Searching For College Scholarships

Low Jeremy

If you have just graduated from high school or have been thinking of going back to college to finish your course but have no financial resources, then, you must consider applying for a college scholarship. So if you don't know where to go, here re the places and ways to look into:


The Internet


The internet has something for everyone. Even for you for those who need help to finance their college education. In the internet, there are sites that offer college scholarships. These sites are either your local government, College or University itself, some non-government institutions, or a collective people who gathers finances to help someone like you. The internet also has some helpful articles to make your college scholarship application easier and make the scholarship grant closer to your hand.


The High School Academic Guidance Counselor


Before the end of the school term, most colleges and universities contact or go to high both public and private schools to offer scholarships for graduating students. Usually, the academic guidance counselor takes hold of the application forms. All you have to do is to approach the office and ask for scholarship forms.

Colleges and Universities


If you excel in athletics, academics, art, and stage, colleges and universities give you special scholarships. Inquiring for this would be a good way to start. Most of the times though, these types of college scholarships are either automatically given to a certain students or selected through a roster of students.

Or, if you are not that athletic or not that excellent in academics, colleges and universities provide financial aids. These aids will slash off some percentage of the total price you have to pay for the year. Both the financial aid and scholarship will continue provided that you can maintain a certain average.

The Local Government

One of the best college scholarship grants that are both reliable and efficient is from the local government. Since local governments allocate funds for financing a certain number of students in a year, it is almost assured that you get one of the slots. Added to this, a government scholar has the privilege to immediately land a job after graduation. And this usually comes with the scholarship contract.

Institutions and Corporations


There are institutions and corporations that offer scholarships for students with both academic skills and financial problems. Look into this. Search of institutions and corporations that offer scholarships you can apply for.

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Searching For College Scholarships

A Guide To Finding Scholarship Grants

Many people are determined to go to an internationally recognized university but lack the money to do so. But don't worry all is not lost because there is a way to get financial aid through a scholarship. Finding a scholarship can often make the difference between being able to attend and having to work for another year or two.

Have you ever wondered what scholarships cover? You'll be supervised to know that scholarships can cover almost all the expenses associated with school such as:

1. What Do Scholarships Cover?

- Tuition

- Book costs

- Dorm fees

- Housing

- Food

- Travel expenses

- Other

2. Scholarship ProgramsThe benefits of a scholarship are clear - you don't have to pay back any of the money you receive. Most of these programs offer money and other benefits for students. These are awarded, mostly my charitable institutions, company businesses, schools, universities, government and non-government (private) organizations. Scholarships are given based on the criteria imposed by these organizations. The two most common categories are academic and athletic.

3. Free MoneySometimes you can get a scholarship just for saying you saw an advertisement on the bus or in the paper. The amounts are usually quite small - under $300 usually, but every little bit helps. The best source of information about scholarships will often be your school student advisor. Your school might also have a student financial advisor for just such a need. You can find the student financial officer by contacting the main switchboard of the university and ask to be transferred to the student financial officer or equivalent position.

4. Keep SearchingYou will likely have to apply to several hundred scholarships before you get a single one awarded to you. Even then, there are strict guidelines that you must adhere to in order to keep the scholarship, for example, you might have to keep your GPA above a certain level. Be sure to leave plenty of time for searching for scholarships, as it can take months for them to be approved. In other words, don't start looking for scholarships a few weeks before your intended program of study starts.

We recommend you track your scholarship submissions using a spreadsheet or a binder of some time. You can simply have a worksheet or a divider for each scholarship you have applied for. You can keep track of things like contact numbers, deadlines, requirements etc... This is important especially if you are applying to hundreds of scholarships where you can quickly loose track of important details and mix up scholarships.

A Guide To Finding Scholarship Grants

Scholarships offered for Indian students

March 26, 2008

For the first time, students graduating from high schools in India and accepted into undergraduate programs at Simon Fraser University can apply for an Outstanding SFU India Entrance Scholarship.

SFU is offering three scholarships worth $10,000 each to students from India graduating with the highest academic standings in their schools.

“We are grateful for the generosity of the Indo-Canadian donors who have made this special entrance scholarship possible,” says SFU Director of Enrollment Services Mehran Kiai.
“This special scholarship program complements other entrance scholarships for international students that SFU already offers.”

Only students entering SFU during the fall 2008 semester are eligible for the three special scholarships. Scholarship applications must be submitted by April 30 to be considered.
For information about this and other SFU scholarship opportunities, log onto http://students.sfu.ca/admission/entrancescholarships/index.html

Scholarships offered for Indian students

Regional disparity tags US scholarships

Pradipta Mukherjee / Kolkata April 16, 2008

Eastern India sends the least number of scholars, North leads.

Recent reports released by United States Education Foundation in India (USEFI) say the eastern region of the country has the lowest number of Fulbright and Humphrey scholars in the country.

Eastern India also has the lowest number of applicants for the world-renowned research grant Fulbright Scholarship. The Fulbright programmes are for working professionals in India, students, researchers and teachers. The professionals pursuing the courses are provided stipend as well as accommodation in the US.

In the last eight years, the total number of Fulbright and Humphrey fellowships from the eastern region was 71 — the lowest among all four regions. The highest number was 182 from the northern region, followed by 114 from the South and 92 from the West.

