Scholarship Spotlight: Lingnan University, Hong Kong; Liberal Arts Scholarship, $15,000

University:Lingnan University, Hong Kong

Level: Undergraduate; Arts, Business and Social Sciences

Scholarship Description:
To attract overseas students to our University so as to create a vibrant international environment on campus, the University offers scholarships to support outstanding overseas students to pursue undergraduate studies at our University.

Overseas Student Scholarships of HK$120,000 (i.e. about US$15,385) each per academic year will be awarded to successful applicants, covering tuition fee, hostel and other academic and living expenses. Each scholarship is offered on an annual renewable basis and is tenable for a period of up to 3 years, subject to continued outstanding academic performance.

Requirements:
Non-local applicants (other than Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland citizens) should have attained at a recognized post-secondary institution outside Hong Kong an equivalent qualification to the Admission Requirements of the University, including a degree, an associate degree or a diploma awarded by a recognized post-secondary institution; OR an International Baccalaureate Diploma; OR satisfactory completion of the first year in a four-year undergraduate curriculum or the first year of an associate degree program of a recognized institution; OR satisfactory completion of two years of full-time study in a post-Form Five institution, e.g. a technical institute; OR other equivalent qualifications which the University will consider on a case-by-case basis.

Non-local applicants may be required to achieve a minimum of Grade C in English in the GCE O-Level or GCSE Examination or an equivalent public examination; or a TOEFL score of 213 in the computer-based test, or 550 in the paper-based test, or 79 in the internet-based test; or an IELTS overall band score of 5.5.

Scholarship Application Deadline: March 31, 2011

Further Scholarship Information and Application:
http://www.ln.edu.hk/admissions/da/intl/scholarships/background.php

Please click here ( pdf size 1.98 MB) to download a leaflet on the Scholarships.

ESMT, Germany, Offers Exciting MBA Scholarship/Fellowship Opportunities for MBA, Executive MBA Programs (Full Tuition)

Supported by 25 corporate founders, European School of Management and Technology is able to offer substantial scholarships to support students. ESMT offers a number of merit-based scholarships for applicants.

Scholarships are allocated on the basis of intellectual excellence, evidence of personal and professional achievement and evidence of strong leadership potential as well as superior interpersonal skills. The scholarships are restricted to self-funded candidates and will be accounted for against the applicant’s program fees. Applicants must meet ESMT’s general admission requirements.

Following are a few of the scholarship opportunities:

Tagesspiegel Diversity Scholarship
Global Women’s Scholarship
ESMT Americas Scholarship
ESMT Central and Eastern Europe Scholarship
ESMT Africa Scholarship
ESMT Middle East and Central Asia Scholarship
ESMT Asia Scholarship
ESMT Academic Excellence Scholarship
ESMT Academic Excellence Scholarship for Women
QS ESMT Diversity Scholarships
Talentia Scholarships
Kofi Annan Business School Foundation

Full-time MBA Application:
Apply online (MBA)

Further Information:
Info Downloads
Info Events

Full-time MBA assistance:
Stephanie Kluth
Head of Admissions Office
Phone: +49 (0) 30 212 31-1400
Fax: +49 (0) 30 212 31-1409
mba@esmt.org

ESMT Offers Exciting MBA Scholarship/Fellowship Opportunities: Kofi Annan Fellowship, full tuition and fees.

Description:
The Kofi Annan Business School Foundation provides fellowships for talented and motivated students from developing countries that allow them to obtain a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Europe at one of the academic partners of the Kofi Annan Business School Foundation. Partner schools are ESMT, Vlerick Leuven Gent Management School (Belgium), and Hogeschool Utrecht (Netherlands).

Program: Full-time MBA

Scholarships available: up to three

Eligibility:
Applicants must be resident in one of the UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), or Palestine.
Please use these links to find a list of countries qualifying:
Least Developed Countries (LDCs)
Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs)

Value:
Full tuition and fees of € 38,000 and a monthly stipend for living expenses

Conditions:
Fellows are expected to commit to returning to their home country or region to participate in the development of the local or regional economy.

For more information:
Download brochure
Website: http://www.esmt.org/info/scholarships

Collegiate Inventors Competition for 2011: US/Canada, Undergraduate prize $10,000, Graduate prize $15,000

Objective
Introduced in 1990, the Collegiate Inventors Competition has recognized, rewarded, and encouraged hundreds of students to share their inventive ideas with the world. The Competition promotes exploration in invention, science, engineering, technology, and other creative endeavors and provides a window on the technologies from which society will benefit in the future.

Eligibility
Students must be enrolled (or have been enrolled) full-time in any U.S. or Canadian college or university at least part of the 12-month period prior to the date the entry is submitted. In the case of a team (maximum of four students), at least one member of the team must meet the full-time eligibility criteria. The other team members must have been enrolled on a part-time basis (at a minimum) sometime during the 24-month period prior to the date the entry is submitted.

Requirements
The entry must be the original idea and work product of a student or team of students with his or her university advisor and must not have been (1) made available to the public as a commercial product or process, (2) described in extensive detail in a publication more than one year prior to the date of submission, or (3) issued a patent more than one year prior to the date of submission. On rare occasion, exceptions may be made to allow the submission of significant recent improvements to matter patented or published more than one year prior to submission of the application. The entry submitted must be written in English.

The invention, a reduced-to-practice idea or working prototype, must be the work of a student or team of students with his or her university advisor. If it is a machine, it must be operable. If it is a chemical, it must be complete with evidence of successful application of the idea. If it is a new plant, color photographs or slides must be included in the submission. If a new or original ornamental design for an article of manufacture is submitted, the entire design must be included in the application. In addition, the invention should be capable of being reproduced.

Do not send your invention. Finalists will be notified and given instructions to send any necessary documentation. A university transcript must be provided at that time to verify student status.

Award
Each year up to 12 finalists in Graduate and Undergraduate Divisions receive an all-expenses paid trip to present their work to a panel of expert judges. The top Graduate prize is $15,000, the top Undergraduate Prize is $10,000. Other prizes will be awarded to select finalists. Academic advisors of each winning entry also receive a cash award.

Deadline
The 2011 dates for the Collegiate Inventors Competition have not yet been determined.

Website
http://www.invent.org/collegiate/

Scholarship Spotlight: University of Dayton International Merit Scholarships

University: University of Dayton, OH

Scholarship Amount: $5,000-$25,000

Program Description:
University of Dayton offers international merit scholarships which range between $5,000 and $25,000 per year to first-year and transfer undergraduate applicants.

Website: http://admission.udayton.edu/International_Students
Areas of Study: *All
Levels of Study: Undergraduate
Open to Students from Any Region

Eligibility Requirements:
Requirements 1: The University of Dayton does not require international applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores for admission or a limited scholarship review. However, applicants are welcome to submit ACT or SAT scores, as good scores may increase scholarship awards.

Contact Information:
University of Dayton
Admissions Office
300 College Park
Dayton, OH 45469-1300

Phone #: +1 (800) 837-7433
E-Mail: admission@udayton.edu

Contact or visit the website for more information.

Scholarship Spotlight: University of Toledo International Rocket Scholarship

University: University of Toledo; Toledo, Ohio

Average Scholarship: $9,120; covers non-resident portion of tuition

Deadline: MayAward Notification Month: July

Program Description:
Students that are eligible for the International Rocket Award will be invited to compete for this limited and competitive scholarship. Students selected will receive one half of the out-of-state surcharge, that when put together with the International Rocket Award will cover the entire out-of-state surcharge.

Areas of Study: *All
Levels of Study: Undergraduate
Open to Students from Any Region

Eligibility Requirements:
Requirements 1: Minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Requirements 2: Minimum of a 500 PBT / 173 CBT / 61 IBT on international TOEFL, or 6.0 on the IELTS.

For further information, contact:
The University of Toledo
Mark Schroeder
Undergraduate Admission
2801 W. Bancroft St
Mail Stop #300
Toledo, OH, 43606

Phone: +1 (419) 530-1213
Fax: +1 (419) 530-5745
E-Mail: mark.schroeder5@utoledo.edu

Visit the website to apply online: http://www.utoledo.edu

Scholarship Spotlight: Pacific Lutheran University International Student Scholarships, up to full tuition waver

University: Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, Washington, USA

Scholarship Description:
Renewable International student scholarships. Amount varies in between $1,000 and full tuition waiver ($29,200 for 2010-2011) per year. Deadline for some scholarships is December 15. Some scholarships require a separate application.

Areas of Study: Many - check out the website
Levels of Study: Undergraduate and Graduate

Open to Students from:
Asia, Europe, Latin America, Middle East, North America, Oceania, Egypt, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda

Scholarship Information:
Avg. Award Amount: Varies (up to $29,200 for 2010-2011)
Number of Awards: Unlimited
Award Coverage: Tuition and fees.
Award Duration: Up to 4 years

Eligibility Requirements:
Requirements 1: Must be enrolled at Pacific Lutheran University.

