Get that Scholarship

Quite a few years ago I was trying to secure a scholarship to do my masters. I applied, spent hours in libraries going through the big scholarship volumes to no avail. I know very few people who went to university on a scholarship. This shows how many scholarships are available. Strictly speaking, they are few and far between and are greatly contested. This doesn’t mean that you have to shelf your idea of going to university. You just need to plan ahead and start doing small things which will help you in the long run.

Scholarships and bursaries are highly competitive and it is a good idea to have a backup plan, just in case you do not get the scholarship.

Define your goal.

Your goal is to obtain a degree in the field you have chosen and to pursue a career related to your field of study. Keep this in mind.

WORK HARD

I may have observed that scholarships often go to outstanding students. If you are the best student in your class, your chances of getting a scholarship are improved greatly. Teachers, heads and community leaders will often give you information of scholarships and will put you forward for opportunities. This also applies while at university, the best students are often singled out for opportunities.

Make a rational decision.

Studying abroad is very appealing for most students as they have the opportunity to set sail and become independent. Weigh your options with a clear mind. It may be cheaper to go to a local university as this will keep your costs low. The University of Zimbabwe costs about US$1500/year, depending on your degree programme. Compared to British universities that costs roughly£10 000/ year plus another £15 000 for upkeep and books and so on, it will costs about £100 000 to finish a four year programme. I know numerous people who dropped out of university because of financial constraints.

Take into account the whole period of study

If you pay the first year using money from shares you sold, how are you going to pay the next year? Take into account the whole period of study. Also bear in mind any siblings following behind. Will you have two children in university at some point, if so, how will you pay for that? It may be possible for the younger sibling to take a gap year while the other finishes off. Plan ahead and don’t do anything silly like selling the family home to pay for the first year of tuition, (believe me it has been done). The second year will also need to be paid and now that the whole family is homeless, there is even less chances of you being able to pay for the second year. It is better for the child to go to a local university where paying for university will not be too much of a strain.

Don’t take on too much

Don’t take on too much as this will impact your studies. While other students are enjoying student life and studying, you are worrying about how you are going to pay your fees.

Pay your way

Do your bit to pay your way through university where possible. While other students are going binge drinking on a Friday night, rather be prudent and watch the pennies. Every little helps.

SAVE, SAVE & SAVE

Set up a direct debit with your university or open a savings account and set up a direct debit. Even if parents are paying, it may be easier for them to set up a direct debit with the university and pay the fees monthly. This is how I paid my fees, a little bit consistently every month and by the time I graduated, I had paid my fees in full, without too much drama. 

Start saving up before the children get to university. Invest and plan ahead, it will be worth it once the children are in university.

Apply

Apply for any and every applicable scholarship and grant.

Consult your university

Consult your university to find out if there are any scholarships or grants available. There are hardship loans available that you may be eligible for. Universities are often very helpful and will assist you as much as possible.

Search for Scholarships

Search for scholarships in your region, town, city, province, area of study, gender, etc. Below is a list of possible scholarships for Zimbabwean students, but most of them are also open to African and international students.

1. Presidential Scholarship

The Robert Mugabe Scholarship. Details of the 2012 scholarship are yet to be distributed. 

2.Joshua Nkomo Scholarship

In line with its community social investment program, Econet has established the Joshua Nkomo Scholarship Fund (JNSF), a pan-African scholarship fund for academically gifted Zimbabweans to pursue their high and tertiary studies at local secondary schools and universities. Ten deserving students from each province will receive the scholarships annually, and half of these scholarships will be reserved for women. Award of the scholarships will be irrespective of race or financial background. Prospective applicants must take note of the following: 100 scholarships per year will be awarded – ten per province. They are warded to students at two levels of the education system: Lower Sixth (post ‘O’ Level) 50 scholarships and First Year University (post ‘A’ Level) – 50 Scholarships.

3.York University

International Scholarship Program for Africa (4). VALUE: $100,000 ($25,000 x 4 years). Must be citizen of an African country. To renew — maintain high academic standing (7.8 on a 9-point York scale) in each academic year at York.

4.The Crosby Scholarship Fund

For Theological Education in Zimbabwe provides an opportunity for donors to make contributions to a permanent fund that will allow the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe to grant scholarship support for students studying for the ministry. The first priority for the use of distributions from the Crosby Scholarship Fund is to provide support for UCCZ students studying for the ministry at the United Theological College in Zimbabwe. Second priority is to use the distributions to support their ministerial students studying in other institutions of theological education in Africa.

5. Graca Machel

 Graca Machel scholarships mostly to study in SA. http://www.canoncollins.org.uk/support/graca-machel.php

6.Clutton-Brock Scholarship For Zimbabwe

http://www.magd.cam.ac.uk/admissions/postgraduate/scholarships-brock.html

The object of this scholarship scheme is to establish scholarships at postgraduate level in the University of Cambridge for the benefit of students from Zimbabwe. The Scholarships are open to citizens of Zimbabwe, normally under the age of 35 and normally resident in Zimbabwe, who already have, or expect to obtain before 1 October 2008, a first class or high second class degree or its equivalent from a recognised University.

7.Canon Collins Trust

Provides scholarships to students who wish to pursue a postgraduate degree (mainly Master’s degrees of one or two years) in either the United Kingdom or South Africa.

8.KAAD Scholarship Program – Germany

Is addressed to post-graduates and to academics who already gained professional experience and who are interested in postgraduate studies (or research stays) in Germany. This program is administered by regional partner committees, staffed by university professors and church representatives. Normally documents are submitted to the committee of the applicant’s home country.