Each of the other three regions has consistently posted more than double the number of applications from the Eastern region over the last few years for the scholarship programmes. Last year, scholars from Bengal received eight Fulbright fellowships, while Delhi bagged 19.

According to Sunrit Mullick, regional officer and educational adviser, USEFI, the low numbers could be attributed to ‘a singular lack of ambition’ among people of eastern India. “People in Kolkata and the NorthEast seem to be satisfied with their careers,” Mullick said.

“Lack of information is another reason. In many instances, when Fulbright brochures were sent out to various colleges and universities in the East they landed up at the principal’s office.

But it has been found that often the principal’s office does not bother to give the information to the students or put up the brochure for public view. So, many students do not even know when the scholarship was announced or when the deadline passed,” he added.

Regional disparity tags US scholarships

BUILD-INDIA SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE LARSEN & TOUBRO

THE LARSEN & TOUBRO BUILD-INDIA SCHOLARSHIP
India's largest construction organisation announnces Scholarships in Construction Technology & Management

ECC - the Construction Division of engineering and technology major Larsen & Toubro Limited - will sponsor deserving fresh engineering graduates interested in pursuing an M.Tech. in Construction Technology & Management in IIT (Delhi and Madras). The Scholarships signify ECC's keenness to enhance the interface between educational institutions and industry. Duration of the course : 24 months. Date of commencement : July 2005. Qualifications : First-class graduates with minimum aggregate average of 65% marks in Civil/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering who will pass out in 2005 from a recognized Indian University / Institute. Age : Not over 23 years as on 1.7.2005 Minimum Height : 160 cm. Minimum Weight : 50 kg. Vision : If wearing spectacles, the power should be less than +_ 5.0 diopters. The Selection Process involves written tests / interview conducted by IIT ( Delhi / Madras) in co-ordination with ECC. Final selection will be subject to medical fitness. Scholarship : For the 24-months duration of the course, ECC will provide selected candidates a stipend of Rs.6,000/- pm and pay sponsorship and tution fees to IITs. Absorption : Candidates who successfully complete the course will be considered for absorption in regular employment in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Company. Total emoluments on absorption, at current rates, exceeds Rs.2,50,000/- per annum on cost-to-company basis. The Company offers excellent career growth prospects. Undertaking : Before joining, candidates selected will be required to execute an undertaking for a value of Rs.3,00,000/- to complete the course, and subsequently, if selected for employment, to serve the Company for a minimum period of 5 years. Eligible candidates may apply within 10 days with a recent photograph, giving accurate and complete details - viz full name, mailing address, date of birth, height / weight, examinations passed, year of passing, dicipline (Civil/Mechanical/Electrical), aggregate percentage of marks (taking into account all completed semesters, including I and II semesters), college, university, location of the university(State / Union Territory), special merit awards, and extra-curricular activities (if any). Quote Reference No. 999/BIS/XX on application and envelope, and mail to Personnel & Organisation Development Department, Larsen & Toubro Limited, ECC Division, P.B. No.979, Mount Poonamallee Road, Manapakkam, Chennai - 600 089. You may also apply online in the application format applicable to Build-India Scholarship on the career page of our website www.lntecc.com

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BUILD-INDIA SCHOLARSHIPS FROM THE LARSEN & TOUBRO

SCHOLARSHIPS FROM INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LTD.,

INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LTD.,
ENERGISING SUCCESS
Announcing 350 Scholarships for Students of 10+/ITI, Engineering, MBBS & MBA Courses


Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., India's largest commercial enterprise, opens a golden window of opportunity for talented and deserving students in India.

A total of 350 Scholarships, under select categories, are offered under the Indian Oil Scholarship Scheme this year to support and nurture talent from among deserving students so as to enable them to accomplish their academic goals.

With a countrywide network of infrastructure and services, Indian Oil is proud to be "in every part, and in every heart" of the nation, bringing energy to the lives of millions.

The Scholarship scheme is Indian Oil's humble attempt to support and encourage deserving, talented students achieve their limitless ambitions and serve the nation.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Sl.No:1
Stream : 10+/ITI
Duration for which Scholarship will be awarded and minimum duration of course : 2 Years
No.of Scholarships : 250
Qualifying Examination : 10th
Minimum Eligibility marks in Qualifying exam : GEN : 65% SC/ST/OBC/Girls : 60% PC/PH : 50%
Scholarship amount per month : Rs.1000

Sl.No:2
Stream : Engineering
Duration for which Scholarship will be awarded and minimum duration of course : 4 Years
No.of Scholarships : 50
Qualifying Examination : 12th
Minimum Eligibility marks in Qualifying exam : GEN : 65% SC/ST/OBC/Girls : 60% PC/PH : 50%
Scholarship amount per month : Rs.2000

Sl.No:3
Stream : MBBS
Duration for which Scholarship will be awarded and minimum duration of course : 4 Years
No.of Scholarships : 20
Qualifying Examination : 12th
Minimum Eligibility marks in Qualifying exam : GEN : 65% SC/ST/OBC/Girls : 60% PC/PH : 50%
Scholarship amount per month : Rs.2000

Sl.No:4
Stream : MBA
Duration for which Scholarship will be awarded and minimum duration of course : 2 Years
No.of Scholarships : 30
Qualifying Examination : Graduation
Minimum Eligibility marks in Qualifying exam : GEN : 65% SC/ST/OBC/Girls : 60% PC/PH : 50%
Scholarship amount per month : Rs.2000

Abbreviations : SC - Scheduled Caste, ST - Scheduled Tribe, OBC - Other Backward Class, GEN- General, PC/PH - Physically challenged/Physically Handicapped (minimum 40% disability as per definition under Disabilities Act 1952)

Distribution of 250 Scholarships for 10+/ITI will be as under and based on location of the School/College/Institute.