Website: www.plu.edu/admission/international/apply

Contact Information:
Pacific Lutheran University
Hiro Kuroiwa-Lewis
Director of International Recruitment
Office of Admission
Tacoma, WA 98447-0003

Phone: +1 (253) 535-8177
Fax: +1 (253) 536-5136
E-Mail: kuroiwalewis@plu.edu

Scholarship Spotlight: Tulane University Financial Assistance for International Students

University: Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Scholarship Information:
Undergraduate scholarship
Open to students from any region
Areas of study: All

Avg. Award Amount: $15,000
Number of Awards: 54

Award Coverage: Partial tuition or housing waiver.
Award Duration: 4 years
Award Deadline: March 1

Eligibility Requirements:

• Requirements 1: Standardized test scores for SAT1 and TOEFL or IELTS if English is a non-native language.
• Requirements 2: Must submit a certified and translated copy of the candidate's secondary school academic record and government examination certificates.
• Requirements 3: Certification of Finances Form must be completed and turned in.

Need-based Scholarship funds:
Students may also be considered for Tulane institutional need-based scholarship funds. Tulane requires that all need-based scholarship recipients, including international students, must maintain full-time enrollment (12 credit hours or more) each semester in a full-time division (Newcomb- Tulane College, School of Architecture, School of Science and Engineering, School of Liberal Arts, Freeman School of Business.) For 2010-2011, full-time division entering undergraduate international students may receive up to a maximum of $18,000 in Tulane Need-Based Scholarship annually depending on their family's level of financial need. Students who reside in a country other than the United States or students whose family income is paid in the currency of another country must complete the College Board 2010-2011 International Student Financial Aid Application if they wish to be considered for Tulane need-based scholarship funds. Incoming students should mail the completed form directly to the Tulane University Office of Financial Aid.

Contact Information:
Tulane University
Office of Undergraduate Admission
6823 St. Charles Avenue
New Orleans, LA 70118

Phone: +1 (800) 873-9283
E-Mail: undergrad.admission@tulane.edu

Admissions, International Students: http://tulane.edu/admission/admission-for-international-students.cfm

Tulane Website: http://tulane.edu/

Scholarship Spotlight: Florida Institute of Technology Undergraduate Merit-based Scholarships and Need-based Aid

University: Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida

Merit-based scholarships:

Applications received on or before January 15 for will receive priority consideration. Academic scholarships are available through the Office of Admission. Scholarships are awarded to students with very strong secondary school grades. Scholarships may be available to qualified students regardless of country of citizenship. Scholarships range from $5,000 to $12,000 per year and are awarded automatically at the time of admission. No additional scholarship application is needed. These scholarships are only awarded to students with no prior community college or university course work.

Those students having attended, or who are currently attending, a community college or university may be eligible for a Transfer Scholarship of $8,000 per year ($4,000 per semester) until graduation. If the student attends a community college in the United States and has earned a membership to the community college honor society Phi Theta Kappa, they can combine an additional award with their transfer scholarship for a total of $12,500 per year.

Need-based aid:

Florida Tech offers limited financial aid (up to $10,000) to international students on the basis of need. This award may be combined with a Merit scholarship. To apply for need based aid, file the application for admission and Request for Financial Support form before January 15 for priority consideration. A limited number of part-time jobs may be available on campus, but they are very competitive.

Eligibility Requirements:
Open to Students from Any Region
Students must fully complete the "Request for Financial Support" found at the website:
www.fit.edu/ugrad/international/financial_assistance.php

Instructions:
Apply for admission. The awarding process is automatic if the Request for Financial Support form is submitted. Priority is given to students who apply before February 1 for the upcoming Fall term and before November 1 for the upcoming Spring term.

Areas of Study:
Accounting; Aerospace
Astronomy; Aviation/Aerospace
Behavioral Sciences; Biochemistry
Biology; Biotechnology
Business and Management
Chemistry
Communications and Journalism
Computer and Information Sciences
Computer Science; Engineering
Ecology; Environmental Studies
Information Technology
International Management
Life Sciences; Management
Marine Engineering; Marketing
Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Mathematics
Medicine; Molecular Biology
Natural Resources and Conservation
Natural Sciences
Ocean and Resource Management; Oceanography
Optics; Physical Sciences; Physics
Psychology; Science

Contact Information:
Florida Institute of Technology
Judi Marino
Director of International Student Enrollment
150 W University Blvd.
Melbourne, FL
32901

Phone: +1 (321) 674 8030
Fax: +1 (321) 674 8004
E-Mail: admission@fit.edu

Scholarship Spotlight: Scholarship for African Students and Commonwealth Countries 2011- 2012 at U of Nottingham

University: University of Nottingham, UK

Eligibility:
To apply for any of the scholarships, you should be classed as an overseas student for fee purposes AND already hold an offer to start a full-time Masters degree programme (including MRes) at University of Nottingham in 2011.

Application Deadline:
The closing date for applications is 6th April 2011 for all awards. Applicants will be notified of the outcome within 6 weeks of the closing date.

Developing Solutions Masters Scholarship:

105 scholarships - 30 full tuition fee and 75 of 50% towards tuition fee

Eligible Countries:
You can apply for this scholarship if you are a national of (or permanently domiciled in) Africa, India or one of the countries of the Commonwealth listed below:

*Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Kiribati, Malaysia, Maldives, Montserrat, Nauru, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Western Samoa

Courses of Study:
Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences and Faculty of Science, plus some courses in the School of Geography, Institute for Science & Society, Institute of Work, Health & Organisations, and courses allied to Operations Management in the Business School. See Scholarship Webpage

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme:

• 6 FULL Scholarships -tuition fees, airfare, maintenance award and additional allowances.
• The University of Nottingham offers this scholarship in partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
• You can apply for this scholarship if you are a national of (or permanently domiciled in)one of the eligible countries for the Scheme.

Field of Study: Faculty of Medicine and Health Science

Nominations for this scholarship will be chosen from the 'Developing Solutions' Scholarship applications - therefore you should apply only once on the Developing Solutions Scholarship application form

The Duke of Portland Developing Solutions Scholarship:

• A Full Tuition Fee Scholarship is available for a student from Africa for the MSc in Crop Improvement
• School of Biosciences
• You can apply for this scholarship if you are a national of (or permanently domiciled in) Africa

Field of Study: full-time Masters degree programme for the MSc in Crop Improvement.

Contact Information:
International Office
C Floor, International House
Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Road
Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK
telephone: +44 (0) 115 951 5247
fax: +44 (0) 115 951 5155

For more scholarship for international students visit: www.nottingham.ac.uk

Scholarship Spotlight: Concordia College, Minnesota; International Undergrad Scholarships

University: Concordia College, Moorhead, MN

Amount of scholarship: up to $16,000

Description:
International student scholarships, based on academic ability and family need, to qualified international students. In addition, students can work on campus and earn about $2,500 per year. Open to students from any region. All areas of study. Undergraduate scholarship.

Scholarship Information:

• Avg. Award Amount: Up to $16,000
• Number of Awards: Approx. 100
• Award Coverage: Average award covers about 50% of tuition.
• Award Duration: Varies
• Award Deadline: June
• Award Notification Month: With admission

Eligibility Requirements:

• Requirements 1: Must meet all requirements for admission. Award amount is based on academic ability and on family need.
• Requirements 2: Scholarships are available only to students enrolled at Concordia College.

Contact Information:
Concordia College
Don Buegel
Director of International Student Recruiting and Support
901 8th Street S
Moorhead, MN
56562

Phone: +1 (218) 299-3004
Fax: +1 (218) 299-4720
E-Mail: buegel@cord.edu

Website: www.concordiacollege.edu

Instructions:
Please complete International Student Financial Aid and Certification form as part of the application. Visit the Concordia website for more application information.

Scholarship Spotlight: College of Saint Rose, Graduate International Scholarships

University: College of Saint Rose, Albany, New York

Amount of scholarship: half tuition

Deadline: May 1 for fall; October 15 for spring

Program Description:
This scholarship is a partial-tuition award to support the master's degree studies of outstanding international students at The College of Saint Rose. There are no limitations on the areas of study this award may cover. Open to students from any region.

Scholarship Information:

• Avg. Award Amount: Half tuition
• Number of Awards: 3-4
• Award Duration: Maximum of 2 years
• Award Deadline: May 1 for fall; October 15 for spring
• Award Notification Month: July 1, December 1

Eligibility Requirements:

• Requirements 1: Must have unconditional admission to a graduate program at The College of Saint Rose.
• Requirements 2: Must register for full-time study (minimum of 9 credits) per semester.
• Requirements 3: Must maintain a 3.3 GPA throughout graduate studies.

