especially useful for people looking to stay in academia, as filling out scholarships, bursary, and grant applications is a huge part of graduate school.

To your success,

Your friends at BeMo