North : Delhi,Punjab,Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh & UT of Chandigarh : 50 Nos

East : Bihar,Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal : 50 Nos

West : Maharashtra,Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, chattisgarh, Goa, UT of Dadra & Nagar haveli, daman & Diu : 50 Nos

South : Tamil nadu, karnataka, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Pondicherry : 50 Nos

North Eastern States Sikkim & Islands : Nagaland, Tripura, Sikkim, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Minicoy, Aminidivi Islands etc:( Additional to East & South ) : 40 Nos

jammu & Kashmir : Jammu and kashmir : 10 Nos

100 Scholarships will be for students pursuing 1st year of Engineering, MBBS and MBA courses on national merit basis.

ELIGIBILITY : Students pursuing full time courses in these streams & studying in Schools/Colleges/Institutions/Universities recognised by MCI/AICTE/State Education Boards/State Govt./ICSC/CBSE/Central Govt./Association of Indian Universities,shall be eligible to apply. The time post graduate courses in Business Administration/Management recognised by Central/State Govt. Association of Indian universities and which are equivalent to MBA, are eligible for management stream Scholarship. Students having confirmed admission in the first year of full time engineering degree course. MBBS, MBA and also 11th standard as well as those inthe 1st year of 2 yer ITI course are eligible to apply. In case of graduates, the average percentage of marks of all the academic years shall be treated as eligibility marks . Minimum eligibility percentage of marks for various categories will be as indicated above. Gross Joint income of the family of the candidate from all sources(during financial year 2003-2004)should not exceed Rs.1,00,000/- (Rupees One Lakh Only). However,Preference will be given to the candidates whose family's annual gross income is not more than Rs.60,000/-. The marks obtained in the examination making the students eligible to sek admission in the respective first year of these courses will be considered for selection. Criterion for selection will be merit and family's income. Wards of employees of IOCL, its joint Venture and Subsidiary companies & ABC Assessment Services are not eligible to apply.

AGE LIMIT : Minimum 15 years and maximum 30 years as on 01.09.2004. Persons born between 01.09.1974 and 01.09.1989(both days inclusive) are eligible to apply.

RESERVATION & RELAXATION : Relaxation in the upper age limit is 3 years for OBC candidates, 5 years for SC/ST candidates and 10 years for physically challenged/Physically handicapped candidates. 50% of the Scholarships are reserved for SC/ST & OBC candidates. In each stream/category/sub-category, 25% of Scholarships are reserved forgirl students and 10% for physically challenged/physically handicapped students. Only those listed in the central govt's OBC list will be considered against OBC quota. OBC candidates of state list and not covered by central govt's OBC list may apply against general quota.

APPLICATION : Candidates studying in the academic year 2004-2005 are to apply on the prescribed format given at IOCL's website: www.iocl.com. Forms can be filled and submitted online by logging on to www.epostbag.com. Such candidates need not send forms by post. IOCL reserves the right to reject any application as well as discontinue the scholarship at any stage without assigning any reason. No correspondence inthis regard will be entertained.

LAST DATE : Completed application form in respect of candidates who are unable to submit the application online, on A4 size application format, without any mark sheet/certificates/document should be sent so as to reach by 30 September 2004 by ordinary post, to the administrator of the Scheme:

ABC ASSESSMENT SERVICES PRIVATE LTD.,
Post Box No. 007,
Srinivaspuri Post Office,
New Delhi - 110065

For application form and scheme guidelines log on to www.iocl.com

For applying online log on to www.epostbag.com

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd. - Bringing Energy to Life

SCHOLARSHIPS FROM INDIAN OIL CORPORATION LTD.,

SCHOLARSHIPS FROM NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION LTD

NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION LTD., (A Government of India Enterprise)

25 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR SCHEDULED CASTE / SCHEDULED TRIBE / PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED ENGINEERING STUDENTS ( SCHEME XIV )

The country's premier power producer takes on the responsibility for fruitful impact in the cause of SC/ST/Physically Challenged persons. As a responsible and socially conscious enterprise, NTPC is offering 25 Scholarships to students belonging to Scheduled Caste / Scheduled Tribe/ Physically Challenged categories pursuing full time degree course in Engineering.