Contact Information:
The College of Saint Rose
Colleen Flynn Thapalia
Director, Graduate Admissions
432 Western Avenue
Albany, NY
12203

Phone #: +1 (518) 454-5143
Fax #: +1 (518) 458-5479
E-Mail: grad@strose.edu

For more information:
Website: www.strose.edu/grad

Complete application for International Scholarship is available at the website. Applicants to graduate study may submit application for admission and scholarship application at the same time.

Scholarship Spotlight: Berkeley College, New York; International Student Scholarships

University: Berkeley College, New York, NY

Amount of scholarship: Partial tuition (10-25%)

Deadline: Same as general application

Program Description:
Upon application to Berkeley College, International Student Scholarship Applications are also reviewed for study at the school to pursue a full-time degree program. Selection is based on merit and financial need.

Areas of Study:
Accounting
Business and Management
Fashion Marketing & Management
Information Technology
International Management
Management
Marketing

Award Information:
Award Types: Scholarship
Avg. Award Amount: Varies
Number of Awards: Varies
Award Coverage: Partial tuition (10-25%).
Award Duration: Academic year, renewable for additional years
Award Deadline: Same as general application

Eligibility Requirements:

• Open to Students from Any Region
• Requirements 1: Must have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale.
• Requirements 2: Must have minimum TOEFL score of 173 CBT.
• Requirements 3: Students will continue to receive the scholarship throughout their study as long as they maintain a 3.0 GPA.

Application Information:
Contact: Berkeley College
Nori Jaffer
Director of International Student Services
International Division
12 East 41 St., 14th FL
New York, NY
10017

Phone #: +1 (212) 687-3730
Fax #: +1 (212) 986-7827
E-Mail: international@berkeleycollege.edu

Website: www.berkeleycollege.edu

Scholarship Spotlight: Hamline University International Undergraduate Scholarships

University: Hamline University, St. Paul, Minnesota

Amount of scholarship: up to $18,000, plus $2,500 per year on-campus work award

Eligibility Requirements:

• The scholarships and the On-Campus Work Awards are determined by the admission committee based on academic performance (transcripts), English proficiency test score (TOEFL, IELTS), recommendation letters, and personal essay.
• Requirements 2: No additional application is necessary. All international students applying to Hamline for undergraduate admission are reviewed for eligibility at the time of application.

For more information:

Contact:
Hamline University
Director
International Admission
1536 Hewitt Avenue
St. Paul, MN
55104

Phone: +1 (651) 523-2062
Fax: +1 (651) 523-2458
E-Mail: i-contact@hamline.edu
Website: www.hamline.edu

International Summer Research Program in Life Sciences and Technology 2011; EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland

University: Swiss Federal Institute of Technology/ Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL),

Amount of Scholarship:
3200 CHF is provided for all successful candidates – full tuition, travel, housing, excursions, and social events.

Scholarship Deadline: February 15th 2011

Scholarship Description:
The Summer Research Program in Life Sciences and Technology at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), will offer an intensive research training opportunity to 25 undergraduate students interested in research careers in life sciences. This program will run from July 4th to August 26th 2011.

Eligibility/Requirements:

• Must be enrolled in a degree program in basic, engineering, or life sciences and planning on pursuing a career in the life sciences.
• Must be in good standing with a GPA equivalent to a "B" grade or higher and should have completed at least 2 years of undergraduate coursework by the summer of 2011.

Applicants must submit a complete on-line application, including the following:

• Completed application form including a personal statement (maximum 1000 words) describing the student's academic background, scientific interests, any previous research experience and what he/she hopes to accomplish from attending the summer research program.
• Official copy of the student's university academic transcript.
• Two letters of recommendation from faculty or instructors who are familiar with the student and are in a position to assess the student's capabilities and potential for a career in science.

Selection Criteria:
The summer research fellowships will be awarded on a competitive basis taking into consideration several criteria including the student’s academic record, personal statements and letters of recommendation.

Additional Requirements:
The intensive nature of the program requires full-time commitment (~40 hours/week) from the participants. All the participants are required to attend and participate in all scheduled events and activities related to the program. Therefore, participants may not attend another summer school or commit to other activities during the duration of this program that could interfere with their work schedule.

Benefits to the Students:
The participants will:

• Gain hands-on research experience and training with exposure to cutting-edge research.
• Experience what it is like to be a member of a research community working at the forefront of science, medicine and biotechnology.
• Have the opportunity to apply what was learned in the classroom to understanding and solving actual research problems in the laboratory.
• Acquire a better understanding of the scientific process and the application of the knowledge gained from basic science research and state-of-the-art techniques to solve complex problems in biology and medicine.
• Improve their critical thinking skills, including learning how to evaluate scientific information, design experiments, formulate ideas and test hypotheses.
• Explore career opportunities in academia by experiencing the excitement, frustration, and challenges of scientific research and gain an insight into what a career in the science entails.
• Prepare for future independent research projects and advanced research in graduate school.

Contact Information:

Contact Email: summer.sv@epfl.ch

Program Coordinator:
Alice Emery-GoodmanOffice (FSV):SV 3813Tel: +41 21 693 07 94Fax: +41 21 693 18 75alice.goodman@epfl.ch

For more information and application: http://sv.epfl.ch/summer-research
(Pictures, FAQ, Application, Detailed information)

International College of Hotel Management, Australia: Undergraduate Scholarships 2011-2012

University: The International College of Hotel Management

Amount of Scholarship:
A$15,000 to be paid in the following manner:
Year 1 A$4,000; Year 2 A$4,000
Year 3 A$4,000; Year 4 A$3,000

Deadline:
April 1, 2011 for Round 1: July 2011 or January 2012;
September 2, 2011 for Round 2: January 2012 or July 2012

Eligibility or Requirements:

• Open to all international students studying outside Australia, international students undertaking an English course in Australia, and international students who have completed less than two years high school in Australia. International students who finish high school in Australia including the last two years must apply for the Australian Entry Scholarships.
• Minimum age requirement of 18 years old at the time of commencement with ICHM.Maximum age 24 at time of application.
• Will complete/graduate in 2011 or prior to the July 2012 intake, or have already completed/graduated their final year of high school studies. Results must meet ICHM Academic Entry Requirements (refer to ICHM Prospectus or website).
• For students whose mother tongue is other than English, IELTS 6.0/TOEFL 550. (Paper based; computer & internet also acceptable)
• Open only to new students seeking entry into Year 1.
• If you do not have a copy of our prospectus to assist with the preparation of your scholarship application, it can be viewed on ICHM website www.ichm.edu.au or contact the Admissions Office and a copy will be forwarded to you by post.
• Other general information is available on the ICHM website or by contacting the ICHM Admissions Office.

How to apply:
Your completed application must contain:

• Scholarship application form.
  This form is in two parts.- Cover page providing your personal contact details - Your response to 4 short-answer questions found on the reverse of the cover page.
• Brief CV (not more than one page in length)
• Most recent copies of your school reports from the last two years.
• ICHM application form (unless an application to attend ICHM has already been forwarded).
• Evidence of English language ability (e.g. IELT S/TOE FL)
• The ICHM Application form can be found on the ICHM website.
• All sections must be completed and submitted along with the Scholarship form and details.
  

Scholarship Application Fee: A$50.

For more information:

Email: admissions@ichm.edu.au
Fax: (+61 8228 3684
Post:ICHM Admissions Office
124 Hutt Street
Adelaide SA 5000
AUSTRALIA

Source:http://www.ichm.edu.au/

Scholarship Spotlight: University of Leeds Offers Postgraduate Scholarships

Amount: Partial to full scholarships, plus other allowances.

Deadline: Aim to submit your application at an early stage

Description: The University offers a wide range of Taught and Research Postgraduate Scholarships for study at Leeds for international students from partial fee awards to full scholarships covering fees and maintenance grants and other allowances. Scholarships are very competitive and it is important to make enquiries and apply to all possible sources of funding at an early stage.

Important Requirements: To be eligible to apply for a postgraduate scholarship you MUST first submit a study application form (taught or research) and be in receipt of a University BANNER ID number. Your application will be rejected if you do not have a valid University Banner ID number.

The links below also provide important information regarding programs, research opportunities, admissions policy and process, and documentation needed.