9.THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP 2010 for ZIMBABWE

A Rhodes Scholarship is tenable at the University of Oxford. After election to a Scholarship the successful candidate has still, however, to obtain admission to the University of Oxford and one of its constituent Colleges. There is no guarantee of a place and the award of the Scholarship is not confirmed by the Rhodes Trustees until the Scholarelect has obtained such admission. The Scholarship once confirmed may be held for one or, more normally, two years and may, at the discretion of the Trustees be extended for a third year.

10.Sloan African Scholarship

The Allan and Nesta Ferguson Charitable Trust – African Scholarship. The scholarship is open to all successful applicants on the Sloan Fellowship who are African nationals and reside in Africa.

11.Beit Trust

offers annually a small number of Scholarships for postgraduate studies or research to graduates.   The duration of the Scholarships is normally for up to three years at the discretion of Trustees.  Scholarships are taken up at a University in the United Kingdom, Ireland or South Africa, for study in a subject of the individual’s choice appropriate to the needs of the beneficial area.  In addition, a small number of one-year taught Masters degrees are offered at the University of Leeds, known as the Beit Chevening Leeds Scholarship and similar awards, known as the Beit Chevening Reading Scholarship, are also offered at the University of Reading.

12. DRD Scholarships for PhD and Master Studies.

 http://www.drd-sa.org/scholarships-in-development-studies.html, http://www.drd-sa.org/scholarships-in-development-studies.html

13.  Special Research Fund of Ghent University, Belgium. http://www.ugent.be/en/research/funding/phd/vlirdoc.htm

14. Du Bois-Mandela-Rodney Fellowship: University of Michigan http://www.lsa.umich.edu/caas/fellowships/postdocfellowship

15.DAAD Scholarship Programme, Germany RECEIVE FREE SCHOLARSHIP UPDATES FROM INTERNATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS: http://internationalscholarships.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=a71a0949b5e7f1980c3fc86f3&id=f7dd3ad847

16.Chevening UK Scholarships for International Students

http://www.scholars4dev.com/3299/british-chevening-scholarships/

British Government/FCO
MS/MA/PhD Degree

Deadline: varies (annual)
Study in: UK
Course starts AY 2012/2013

17.Netherlands Masters Fellowship Program for Developing Countries

Netherlands Government
MS/MA Degree

Deadline: 7 Feb/1 May 2012
Study in:  Netherlands
Course starts September 2012

18.Netherlands PhD Fellowship Program for Developing Countries

Netherlands Government
PhD Degree

Deadline: 7 Feb/2 Oct 2012
Study in:  Netherlands
Research study starts 2012

19. Netherlands Fellowship Program for Short Courses

Netherlands Government
MS/MA Degree

Deadline: 7 Feb/1 May/2 Oct 2012
Study in:  Netherlands
Course starts September 2012

20.Commonwealth Scholarships for Developing Commonwealth Countries

DFID
BS/MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: 7 Dec 2011 (annual)
Study in: UK
Course starts AY 2012-2013

21.Gates Cambridge Scholarships for International Students

Gates Cambridge Trust
BS/MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: 2 Dec 2011 (annual)
Study in:  UK
Course starts 1 October 2012

22.Eiffel Scholarships in France for International Students

EGIDE
MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: 6 Jan 2012 (annual)
Study in:  France
Course starts AY 2012-2013

23.Czech Government Scholarships for Developing Countries

Czech Republic Government
BS/MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: 15 January (annual)
Study in:  Czech Republic
Course starts AY 2012-2013

24.Graça Machel Scholarships for African Women

Graca Machel (Canon Collins Trust)
Postgraduate Degree

Deadline: 10 Dec/10 Aug (annual)
Study in: UK/South Africa
Next course starts Sept 2012

25.Erasmus Mundus Scholarships for Developing Countries

European Union
MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: around Dec-Jan (annual)
Study in:  European Countries
Course starts Aug-Sept 2012

26.Weidenfeld Scholarships at University of Oxford

ISD/Univ of Oxford
MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: 6/20 Jan 2012 (annual)*
Study in:  UK 
Course starts 2012

27.CUD Scholarships in Belgium for Developing Countries

CUD/CIUF
MS Degree/Training

Deadline: 13 Feb 2012* (annual)
Study in:  Belgium
Course starts September 2012

28.Switzerland Scholarships for International Students

Swiss Government
MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: varies, around Oct-Nov
Study in: Switzerland
Course starts September 2012

29.Tuition-Free Online Scholarships at University of the People

University of the People
Online Courses

Deadline: 13 Oct 2011 (annual)
Study in:  any Country
Course starts Nov 2011

30.VLIR-UOS Masters Degree Scholarships for Developing Countries

VLIR-UOS
Master’s Degree

Deadline: 1 February (annual)
Study in:  Belgium
Course starts September 2012

31.Norwegian Quota Scholarships for Developing Countries

Norwegian Government
MS/PhD Degree

Deadline: 1 December (annual)
Study in:  Norway
Next course starts 2012

MORE SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES

32. http://www.scholars4dev.com

33. http://internationalscholarships.ca

34. http://www.scholarshipandgrantguide.com/?hop=xyzjjb

35. http://www.freeundergraduatescholarships.info/

36. The general link with massive scholarships database is http://www.advance-africa.com/Undergraduate-Scholarships.html

37. http://www.diversityabroad.com/international-scholarships/Zimbabwe

38: Every University has information on scholarships giving you countless other leads

ALL THE BEST IN YOUR SEARCH FOR A SCHOLARSHIP.