ELIGIBILITY - Students belonging to SC/ST/Physically Challenged categories (Visually Handicapped / Hearing Handicapped / Orthopaedically Handicapped ) and pursuing full time degree course in engineering in the disciplines of Electrical, Instrumentation, Mechanical, Computer Science, Electronics / Telecommunication from a college / university institute recognized by the Govt.Of India and should be in the Third Year in session 2004-2005. Those who have successfully completed the 1st year degree course in 2002-03 and the 2nd year degree course in 2003-04 both in the first attempt only need to apply. They should not be receiving any funancial aid or assistance from any source. SCHOLARSHIP AMOUNT - The scholarship is admissible from the second year till the final year subject to the condition that the student meets the minimum qualifying criterion for success in each year. The rate of scholarship is Rs.1000/- P.M. . Total 25 scholarships will be granted ( 14 SC, 06 ST and 05 PC ) HOW TO APPLY - Students fulfilling the eligibility conditions may submit their applications in the prescribed format printed alongside duly completed in all respects alongwith supporting documents through the Head of the Institution, While forwarding the application, the institute shall certify to the effect that information furnished by the candidates is correct and the institute is recognized by the Government of India.

SCHOLARSHIPS FROM NATIONAL THERMAL POWER CORPORATION LTD

IIM scholarships for needy students

New Delhi, April 2 (IANS) The Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A)

Wednesday maintained that the fee hike it announced last week will not be reviewed and its officials told Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh that there would enough provision for scholarships for needy students. Senior IIM-A officials, including institute governing council chairperson and industrialist Vijaypat Singhania, met Arjun Singh and told him that the institute’s corpus for scholarships would be increased from Rs.4 million to Rs.85 million a year.

They argued that the fee hike would not affect a larger class of students, especially the poor.

“We have told the minister that despite the fee hike we announced recently, our institute would provide scholarships to 62 percent of the students joining IIM=-A,” Singhania told reporters.
Singh said while he did not want to interfere with the IIM’s decision, he wanted to know how they expect the poor to pay the fees.

“I do not want to get into the IIM’s autonomy. I am only concerned about students of weaker sections and poor students,” he told reporters.

“The HRD ministry would not review the fee hike of the IIMs as the minister was convinced that scholarships would be given to those students who cannot afford to pay the fee,” said a senior ministry official.

“The minister was convinced by our explanation,” Singhania added.

The IIM-A Saturday announced hike in its fees from Rs.4,50,000 to Rs.1.15 million for a two-year post-graduate programme while the IIM-Kozhikode Monday increased its fee from Rs.3,85,000 to Rs.600,000.

IIM scholarships for needy students

Researching Scholarship Opportunities

Kara Lilly

You are ready to go to college or maybe your child is and you want to know what types of scholarships are available. Maybe you are asking yourself where to start? If so, here are a few tips.

Scholarships are either given by colleges or universities that you plan to attend or by the private sector. But most scholarships are private-sector, that is scholarships that are offered by businesses, professional associations, community service organizations and individuals. Both types of scholarships often requires an application and some type of essay.

Before researching scholarships, know that most have some sort of criteria that you must meet before qualifying. This criteria can be academic performance, financial need or even race, ancestry, sexual orientation and hobbies. Making a list of all of your hobbies, clubs or organizations you have belonged to, whether your parents have belonged to organizations or the armed services, and what your interests are, will help you with your search.

To search for scholarships you can use the Internet, libraries and college counseling and financial aid offices.

Using the Internet and search engines such as Google and directories such as Yahoo! Requires some research skills. Simply typing in the world scholarships and return over 60 million results. Typing in scholarships for women will narrow the results substantially. Add to the search text your major, such as women engineering scholarships to refine results further. Search by all germane academic and personal factors, including your specifics from your list, and combine these where apt; examples include: engineering scholarships, engineering scholarships women, chemical engineering scholarships women, Filipina scholarships, etc.

Most colleges and universities will have a library collection of texts on funding your education and librarians have a great deal of expertise on how to search printed material and the Web. University libraries customarily have larger collections and more resources than community colleges and you can search the catalogs over the Web.

Local public libraries may be useful in several ways. They may have a collection of financial aid and scholarship texts, and the professional librarians may be able to help your search. Public libraries may also have information on local and regional organizations, such as university alumni, association branches, community service clubs and organizations, chambers of commerce, religious institutes, and professional associations that may offer scholarships. Local organizations may offer substantial scholarships, some of which may be renewable. Use the library to get contact information and ask the organization about scholarship offerings and whom to contact for application material.

Check with counselors and professors at your college and the college(s) to which you plan to transfer for scholarship information. Professors in your major may know of scholarships in their field or of professional associations that may offer scholarships.

Check also with employers in your major field. Organizations, such as hospitals, may assist employees who will commit to working for a period of time after graduation. Some hospital work-study programs offer 40 hours pay while the employee works 20 hours and attend a college nursing program for 20 hours work week. Many employers offer tuition assistance programs to help employees gain expertise related to the company's business or operating areas or needs. Some universities offer free or reduced tuition for their employees.

There are many scholarship opportunities out there, the difference in who finds them is how they conduct their research.

Researching Scholarship Opportunities

4 Tips to Find Scholarships Online

Amelia Turner

Paying for college has become increasingly more difficult, as the college tuition fees have increased faster than the rise of inflation. At the same time financial aids from traditional sources such as federal government and the schools have dwindled. Hence, winning a scholarship from private sources has become an important way for college and graduate students to make up the different.