Taught Postgraduate Applicants can apply online at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/students/apply.htm

Research Applicants can apply online at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/students/apply_research.htm

You should:

• Read the information carefully and check the eligibility criteria for different Scholarships;
• Aim to submit your application at an early stage;
• If applying for Master’s by Research scholarship search under both taught and postgraduate categories
  

International applicants can use the services of our overseas representatives to make an application to the University; for a list countries and representative information visit: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/international/agentscontacts.htm

For more information: http://scholarships.leeds.ac.uk/

Scholarship Spotlight: University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria

Brief Description:
University of Ilorin, Ilorin, offers scholarship opportunities for International Students in any field of their interest. The offer is opened to both undergraduate and graduate up to Master level. International Students within and outside Africa.

Scholarship deadline: Applications must be submitted on or before September 27th each year.

Amount of Scholarship:

• Tuition fees will be covered;
• Subsistence allowance;
• Miscellaneous allowance;
• Free accommodation;
• Transportation allowance to and from Ilorin (once per session);
• Complimentary access to the facilities of the University Health Services.

Requirements/criteria:

Undergraduate:
Applicant must meet the admission requirements of the University i.e. 5 credits ‘O’ level or its equivalent for candidate seeking admission to the first year of the first degree programmes and two ‘A’ level plus 3 ‘O’ level credits (or its equivalent) for candidates seeking admission into the second year of the programme.

Graduate:
Applicants must meet admission requirements of Master programme of the University i.e. Second Class Honours, (Upper Division) or the equivalent in the bachelor degree.

Additional Requirements

• Evidence of medical fitness and
• Submit evidence of proficiency in English Language.

Application Instruction:

Candidates should visit the University of Ilorin website for more information, or download the application form: http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/CIE_Website/schlarship.pdf, complete it and forward three copies to:

The Director
Centre for International Education
University of Ilorin
P. M. B. 1515
Ilorin, Nigeria.

Candidates may also forward their application electronically to cie@unilorin.edu.ng provided that all relevant documents are attached.

For more details, please contact
cie@unilorin.edu.ng
+2348054469959
+2358036020659

Scholarship Spotlight: Jack R. Howard International Fellowships

Jack R. Howard International Fellowships
Columbia University

An endowment at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism honors the journalistic legacy of Jack R. Howard with fellowships to international journalists pursuing a master's degree. In Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Arab World, and the Far East, free press is just being born, and that makes it possible for the fellows to return home and be true journalistic pioneers in their countries. They serve as role models, mentors and educators to their colleagues. The Howard Fellows bring a richness of experience and a unique perspective to the journalism school and contribute tremendously to the overall experience of the entire student body.

The fellowships provide full room, board, tuition, and travel for the 10-month program, and fellows participate in special lecture and discussion programs on journalistic norms, cultural values, and the challenges they will face in their professional futures. There is a strong press freedom component built into the program, and fellows are introduced to a broad variety of institutions in New York, ranging from the Committee to Protect Journalists to U.N. and foundation officials with interests in their regions.

For information about the fellowships, contact Sree Sreenivasan, dean of student affairs, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, at ss221@columbia.edu.

Scholarships for International Students and GlobalCampus Team Up to Help Students

Social networks can be very powerful for meeting new people, forming new relationships, and collaborating with like-minded individuals or groups. One group that I found and “liked” on Facebook, is GlobalCampus.

GlobalCampus is a social network connecting students with universities and institutions across the world. On GlobalCampus students get approached by institutions looking for their talent and notified of funding opportunities they qualify for. So students can simultaneously access a global range of opportunities without searching hundreds of websites, and universities can attract talent from around the globe without visiting every school. Signing-up to GlobalCampus is completely free! For more information, check them out at their website: http://globalcampus.com/ or their Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/adNNQT

Recently, my friends at GlobalCampus and I have been talking about the difficulties international students face when communicating with professional people – when writing letters to scholarship providers, or simply when posting questions on websites or sending email messages.

SIS and GlobalCampus have teamed up in a joint effort to share information that will help international students learn a few of the basics in communication and effective professional letter writing – that is why “How to Communicate With Scholarship Providers, and Write Effective Professional Letters” was created and shared with you in both channels. Read it on the SIS blog site: http://bit.ly/aurSe7. We look forward to future collaboration to continue serving international students!

How to Communicate With Scholarship Providers, and Write Effective Professional Letters

“hey u got a scholarship 4 me?” Not likely! If you want to be taken seriously by scholarship committees, you must communicate in an effective, professional manner. Even if you are simply sending an inquiry by email, or posting to a website or social network, the basics are essential – proper grammar, capitalization, punctuation and complete sentences.

With a few general rules, some good tips from scholarship committees, and help from family, friends, or teachers, you can learn to write effective professional letters – and increase your chances of winning a scholarship!

Before you write the letter:

1. Take the time to think about your skills and strengths, other than what might be included in a resume. Write them down, describe them, and list examples. Here are qualities committees may look for, beyond financial need:


• Knowledge of chosen field, carefulness of work
• Motivation, enthusiasm, seriousness of purpose
• Creativity, originality, ingenuity of problem solving
• Ability to plan and carry out research, organization
• Ability to express thought in speech and writing
• Maturity, emotional stability, ability to withstand stress and face challenges
• Leadership skills
• Self-reliance, initiative, independence, adaptability
• Responsibility
• Ability to work well with others
• Growth potential, desire to achieve, dedication to goals

2. First and foremost, make sure you are eligible for the scholarship, meet the necessary criteria, and can meet the deadline for submitting all necessary paperwork.


3. Do your research. Locate the details that will help you write an effective, personalized letter. What is the scholarship for? Who is funding the scholarship? Determine what the scholarship committee is looking for in an applicant so you can include it in the cover letter. For example, if the committee values community service, then you might want to include any volunteer services or activities you’ve been involved in.


4. Find out if the scholarship committee consists of the board of an organization, a group of people or educators, or a single person. Find out the specific person to whom you can address the scholarship cover letter. Search the scholarship documents, web site or call the committee and ask to whom you can address the cover letter to make it more personal.


5. Find samples of scholarship letters in books or on the web – but just for ideas, inspiration, and structure. Do not simply change the wording to reflect your own information – it will be easily recognizable as a standard, sample letter. You want your letter to be unique, and your own.
   

Writing the letter:

Format:

• Any formal business letter format is acceptable.
• Make sure to use an easy-to-read font when typing your letter.
• In the top, right hand corner put your name and contact details.
• One line below and left aligned, type the name and address of the person (or organization) you are addressing.
• One or two lines below, either left or right aligned, add the date. The following formats are acceptable: October 10, 2010; or Paris, 10th October 2010. The place of writing can also be included, but is not necessary.
• Two lines below, begin the letter with Dear and then the title of the person as applicable (Mr., Ms., Mrs., Dr., or Professor), then the surname, making sure it is spelled correctly. If you do not have the name of the person to whom you are writing, “Dear Sir or Madam” or “To Whom it May Concern” are acceptable.
• Two lines below, add the content of your letter.
• Two lines below the last paragraph, add the closing, such as “Sincerely”.
• Four lines below the closing, add your name in type, and your hand-written signature above.

In General:

• If both a cover letter and essay are required, then the cover letter should be a small, tight introduction to the personal essay. If a cover letter, personal essay, and resume are required then the cover letter introduces you, the purpose for sending the packet of information you’re sending, and gives a brief overview of what to expect in the resume.


• If you cannot include your resume with the cover letter or essay, which is rare, you may need to include important information from your resume in the letter. If this is the case, divide the information into specific areas, like you would in a resume – such as education, awards, work experience, and goals. Be sure to include areas such as volunteer work or other information that fit with the goals of the scholarship.


• Make an outline of your letter. This will help maintain your focus as you write. You'll need to open with a greeting, transition to your main point, then to your next point and then provide a conclusion.


• Choice of words is important. Achieve a balance between bragging and modesty. Avoid exaggerations and clichés but do not down play your worth.


• Be personable – be yourself. Remember that real people read your letter. Be respectful and courteous but use normal language, not flowery, overly formal wording that you would never use when speaking.


• Once you've written your letter, go back and do an initial edit. Read it and find the spots that sound awkward, don't make sense or don't fit. Spend some time editing, improving the language and flow, and correcting your spelling, grammar and punctuation. Avoid wordiness. Be clear and concise.


• Take a break even if it is just an hour or two, and focus on something else. Read and edit your letter again after your break. It can often be difficult to proof-read your own material; have a friend, family member, or teacher read it through – they may see some places that need to be polished.


• It is simple errors with grammar, punctuation, and spelling that will remove you from the competition much more quickly than, for example, listing too few club activities. Make sure your letter is professional and compelling!
  

Content:

• Start with a strong organizing thesis statement or umbrella statement at the beginning in order to introduce the key points that make you a good applicant for the scholarship.


• Focus on a few main points. Stress the qualities and areas of expertise that make you a good candidate for the scholarship. To do this, refer to the qualifications listed with the scholarship. So, for example, if the committee considers financial need when deciding upon the candidates, make a point of your financial need but not in a tacky way, or in a self-pitying manner. Instead, refer to the financial need in a way that indicates the good that would come of receiving the scholarship.


• Write the body of the cover letter with a sense of gratitude for the opportunity the scholarship will give you. Then make a case of how this scholarship will enable you to help your fellow man and the community as a whole.


• Use specific examples to support what you say about yourself. For example, don't just say, "I am a leader," and expect the reader to believe you. Provide at least one specific example from your life that demonstrates your leadership skills. This is your evidence, and it gives your entire letter credibility.


• If you can, connect your goals to the ideals and purpose of the scholarship committee or organization.


• Close the scholarship cover letter with a forward looking and enthusiastic statement that thanks the committee, organization or person for their time and consideration in reviewing your scholarship application. It's always useful to add a sentence praising the work or the mission of the funding organization as well.

Bottom Line:

Effective, professional communication skills are not simply an asset – they are a necessity!

Fellowship Spotlight: AAUW International Fellowships; $18,000 - $30,000

Fellowships for 2011-2012 Academic Year:
Master's/Professional Fellowship: $18,000
Doctorate Fellowship: $20,000
Postdoctoral Fellowship: $30,000

Applications available: Aug. 1–Dec. 1, 2010

Application deadline: Dec. 1, 2010

Criteria/eligibility:
Fellowship year: July 1, 2011–June 30, 2012
International Fellowships are awarded for full-time study or research in the United States to women who are not United States citizens or permanent residents. Both graduate and postgraduate study at accredited institutions are supported. Several fellowships are available for study outside of the U.S.

For more information:
Questions about applications must be directed to the Iowa City office. Please do not contact the AAUW office in Washington, D.C., or local branches for application information.

Please call 319/337-1716 ext. 60,
e-mail aauw@act.org,
or write to the customer service center at

AAUW
Dept. 60301
ACT Drive
Iowa City, IA 52243-4030

Request a Brochure: http://www.act.org/aauw/brochurerequest.html

Order copies of the AAUW fellowships brochure that includes general descriptions for each fellowship program at http://www.act.org/aauw/brochurerequest.html.

Scholarship Spotlight: Kathleen S. Anderson Award for Shorebird Research

Amount of grant: $ 1,000

Deadline: December 1st of each year

Description and eligibility:
The purpose of this award is to encourage significant avian research in areas of interest to Kathleen Anderson and Manomet, and to help promising biologists in their work. Requests for support of ecological and behavioral studies of birds, especially research furthering bird conservation, will be considered (e.g. endangered or endemic species, population viability, effects of land uses, habitat requirements, migration ecology, feeding ecology, species interactions, etc.).

Proposed projects must take place in the Americas. We encourage proposals from citizens/residents of countries south of the U.S. A total of $1000 will be awarded annually, either to one person or divided among two recipients.

Any person, of any age, beginning a career in biology is eligible. Enrollment in an academic program is desirable, but not required.
Grade level: undergraduate

Field of study: Veterinary and Animal Sciences; Biology

For more information: http://www.shorebirdworld.org/template.php?c=9&g=5#kathleen

Scholarship Spotlight: Microsoft Technical Scholarships

Scholarships: General Scholarships, Woman’s Scholarships, Minority Scholarships, and Scholarships for Students with Disabilities.

Deadline: February 1, 2011

Eligibility: To be eligible, you must be enrolled full time in a Bachelor’s degree program at a 4-year college or university in the United States, Canada, or Mexico at the time you submit the application. Plus, you must be making satisfactory progress toward an undergraduate degree in computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline such as electrical engineering, math, or physics—and that you demonstrate an interest in computer science. Because the scholarship is merit based, you must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average out of a possible 4.0, or a 4.0 cumulative grade point average out of a possible 5.0. International students are eligible.

How to Apply: You must include the following five items in your application:

• Resume
• Transcript
• Answers to essay questions
• Letter of referral
• Printed Confirmation Page from Online Application to the Microsoft Internship Program
• Application Deadline: 1 Feb 2011

Microsoft selects final candidates based on the following criteria:

• Eligibility
• Quality of application
• Displayed interest in the software industry
• Commitment to leadership
• Financial need

For more information: https://careers.microsoft.com/careers/en/us/collegescholarship.aspx

English Language Tests: TOEFL and IELTS

Universities, businesses, and scholarship programs quite often require a trusted and valid indicator of a person’s ability to communicate in English. There are two popular tests that fit into this category: TOEFL and IELTS.

TOEFL, the ‘Test of English as a Foreign Language’, evaluates the ability of an individual to use and understand English in an academic setting. It is the most widely respected English-language test in the world, recognized by more than 7,500 colleges, universities and agencies in more than 130 countries. Check out their website for more information, including videos, tips, and practice! http://www.toeflgoanywhere.org/

IELTS, the ‘International English Language Testing System’, is an international standardized test of English language proficiency. It is jointly managed by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations, the British Council and IDP Education Pty Ltd. IELTS is accepted by most Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand and South African academic institutions, over 2,000 academic institutions in the United States, and various professional organizations. It is also a requirement for immigration to Australia and Canada. For more information, check out their website: http://www.ielts.org/default.aspx

How to Avoid Scholarship Scams

How do you know what scholarships are legitimate and what scholarships are scams? If they sound too good to be true, they usually are; learn how to recognize and protect yourself from the most common scams. If a scholarship has an application fee or other required fees, it isn't worth your time and money to apply. Best bet – don’t pay for any scholarship information. Scholarship information is free and available to everyone.

Here’s one really easy way to check the scholarship or grant to see if it is legitimate:Google it; use a search engine of your choice, and look up the scholarship name or URL, plus the word scam. You might find out it is listed as a scam; or you might get a lot of results and discussion that question whether a scholarship is a scam or not - so it’s probably best to skip over applying for it and move on to the next scholarship opportunity.

The Federal Trade Commission in the US cautions students to look for these tell-tale lines:

• "The scholarship is guaranteed or your money back."
• "You can't get this information anywhere else."
• "I just need your credit card or bank account number to hold this scholarship."
• "We'll do all the work."
• "The scholarship will cost some money."
• "You've been selected by a 'national foundation' to receive a scholarship" or "You're a finalist" in a contest you never entered.

Other Tips for Avoiding Scholarship Scams:

• Don't believe a promise of guaranteed scholarships. No one can guarantee that you will win a scholarship or grant.
• You shouldn’t pay money to be matched with scholarships that suit you the best. Anyone can find out information about any scholarship by searching the Internet. Don’t pay anyone to do this for you.
• Beware scholarship services that charge fees or claim that you can't get this information anywhere else. There are many free lists of scholarships available. Check with your school, library and trusted online scholarship sites before you decide to pay someone to do the work you can do yourself.
• Don't pay an advance fee. Don't pay anyone who claims to be "holding" a scholarship for you or informs you the scholarship will cost some money. Free money shouldn't cost a thing. Ignore any news that you're a finalist in any contest that requires you to pay a fee for further consideration, or taxes on the winning scholarship.
• Don’t pay to have someone apply for scholarships for you. This just does not work. In order to be eligible for scholarships, you have to submit your own applications and write your own essays. You can’t get around this, even by paying money. Scholarship committees can easily identify “canned” essays and letters.
• Ignore the myth of unclaimed funds and the companies that advertise huge amounts of unclaimed money.
• Don't be fooled by official-sounding names and logos. Make sure the foundation, organization or program is legitimate. Remember – just Google it!
• If you feel as though the scholarship application and accompanying materials were never proofread, that’s a red flag. Multiple spelling and grammatical errors show a lack of professionalism that is essential to a scholarship foundation’s success.
• If the only address you can find for a scholarship is a P.O. Box address, do not apply! This is definitely a scam as well. Also be wary of residential addresses as the company headquarters. If you can’t find a phone number for the scholarship sponsor, move on to another scholarship opportunity.
• Do not give out your social security number, credit card, bank or checking account numbers to anyone claiming they need it for you to be eligible for access to "exclusive" scholarship information, or to deposit your winnings. Get information in writing first. It may be a set-up for an unauthorized withdrawal.

Nothing is more effective than your own dedicated work at finding and applying for scholarships and grants! Get the information you need to help you in this process.

Preparing for Scholarships: The All-Important Essay and Possible Interview

Social network profiles. Please know that your social or web profile WILL be investigated as part of the scholarship process; make sure your profile is professional, and a good representation of who you are! Facebook, Twitter, Blog, LinkedIn – all of your personal branding profiles should be updated and appropriate for your current scholarship, internship, or job activities. If you don’t have, or don’t know the specifics of “personal branding”, read the series of posts in the SIS blog listed in the archives on the right, or search for ‘personal branding’. Remember – you can also use the social networks to find scholarships as well!