In order to find the free money to fund you college study, you need to take the initiative to search out the scholarships for which you are well qualified. Nowadays, many scholarship programs are published online, making it easier for you to find the up-to-date information and submit the scholarship applications quickly. This article will outlines some tips that can help you to find the scholarships you are qualified for using the powerful tool, the Internet.

1. Start To Search For Scholarships As Early As Possible

All scholarship applications have their own deadline and normally before the second semester start. Many scholarships programs are awarded in first-come-first-served basis. They many stop accepting more application submission even before the deadline if there are too many applications being received already. Hence, you should start to hunt for your qualified scholarship as early as possible; it's never too early to start searching for college scholarships during your sophomore or junior year of high school.

2. Use Scholarship Search Services

Although you can search for individual scholarship programs from internet, it may waste a lot of your time and effort. There are many websites provide access to huge database of scholarships that you can quickly search just by filing out an online form. The best news is almost all these services are free. Hence, you should fully utilize these services to search for scholarships, it is effective, save most of you valuable time and the most important is you get the required scholarships details in the shortest of time, so that you can submit for the applications if you are qualified for the scholarships.

Please takes note that no one scholarship database contain a complete list of scholarship programs, you should take time to search as many of them as possible. Of course you may come up with some duplicates, but it's better than you miss out any good scholarships programs.

3. Look for Financial Aids Page of College's Website

College websites are after gold mines of scholarship information, if you know where to look for. First, look at the admission page as it will contain a list of merit scholarships. Review the listed scholarships to see whether the scholarship programs apply for your field of study. Then, check the details at the college's Financial Aids page for details application requirement. If you are a graduate student, you should at the graduate section of the site, which often lists university-sponsored fellowships and fellowships from external sources. Besides, you should write down the contact information for further enquiries.

4. Look for Specific Scholarships Using Search Engines

If you type "scholarship" at the search box search engines such as HotBot, Yahoo or Google, they will return thousands of results and most of time you will find most of matches will match your qualifications anyway, and you will waste your time to review one by one. In order to use search engines to find your qualified scholarships effectively, you should narrow down your search with a more precise keywords. For example, if you are looking for scholarships for sport management degree, then search with keyword "sport management scholarship" will return more related results.

Summary

Internet is a good place to find the up-to-date information about any scholarship programs and submit your applications quickly. Hence, you should use this powerful tool to help you find the scholarships which you are qualified for, in an effective ways using the tips provided above.

4 Tips to Find Scholarships Online

The Lila Poonawalla Foundation Scholarships

Vikram Singh Chadha

The Lila Poonawalla Foundation celebrated their 12th Year of SCHOLARSHIP awards ceremony to merit and need passed Post Graduate Girl students. The foundation which is being spearheaded by the dynamic Padmashree Lila Poonawalla gave away 38 scholarships .

The function held at the Taj Blue Diamond, saw, Mrs. Vinita Bali, MD of Britannia Industries and the Guest of honour Supercop, Dr. Kiran Bedi, give away the Scholarships to the 38 Lilafellows.

8 girls will go Overseas for further studies, 20 girls will be going to various Universities in India and 10 girls have attained scholarships in the Special category. A total of 38 girls were given Scholarships.

The total Scholarships given out by the Foundation would be approximately 12 lakhs on these new Lila Fellows. SO far the Foundation has spent approximately 1.5 crores on the scholarships and other development programs for Lila Fellows in these
12 years.

Totally 38 girls have received the schlorships . 07 nos for overseas, 21 nos for study in India and 10 special scholarships. With this total number
of LF goes upto 385.

The details of the candidates who got the highest amount of scholarships in the year 2007 in their particular categories:

Ms.Pallavi Ozarde, Lila Fellow, 2007 –Overseas Category, Ms. Munni Mishra- Lila Fellow, Indian Category, Ms. Megha Kale, Lila Fellow 2007, Special Category.

All the 38 girls will become Lila Fellows for a life time and will join a club that will help them communicate with the foundation and amongst themselves. The foundation will also take part in all their activities like Birthday, Marriages, etc.

Two of the Lila fellow have already joined as the Board of Trusteees. Shahen Patel joined the board tow years agao and this year the board has included Neelu Nawani


About the Author:

Started as a free lance writer earlier for Maharashtra Herald Newspaper, then with the Pune-Mid-Day. Have also contributed for articles on websites

The Lila Poonawalla Foundation Scholarships

The Search for Scholarships

Kara Lilly

Students who are about to graduate from high school are already looking ahead toward planning for their first year of college. With this comes the concern for paying their way through college and the search for scholarship opportunities.

So what are scholarships, where do you look to find them, how do you apply and what do you need to watch out for so that you don't get scammed?

There are a variety of scholarships offered. A scholarship is a gift to a student, one that does not have to be repaid, and is usually given do to the student's grades, achievements or the student meeting other eligibility requirements. There are popular scholarships that attract a lot of attention and that are quite competitive and there are the off-beat scholarships that require a little more digging to discover, yet are less competitive.

One myth about scholarships is that you have to have a perfect grand point average. There are many scholarships for average students that focus on qualities besides academic merit. There are also many community service scholarships.