The personal statement or essay. The application essay can be just as important as your GPA and extracurricular activities in helping you win a scholarship - probably the most important aspect of winning a merit scholarship. This is where your application needs to stand out! Create an essay outline, and have a ‘basic’ essay written, using all your skills to create a portrait of yourself as a worthy recipient. Then read all information that comes with the scholarship application to determine the criteria for awarding the scholarships; emphasize these points in your essay. Make sure your essay fits the theme, and answers the question concisely. Use very specific examples from your life experience. Be specific, but show passion in your writing! (Word of warning – avoid the sob story; they rarely, if ever, win scholarships. Remember that every applicant has faced difficulties. What's different and individual to you is how you've overcome those obstacles. This is more significant and memorable than merely listing your misfortunes. Scholarship committees are not as interested in problems as they are in solutions.) The judges will be reading essay after essay on the same topic, so make your essay unique and engaging, with positive energy! Read, and reread your essay – refining, simplifying, and polishing. Show that you have thought deeply and broadly about what you have learned in your academic career and what you hope to learn next. Correctness and style are vital, and neatness counts. It’s important to adhere to the length requirements of the essay so you aren’t disqualified. Have someone read your essay, preferably someone with professional experience – a teacher, professor, writing tutors, or visit the college writing center if there is one available. Search the Web for articles on how to write scholarship essays. This is so very important – do your best work!

Interviews. Before you submit your applications, realize that you may need to be interviewed by the scholarship committee at some point in the process. There are academic scholarships or merit scholarships, especially those with high payouts that require a sit-down, face-to-face interview with the finalists in order to determine who is the most deserving of the award. Be prepared! Make sure if you get called in for an interview that you practice your scholarship interview skills and that you are comfortable with the topic of your essay. Review your application and keep a copy for yourself. That way, there are no big surprises when you go into the meeting room. If you need help with interviewing skills, visit the career services office at your university. Above all, be confident, be positive, and be yourself! (And don’t forget to smile!)

Textbook Alternatives

Textbooks. Just the word can conjure up pictures of dollar signs added to an already expensive tuition each semester. Now you have alternatives to purchasing new textbooks that can run in the triple digits, and cost over a thousand dollars a year! To check out the increased options and what works best for you, open a tabbed web browser like Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, or Apple Safari. This will make it easier to keep track of and compare textbook options. You might also use a spreadsheet or a table in a word document to keep track of the list of books you need for each course, along with other needed information, such as the link to the store or website, price, tax, shipping & handling, and the time it takes for shipping the books. (Be aware of shipping & handling costs, as well as shipping time!). Before you start, make sure you know the name, edition, author, and ISBN number of the books you are searching for! It is now required to give students this information in the US. To find this information, check with the campus bookstore (online if they have that option); ask the professor personally or send an email; check syllabi or course websites.

Used Books. Certainly nothing new, but you might find new places to purchase them.

• Students. Ask students who took the course last semester – quite often they ask the professor if the same book will be used again the following semester, and have one for sale. Also check to see if your campus has a student-run textbook selling system in place, such as a website or bulletin board.
• Websites. Amazon.com or eBay is a good place to purchase used books. You can also use Google or Bing to search for books by typing in the name of the book and edition, and see what other options come up. (Make sure you don’t purchase the “international” edition!
• Book companies and vendors. There are companies that buy and sell used textbooks, and sometimes you’ll find good deals there. A few to try: Abebooks.com; CampusBooks,com; Textbooks.com; Half.com; CheapestTextbooks.com; … do a search and you’ll find many more. Keep in mind that book companies also buy back used textbooks, often paying for shipping, at prices better than the local campus bookstore can offer.
• Another way to save money on textbooks is to use a price comparison service such as http://www.bookdealfinder.com/
• If your books just aren’t worth selling back, consider donating them to organizations such as Books for Africa. Better yet, hold a book drive on your campus to send used books and funds to people who need them (Books for Africa, Room to Read, Worldfund, Invisible Children, and more) – check out Better World Books; TextbookRecycling.com; and other book companies for more information. Not only will the textbooks go to a good cause, they will not end up in a landfill. AND – you can earn money for your campus organization! (Win-Win!!)
  

E-Books. Again, this is not exactly new, but there are new players and better options. Many of the book publishers have online versions of the textbooks they sell – at a reduced price; so check out the book publisher’s website for details. There are a number of sites that offer the classic texts, novels, and books free:

• Google Books: http://www.google.com/ig;
• Many Books: http://www.manybooks.net/;
• Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/;
  

do a search for “free eBooks” and you will find others as well.

A number of vendors have great new devices available called e-readers. They are small, slim (sometimes 3G wireless) reading devices that let you download ebooks in 60 seconds! No monthly fees, no service plans, no hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. (I have a Kindle, and that means reading my web email, posting to Twitter, catching up on Facebook, and surfing the Web in the car!! And, of course, reading books!) Check them out.

If you’ve never read an eBook – download a free one today and check out the tools available. You can highlight, take clippings, bookmark, and (what I like best) SEARCH! When you study, wouldn’t it be great to search your textbook like you search websites for specific terms?

Be sure to check out the eBook vendors carefully – some eBooks are only available for a specific period of time; some are only accessible on the computer you use to download the book; as well as other limitations.

Renting/Lending Textbooks. Now this is an old idea with a new twist! There are now a large number of universities, book companies, and publishing companies that have textbook rental options. The prices are usually much cheaper than the new retail price of the book. Check with your university bookstore to see if they are planning a rental option for students; some are working directly with book publishers and vendors. If not, there are websites that have online textbook rental options for students, although shipping & handling, along with shipping times, might make this a less desirable option than renting through a university program. There is a company, called Cengage Learning that makes the first couple of chapters of the rented text available online to students, so last-minute ordering isn’t such a problem. They also announced that they would start renting books to students this year, at 40 percent to 70 percent of the sale price. They also give you the option of renting selected chapters of books!

There are now a number of Internet textbook-rental companies, here’s two to get you started looking for the best deals: BookRenter.com, and Chegg (chegg.com) that billed itself as “the Netflix for college textbooks.” Both advertise books at 65 – 85% off the regular price of textbooks. This is another option definitely worth looking into!

But don’t delay – order your textbooks as soon as possible so you have them in time for classes! (Ok – that’s the professor in me speaking!) Good luck with your textbook search, and good luck in your courses this semester!

Pacific University, Oregon, offers Scholarships to International Students - Up to $9,000 Per Year

Pacific University is one of the best traditional universities in America. according to US News & World Report. Pacific University is in the top 13% of the 1400 American universities included in this category. Pacific can give you "Conditional Admission" if you meet the academic requirements of the university, but don't have enough English yet. They offer small classes with over 50 areas of study and several powerful ESL programs. Average university academic class size is 19 and average ESL class size is 12.

Pacific is a private university offering large scholarships for international students. After scholarships, the tuition cost is about the same as a public university. This means you can get a high-quality private university education at about the same cost of a public university. Their Career Center can help you find internshiips before graduation and full-time paying jobs after graduation (limited to 1 year by US immigration). You can apply for part-time jobs on campus. This will help you save a little money. It will also help you improve your English and meet people. (They cannot guarantee you a job, but they can help you apply.)

You can begin taking classes for university credit, together with ESL classes, with only iBT 53 (475 TOEFL or 5.0 IELTS). This is through our ELI Transition program. Pacific has a very strong ESL program, started in 1982, to help you reach our TOEFL requirement quickly.

There is a strong feeling of community at Pacific. They have many programs to help you get connected to other students, get connected to your professors and get connected to the community.

*Undergraduate Scholarships*
Pacific offers automatic scholarships to all international undergraduate students based on your high school or college scores at the time of admission.

The scholarship ranges from US$ 6,000 to US$ 9,000 per year.

Your scholarship award is per year for four years. You do not need to apply separately for these scholarships. They are automatically awarded to all admitted students. They will show the scholarship amount on your acceptance letter and I-20. While studying at Pacific, you must have a Pacific GPA of at least 2.0 (average score) to keep your scholarship. These scholarships are only for undergraduate students (both Freshman and Transfer Students). They do not apply to graduate level students.

Contact Pacific at intladmissions@pacificu.edu.

John Harn
International Admissions
Visit their International Admission Website
http://www.pacificu.edu/admissions/undergrad/international/

Scholarship Posted, Deadline is Next Week - Would You Be Ready??

If I posted a link to a great scholarship opportunity (in the Facebook Page, or Twitter) with a deadline of ‘next week’ – would you be able to apply? Here’s what you need to have organized and available in order to be ready to apply for scholarships, grants, internships, or job opportunities:

Resume. Some scholarship applications will ask for your resume or CV. If you worked previously, list your experiences, but if you don’t have work experience – don’t worry. Use your resume/CV to point out any awards and honors you’ve received, community service you’ve been involved with, and activities you’ve participated in. List all relevant activities and honors, but be selective. If you have more activities than can fit in the space provided do not include the ones that are not significant.