To start your scholarship search, first make a list that includes all of your hobbies, clubs and extracurricular activities. Having this information at hand will help when it comes time to ask for letters of recommendation during the scholarship application process. Teachers and counselors can better sell students to selection committees if they have thorough resumes and background information.

You can now match your specialties to eligibility requirements. Don't waste your time and the institutes by applying for a scholarship you are not eligible for. For instance, if the scholarship is for children of veterans of war, be sure you have proof of this.

There are many small scholarships out there. There's no scholarship that's too low to apply for. The $200 and $300 scholarships add up.

Another way to search for scholarships is to contact schools that you are interested in and inquire about their scholarship programs.

When applying, save your applications so that you can revise them each time rather than having to recreate them. This applies to essays as well. You can make minor tweaks to essays and then use them to apply for multiple scholarships.

Where are the obvious places to start looking for scholarships? To name a few: Online; banks and credit unions; churches, alumni associations at schools the student's parents attended; local Rotary, Elks and Lions clubs; departments that offer the student's intended major, since they may have awards not handled through the university's financial aid and scholarships office; any fraternal or community organization to which the student and immediate family members belong; college and university foundations and student's and parents' employers.

And last, if a particular scholarship sound too good to be true, it usually is. Learn how to recognize and protect yourself from the most common scholarship scams. The number one tip: If you have to pay money to get money, it's probably a scam.

The Search for Scholarships

Scholarships and Fellowships

Joju Paul.n

Lack of financial resources need not prevent a student from achieving academic goals. Apart from bank loans, a whole range of scholarships is available at different levels. Our new series takes a bird's eye view of the scholarship terrain.

Overview
Higher education is expensive the world over. You aspire for your dream career. But the realisation of that dream requires financial support. Very often your family cannot afford the heavy bills. The alternative is to look for monetary assistance from elsewhere.
Sources

There are basically two kinds of sources. One is scholarship or fellowship that involves a gift you do not have to repay. Fellowships usually focus on research work. The second one is loan, which you will have to repay in accordance with liberal conditions with regard to interest rate and stretched time for repayment.

Scholarships may be provided by the government or philanthropic individuals or institutions which have altruistic motives. In either case, the award of scholarships would entail conditions ranging from brilliance to nativity, and discipline to financial capacity. Certain scholarships may be for education in India, whereas others may be for overseas studies. Some others may be for either.

Basic objective
Every scholarship or fellowship has the basic objective of promoting excellence in advanced study or research by a competent individual committed to pursuit of excellence. No aid-giver would choose to offer incentives to indifferent people. Higher education, specialised training, or dedicated research should result in enhancement of professional competence in the scholar as well as benefit in some form to society.

The award of a scholarship or fellowship indicates the honourable recognition of the recipients; this puts a heavy responsibility on their shoulders to live up to the expectations.
An award of this kind not only fires the scholars with enthusiasm, but drives them to professional attainments, consequent sense of fulfilment, and a spirit of motivating the coming generation by setting quality goals. On a wider scale, we have international exchange programmes that result in cross-fertilization of ideas in a seamless world.
There are vast segments in society with members endowed with natural gifts, brilliance, and an inclination for sustained effort for attaining excellence, but are kept back by poverty. The institution of scholarships and fellowships is a boon to such deprived youngsters.
There is a general lack of awareness regarding the availability of different kinds of scholarships. This series aims at furnishing an outline of some of them. Details to suit individual interests will have to be gathered, since this treatise cannot be exhaustive.
Further, there may be frequent changes in the style and conditions for the award of scholarships. Often some of these may be terminated. So before launching an effort to procure a scholarship or fellowship, you have to ascertain the precise position.
There are a number of bank and other financial institutions that offer educational loans on liberal terms. Most of our nationalised banks have schemes for higher studies in India and abroad.

It may be appreciated that in most cases we may have to spend some money initially for miscellaneous procedural formalities in order to secure the assistance. We should not be under the impression that we can straightaway join courses in higher education without spending anything from our pocket.

Scholarships and Fellowships

Quickly and Easily Apply for Grants for your Big Idea

Jim Mackey

Students aren't the only people that have a use for grants. Many of us have a great idea or a desire to get a business going. These types of things can be funded by grants. A grant is a giving of funds for a specific purpose. Grants do no have to be paid back to the giver, unlike loans. Grants can be given to you for buying a home, starting a business, home repairs, rent payment, mortgage payments, utility expenses, academic tutoring, clothing purchases, legal services, debt repayment and the list goes on. It might sound too good to be true; after all you don't hear about free money being given away everyday without some sort of catch involved.

The one catch that can be found with grants, if any, is that there are so many to sort through. In some cases, one person can qualify for thousands of government grants at a given time. There are many resources available to help those that want to find the grants that are right for them. Several books have been published on this subject, and web sites are available all over the internet. One web site that provides a grant finding tool is GrantMasterCD.com. Grant Master is actually a software program that allows you to see what grants are available, and use the software to apply for them. Grant Master was created by Dr. John Porter, a licensed and certified grant writer.

Dr. Porter has spent over two decades developing the techniques included in his software, to help you find the grants that best meet your needs. Included in the software are tips and secrets the pros know, access to a personalized live chat, and Dr. Porter's grant funding expertise. The Grant Master web site is incredibly straight forward and easy to navigate through.

As an added incentive, there is a couple on the home page of the site, showing their grant check and speaking about how easy it was to use the software to get their grant. Dr. Porter's software also states that they're the only company out there that offers guaranteed daily grants. Dr. Porter has helped thousands of people find free grant money quickly, easily giving maximum results with a minimum amount of effort.

The cost for the Grant Master software is on a trial basis at first. You only pay $1.97 in shipping for your free CD. There isn't a lot of information on what the cost of the program is should you decide to keep it. The software also states you could get a check in as little as seven days.

It seems that even with no knowledge of the cost, the Grant Master software would more than pay for itself once you start receiving your grant checks. There are many resources available to help you find your path to free government money. Dr. John Porter has many years of experience in this field and can lead you to the government grant jackpot.

Quickly and Easily Apply for Grants for your Big Idea

More unusual scholarships for students

Steve Bishop

In an age where educating children is becoming more and more expensive, relief for both students and parents comes in the form of scholarships. Graduate fellowships and undergraduate scholarships are types of aid that help students pay for their education. Scholarships and fellowships, unlike student loans, do not need to be repaid. In usual circumstances, scholarships are granted to students who are exceptionally brilliant in their studies, or in the field of athletics or art.

However, from time to time, colleges and other private sponsors of scholarships set up scholarships with mysterious eligibility requirements. These have come to be known as the unusual scholarships for students, an example being a scholarship for left-handed students. The Frederick and Mary F. Beckley Scholarship of up to $1,000 is the only scholarship for left-handed students. This scholarship is awarded to left-handed students who will be either attending or already enrolled at the Juniata College.

Though very few in numbers, they do manage to attract a lot of attention due to the slightly offbeat nature of the scholarship.

Unusual scholarships allow a student the chance to explore a wide variety of skills, interests, characteristics and talents that could make him/her eligible for a scholarship. Scholarships in the unusual category range from grants for accordion players, asthma patients, amateur radio operators, bird watchers, bicyclists, blind students, boy scouts and girl scouts, bowlers, cartoon experts, children of veterans, choral singers, cheerleaders, debaters, entrepreneurs, farmers, French speakers, Gospel musicians, grandchildren of alumni, Huguenot descendants, never married students, overweight students, etc. This list just gives a glimpse at some of the categories, while in actual, there are much more of such unusual scholarship requirements, new ones are also being added on a regular basis.
Another unusual scholarship is the 'Duck Brand Duct Tape Stuck at Prom Contest'. This contest, open to students who are US citizens, of 14 years of age or older, and who are attending a high school prom in the spring, requires the couple to wear a complete attire or accessories made from duct tape. The main prize for the contest includes a $2,500 scholarship for each member along with a $2,500 cash prize to the school that hosted the prom.

Meanwhile, to win the $7,500 Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Award, open to graduating high school senior scholar athletes, candidates need to excel in academics, athletic performance, along with leadership and community service. The Students for Organ Donation Youth Leadership Award, which awards two scholarships of $500 to $1,000 each, is available to undergraduate college students or high school students who commit to raise awareness about organ donation and transplantation.

Similarly, there are many such kinds of obscure scholarships which aid students in carrying on with their higher education. While some people might ridicule the nature of these scholarships and awards, it is worth-a-while to take note of how many students benefit from such esoteric financial aid schemes every year.

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More unusual scholarships for students

Finding Unique Scholarships Online

So, like most people you are likely reeling from the cost of college these days. Scholarships seem like a great option to lessen the blow to your wallet. But, you may be wondering if they are achievable for the average student.

The good news is they most certainly are. Not all scholarships are academic scholarships that consider only the straight A, honor-roll students. Many relatively unknown scholarships are available. For example, have you heard about the duct tape prom dress scholarship? Or, what about the scholarship that's just for tall people?

Yes, those scholarships are real. And, there are many others out there like them. But, how in the world do you go about finding one the suits you (or your students) quirks?
The information is out there, much of it online. Here are 3 Simple Tips for locating unusual scholarships online:

1. Use Search Engines - Using Google search for "left hand scholarships" (with quotes) if you are left handed. Insert your various unique qualities and / or hobbies. Don't overlook small things, like hair color, eye color, height, etc... You never know what you will find!

2. Sign Up For a Scholarship Database - There are many scholarship databases online, some free, some paid. These databases usually contain a fairly comprehensive list of available scholarships. We review several popular databases on our site.

3.Visit message boards and forums - A search on your favorite search engine for "scholarship forum" or "scholarship message board" will likely provide you with a wealth of resources. Visit active forums to network with other students who are looking for scholarships. Interesting scholarshipswill likely get talked about. This is a great way of getting "in the know".

With a bit of time and effort, you can uncover real gems. Unusual and quirky scholarships do exist, you just need to find them. The internet can be a great tool to mine for these treasures.