Read the criteria or eligibility for selection carefully to understand what the reviewers of the scholarship are looking for. For example, if the scholarship looks for applicants who can show leadership experience, or an outstanding extracurricular record, include your volunteer and community service activities, emphasizing those in which you took a leadership role. Most importantly, your activities should represent your varied talents and passions outside the class room. The reviewers are trying to get a sense of who you are and what you believe in. Make sure your activities reflect that.

Make your resume and application stand out from the crowd! If you need help developing a professional resume, find examples on the Web, or better – contact your advisor, or the career services department of your school or university. If you don’t have extracurricular activities or volunteer work to list – now is the time to get involved. (Who knows – the life you change doing volunteer work may be your own!)

Letters of recommendation, or professional references. Good references are essential to creating a winning scholarship application. Prepare a document that lists at least three professional references. These references should include one or two professors who know you, preferably both in and outside of the classroom. Choose professors that have had you in upper level courses, and that know your academic goals. You might also ask a coach or academic advisor, the employer that you worked for, or the manager you worked under. Choose people who are relevant to the sponsor's goals. For example, ask a science teacher to write a letter of recommendation for a science scholarship, not your Art teacher. (Never ask a family member to provide a recommendation or letter of reference.) In each case, you want these people to speak highly of you – to speak to others about your abilities and worthiness for the scholarship.

Make sure you speak to your recommenders, making sure they want to speak on your behalf. Give your recommender a written description of the scholarship and a copy of your personal statement or essay that you write for the scholarship application. It’s a good idea to keep them informed about what you are doing academically, personally, and professionally – sending them an updated resume and transcript will help them with the process of writing the letter, or speaking for you during an interview. You should also give them appropriately addressed envelopes with postage, if necessary.

Please, be sure to also give your recommenders plenty of time to write the letter! Ask him or her at least four weeks in advance to write the letter. Gently remind them ten days before the deadline, asking them whether they have sent in the recommendation or need more information from you. Do not ask to see a copy of the letter, even if they offer to give you a copy. If the recommender provides you with a copy of the letter, the selection committee may suspect that the letter isn't as candid as it might have been otherwise. Send the writer a thank you note after the letter has been mailed. Let them know how much you appreciate what they are doing for you; you will likely ask them to write additional letters for you. Once they've written one letter on your behalf, the second letter is much easier. If you send them a thank you, it will give them a good impression and make them more willing to spend time writing you additional letters in the future.

Transcripts. You should have copies of your transcripts available in case you need to send an unofficial copy along with the application. This is also good to have when filling out the application in case you need detailed information about courses and grades, and to send to the people writing letters of recommendation for you. If the application requires official transcripts from all the schools you have attended, request this information as soon as possible. You can do this by e-mail, fax, or call in your requests, but mail a letter as a backup. Some schools charge a nominal fee for official transcripts. After a few weeks have passed, call the schools to make sure that the transcripts have been sent to the proper address.

Scores of internationally valid exams (GRE for aptitude and TOEFL/IELTS for English). This may not be necessary, but just in case, you should have the proper documentation, or copies of appropriate exam scores.

Picture. Have multiple copies of a picture of yourself. A school picture or passport picture is perfect. Anything smaller than a wallet size head shot, will do.

Scholarship Spotlight: Scholarships at Georgia College and State University in US

Amount: International Student Scholarships and Assistantships at Georgia College and State University - up to $19,000 per academic year for undergraduates

Deadline: Application for Spring 2011 semester: September 1st, 2010

Description: Georgia College & State University is proud to announce International Student Scholarships for the Spring 2011 semester. Each of these awards is approximately $19,000/year at the undergraduate level. The university offers challenging undergraduate and graduate programs in the Schools of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Business, Education and Health Sciences!

Information:
To find out more about the academic opportunities available at Georgia College & State University, visit the degree programs website: http://www.gcsu.edu/academics/majorsandminors.htm

International Student Scholarships
http://www.gcsu.edu/international/tuition/ugrad.htm
International Graduate Assistantships (can significantly reduce the cost of tuition)
http://www.gcsu.edu/international/tuition/grad.htm

Contact:
Jason Wynn
International Admissions Counselor
International Education Center
Georgia College & State University
Phone: (+1) 478-445-4789
Fax: (+1) 478-445-2623
www.gcsu.edu/international

Finding Scholarships: Get Organized!

Get organized. If you start off organized, you are less likely to miss important application deadlines or forget to ask for a letter of recommendation. Put each application's materials in a separate file folder – whether it’s a physical folder or a computer folder, or both. Create a checklist listing all the required materials, as well as the following:

• Scholarship name and description; phone number if available
• Date application must be received by scholarship committee
• Date you requested the application
• Date you received the application
• Date application and supporting materials were mailed
• Date you called the Scholarship Agency to verify they received your application package

Keep a copy of your entire application materials, so you can resend it in case it is lost in the mail. Keep a master checklist of all the scholarships to which you are applying, so you can check off the completion of each application. You will also find it helpful to refer to old applications when applying for other scholarships!

Do not miss deadlines. If you miss a deadline, your application is disqualified, regardless of your excuse. Scholarship sponsors never provide extensions. So when you receive the application materials, take note of the deadline and whether it is a postmark or receipt deadline. If the deadline is based on the date your application is received by the sponsor, be sure to mail the application at least one week before the deadline date. If possible, set your own personal deadline at least two weeks prior to that date, so that your application materials are ready well in advance of the official deadline. You might consider including a self-addressed stamped postcard with your application so the sponsor can drop it in the mail to let you know that your application has been received and whether you are missing any supporting materials. You could also send the application by certified mail, return receipt requested.

Organize the application materials. If an application consists of several loose pages, label each page with your name, and possibly also a purpose and page number. This will help prevent parts of your application from getting lost or out of order. If not specified, send your application materials in a large manila envelope, to prevent unnecessary folding of your papers. Make sure you have sufficient postage.

Application Proficiency. Proofread the entire application several times before submitting. After you have carefully edited and revised your application, ask someone you trust to read it again. A second reader could be a parent, teacher, or advisor. Remember: typos cost you points and could cost you the scholarship. Applications with blanks or unanswered questions are viewed as incomplete and are subject to immediate disqualification. Do not handwrite your application. You want to create a professional impression. With few exceptions, all scholarship applications must be typed. All college work is typed unless you are in a math lab; basic computer literacy is considered the norm and not the exception. Read all application instructions carefully and do exactly what the application asks you to do. Do not attach unsolicited documents to your application. The application will ask you to provide specific supporting documents, but if you include anything they do not require it will go against you. Also pay careful attention to word limits. If, for example, the instructions for an essay specify a word limit of 450-600 words, then stay within that limit. Exceeding the word limit is viewed as demonstrating an inability to follow instructions.

A readable, clean, complete, well-written application is impressive. Unreadable, smeary, incomplete, or poorly written applications are eliminated.

Finally, Before mailing your application, double-check:
Have you neatly organized and included all required documents?
Do all official documents contain dates and signatures?
Have you provided correctly-spelled names and mailing addresses?
Have you corrected all spelling and typing errors?
Have you filled in all required fields in the application?

Remember - believe in yourself and in your chances to win scholarships. Hard work and time spent on the scholarship process will pay off eventually. Keep your chin up and think about how great the reward will be if you can win even one of the scholarships you're trying for!

Next post: Resumes, References, and Transcripts!

Get Organized, Get Ready - Find the Funding You Need!

Now is the time to get ready for finding, applying for, and winning scholarships! This process can be time consuming and takes dedication and motivation. But being organized and prepared will help you. In the next set of posts, you will find tips and advice that will also help you. The following information was taken from Scholarship Experts, and is generic in nature; it is intended to get you motivated and ready for the detailed information to come!

Be proactive
No one is going to track you down to give you a scholarship; you must do the legwork yourself. So when you find awards with eligibility criteria that you can meet, contact the provider and request a scholarship application packet. Whether you have to request the application via email, phone or by sending in a self-addressed stamped envelope, DO IT. There's just no other way to get the ball rolling than to take the initiative and be assertive in requesting information.

Be timely
Most scholarship providers set deadlines, and you must adhere to them. Make sure you submit all required all materials well before the deadline. If the scholarship deadline is approaching and you have not yet received the application packet that you requested earlier, follow up with the provider and request the application packet again. You do not want to miss a deadline, as few scholarship providers will consider late applications.

Be organized
Good organizational skills can pay off: literally!

• Keep your scholarship applications ordered by deadline date.


• Give yourself plenty of time to complete and send them in well before the due date.


• Keep letters of recommendation and transcripts on hand so you don't have to obtain new ones every time they are required for an application.


• Make copies of your completed scholarship applications before sending them in, and file them in folders labeled with the deadline date and the mailing address and phone number of the scholarship provider.


• Call before the deadline to see if your application was received in good order. If it got lost in the mail (glitches happen), you still have an extra copy you can send in.

Be persistent
The scholarship search process doesn't happen overnight. You must be diligent about looking for new scholarships to apply for. Plan to spend several hours each month reviewing the programs with deadlines approaching, preparing application packets, and getting your applications in the mail on time. Then the cycle should begin again:

• Find scholarships that you're eligible for


• Obtain application information


• Apply in an organized, timely manner.

Be positive
Finally, believe in yourself and in your chances to win scholarships. Hard work and time spent on the scholarship process will pay off eventually. Keep your chin up and think about how great the reward will be if you can win even one of the scholarships you're trying for! After all, your education depends on it!

Social Networks – How They Can Impact Your Scholarship, Internship, or Job Opportunities.

The Good News.

Technology has had a huge effect on recruitment - for candidates, recruitment professionals and employers alike. What this means for organizations is that finding talent through the internet is becoming progressively more important. Not only are employers and their agencies increasingly adopting online-only recruitment policies, but more and more are using social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin to hunt for candidates. According to a study by CareerBuilder.com, one of the largest online job sites in the US, nearly one in two hiring managers uses social media to recruit or screen candidates for jobs today.

Social media has entered the mainstream as a recruitment strategy; and many highly-recognized firms are connecting with applicants through their own profiles or pages on these sites. As an example, check out Ernst & Young Careers page in Facebook. They have a team dedicated to recruiting on Facebook, where applicants can ask questions, find information regarding contests, jobs, internships, links to related information, and discussion boards; and there are many, many more companies creating profiles every day.

Online networks can become a lifeline if you are looking for an internship or job. US unemployment hit a new 14-year high last October and according to online job advertising firm Monster, recruitment activity on the Web plunged to its lowest level in nearly three years. The economic crisis hitting firms across the globe has created a spike in usage of professional networks such as LinkedIn, the top professional Web network. Professional networking should be a top priority during unstable economic times.

While making it well worth your time and effort to have a presence online, it’s really only effective if you take the time to develop your profile. Virtually anything in a profile shows up on a search, so you should list your educational background, awards, current and previous employment, current responsibilities, user groups, professional associations you belong to, expertise, and other information companies might seek. Tap into social media sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to create or expand positive online content about you.

The Bad News.

What you put on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, or other social networks (or what your friends put there) could have a negative impact on your scholarship. According to Social Media and College Admissions, 25% of admissions offices are searching social networking sites and using search engines (Google and Yahoo) to conduct background checks on potential students before awarding scholarships. Facebook and MySpace are the most commonly searched sites. The presence of admissions offices on social networking sites are expected to increase.

Recent surveys find that a growing number of job searches are being derailed by "digital dirt." The Internet is rampant with inaccuracies, posturing, gossip, material presented out of context, as well as inappropriate information and pictures. All of which can wreak havoc on someone's digital footprint. Social networking Web sites can be filled with unintended or embarrassing anecdotes, and general Web searches sometimes reveal inconsistencies or resume inflation. This can, and has, eliminated candidates for internships and jobs.

There are a number of methods being used to collect information and create a virtual profile of you, such as searching and utilizing government records, free people searches, search engines, social network search engines, and paid searches. A number of companies (and college admissions offices) are also using facial recognition software to identify pictures that are not tagged. Think you’re safe by setting your profile to private? Or using an alias? Your personal information is still accessible to parents, professors, police, or employers. Even if your profile is private, there's little to stop your online contacts from copying and sharing your information or pictures with others, and tagging them. Removing possible incriminating pictures or information when it’s time to look for that scholarship or job may be more difficult than you think – information that you have “deleted” can still be found on numerous servers. So it's a good rule of thumb to avoid posting pictures or confessions that would humiliate you or a friend if they reached the wider world, because they very well could.

What you should do.

My suggestion – Google yourself (use other search engines as well); do an image search; log in to your social network and do a search. Do this regularly. (For more detailed information on searches, and tips for managing your digital footprint see What the Web knows about you.)

Create a profile on a professional network, and link to professors, colleagues, and friends. Create or expand positive, professional (neutral) online content on your social network sites, and encourage others to create positive and neutral information about you. Search for companies with an online presence in Facebook and “like” them, follow them in Twitter, and join appropriate groups in LinkedIn. Make yourself highly visible, with a positive and professional image. And finally, make sure your social networking profiles are complete and rich with search-engine friendly keywords. Having search-engine friendly keywords that describe your skills and experience helps employers find you before they've posted a job ad. A good social online profile is better than no profile!

Scholarship Spotlight: International Student Ambassador Scholarships

University: Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, USA

Amount of scholarship: $4,000 to $7,000 / year
Gold $7,000 per year Renewable
Cardinal $5,000 per year Renewable
Leadership Up to $4,000/year Renewable

Description:
International Student Ambassador Scholarships are awarded to students with exceptional leadership qualities and a desire to positively represent both their home country and Iowa State University to prospective students.

Deadline:
October 1 (spring entry)
April 1 (fall & summer entry)

Requirements / Criteria:
* Apply for admission. (You cannot be considered for this scholarship unless you are admitted to Iowa State University.)
* Submit a one-page essay describing experiences you have had in leadership, community service and/or volunteerism, and why you are interested in assisting Iowa State University with international recruitment activities.
* 1 letter of recommendation
* Send essay and letter via email to agogerty@iastate. edu with the subject line Attention: International Scholarship Selection Committee
* There is no GPA or SAT requirement; however, higher academic backgrounds may result in higher scholarship awards

Additional Information:
www.facebook.com/IowaStateU www.youtube.com/iowastateuhttp://twitter.com/iowaStateUNews

Contact:
www.admissions.iastate.edu/intl/ambassador_scholarships.php
Ann Gogerty, Global Recruitment Coordinator; agogerty@iastate.edu

Scholarship Spotlight: C3 Doctoral Scholarships for International Students, UT-Sydney

University: University of Technology, Sydney

Amount of scholarship: $22,500 per-annum for the duration of three years; $5,000 travel funds for research, laptop

Deadline: September 1, 2010

Details:
C3 or The Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change Cluster is offering scholarship stipends valued at $22500 per-annum for the duration of three years. In addition, successful candidates will receive $5,000 travel funds for research and collaboration support, laptop and workspace in state-of-art research facilities. Research areas include ocean acidification and coral bio-energetic; Antarctic sea-ice algal communities; biological invasions and climate change synergies; food web modelling; surface-atmosphere exchange modelling for terrestrial ecosystems; and remote sensing to terrestrial ecosystems.

To Apply:
To apply for a research scholarship, you need to submit an application for admission to a higher degree by research. For more details see http://www.science.uts.edu.au/for/future/research.html

Contact:
Name: Rochelle Seneviratne
Phone: +61 2 9514 2490
Email: science.research@uts.edu.au

Website:
http://www.science.uts.edu.au/for/future/research.html

Scholarship Spotlight: Anglia Ruskin University (UK) Scholarships for International Students

Scholarships Available:

The International Merit Scholarship:
The International Merit Scholarship scheme provides awards of either £500 or £1000 to well-qualified students applying for any full-time Bachelors or Masters course. In some countries Anglia Ruskin offer a laptop alternative that will be handed over to the applicant on registration at Anglia Ruskin University.

Awards are made on the basis of academic merit and level of competence in English language. Once you apply for a course at Anglia Ruskin you will be automatically considered for a scholarship, and details of any award given will be included in your Offer letter.

International Alumni Scholarship Scheme:

This scholarship of £1,000, deducted from the tuition fee, is available to all Anglia Ruskin University undergraduate students who progress to an Anglia Ruskin postgraduate course and all Anglia Ruskin University alumni who wish to return to university to undertake a postgraduate course of study.

Transfer Scholarship Scheme:

Students transferring from partner institutions which have a specific cooperation agreement with Anglia Ruskin University may receive a £1000 transfer scholarship as a reduction on their tuition fees.

Other Scholarships:

For details of other scholarships which may be available for international students outside of Anglia Ruskin, you should refer to the British Council website.

If you are not already a student in Anglia Ruskin University, please register through the website at http://bit.ly/c7NExN

Additional Information:

For more information about Anglia Ruskin University Scholarships for international students, please check this link: http://bit.ly/8ZJ3KK

Contact:

Call: 0845 271 3333
International: +44 1245 493131
Email: answers@anglia.ac.uk