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Finding Unique Scholarships Online

History of Rhodes Scholarships

The Rhodes Scholarships owe their origin to the remarkable vision expressed in the Will of Cecil J. Rhodes, British colonial pioneer and statesman who died on March 26, 1902. He dreamed of bettering the lot of humankind through the diffusion of leaders motivated to serve their contemporaries, trained in the contemplative life of the mind, and broadened by their acquaintance with one another and by their exposure to cultures different from their own. Rhodes hoped that his plan of bringing able students from throughout the English-speaking world to study at the University where he took his degree in 1881 would aid in the promotion of international understanding and peace. Dedicated alumnus though he was, he was not moved merely by sentimental loyalty to establish the Scholarships at Oxford. Rhodes believed that, in addition to its eminence in the world of learning, Oxford University--with its emphasis on individualized instruction and on the community life provided by residential colleges--offered an environment highly congenial to personal and intellectual development.

Cecil Rhodes named nine beneficiary countries in his Will, and since 1904 other countries have been added to the list. In 1976, the scope of the Rhodes Scholarships was further extended when legal changes in the United Kingdom permitted the Rhodes Trustees to open the competition to women.

Rhodes described the qualities he sought in his scholars in the following terms:

My desire being that the students who shall be elected to the scholarships shall not merely bookworms I direct that in the election of a student to a Scholarship regard shall be had to

(i) his literary and scholastic attainments

(ii) his fondness of and success in manly outdoor sports such as cricket football and the like

(iii) his qualities of manhood truth courage devotion to duty sympathy for the protection of the weak kindliness unselfishness and fellowship and

(iv) his exhibition during school days of moral force of character and of instincts to lead and to take an interest in his schoolmates for those latter attributes will be likely in afterlife to guide him to esteem the performance of public duties as his highest aim.

The 52 original scholarships

The scheme was unprecedented in scale as well as vision. Rhodes' original will provided for 52 scholarships each year. 20 scholarships were for countries then forming part of the British Empire: two for Canada (one each for Ontario and Quebec), six for Australia (one for each colony or state), five for South Africa (one each for Natal and for four named schools in the Cape), three for Rhodesia, and one each for New Zealand, Newfoundland, Bermuda and Jamaica. 32 scholarships were for the United States: two every three years for each of the then States of the Union.

The administration of the scholarships was vested in a board of Trustees nominated in the Will. The first Trustee included the Earl of Rosebery, Earl Grey, Lord Milner and Sir Leander Starr Jameson. Later Trustees included Rudyard Kipling, Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, the first Viscount Hailsham, and Sir Kenneth Where. When Rhodes' estate was settled up in 1907 it was valued at £3,345,000. By 1924, owing to various charges, including death duties, it was estimated to be worth £2,276,000, its lowest valuation. At that point the investment portfolio was placed in the hands of Baring Brothers, who have administered the scholarship funds, under the direction of the Trustees, ever since. At the end of the financial year 1995-1996 the Trust's assets were valued at £145,638,000. The present Trustees are Lord Armstrong of Ilminster, Lord Sainsbury of Preston Candover, Sir Richard Southwood, the Rt. Hon. William Waldegrave, Dr Colin Lucas, and Professor Robert O'Neill.

Scholarships to India and Women

While the 52 scholarships in the original will are still offered annually, a number of changes and additions have been made. These include introduction of scholarships to the Commonwealth countries including India. Prof. Asim Kumar Datta (Christ Church, 1947) and Late Mr. Lovraj Kumar (Magdalen, 1947) comprised the first batch of Indian Rhodes Scholars. For the first 38 years, India had one or two scholarships every year. The number of scholarships was increased to three per year in 1985, and four per year in 1991.

Until 1977 no women were elected to Rhodes scholarships, because the will as interpreted by the Rhodes Trust Acts of Parliament confined the awards to 'male students', when the U.K. government introduced legislation to outlaw sex discrimination a clause in the bill permitted single-sex educational institutions and charities to continue to discriminate in favor of one sex. Following lobbying by the Rhodes Trustees, a further clause was inserted into the eventual Sex Discrimination Act of 1975 allowing single-sex education charities to seek leave to open their awards to both sexes. Under this clause the Secretary of State for Education made an order in 1976 declaring Rhodes Scholarships to be tenable by women, and nullifying the effect of the words 'manly' and 'manhood' in the will.

In 1979, Amrita Cheema became the first woman from India to be awarded a Rhodes Scholarship, and in 1995, Ms. Roopa Unnikrishnan became the 100th Rhodes Scholar from India. Since 1998, six scholars are elected from India every year. Unlike USA and many other Rhodes constituencies that have a "quota" for each state, Indian Rhodes scholarships are awarded on an All-India basis. However, our selection procedure involves zonal interviews (in the North, East, West and South zones) to shortlist candidates for the final interview and screening process.

Cecil Rhodes stated in paragraph 23 of his will:

"My desire being that the students who shall be elected to the Scholarships shall not be merely bookworms I direct that in the election of a scholarship regard shall be had to (i) his literary and scholastic attainments (ii) his fondness of and success in manly outdoor sports such as cricket football and the like (iii) his qualities of manhood truth courage devotion to duty sympathy for and protection of the weak kindliness unselfishness and fellowship and (iv) his exhibition during school days of moral force of character and of instincts to lead and to take an interest in his school-mates for those latter attributes will be likely in afterlife to guide him to esteem the performance of public duties as his highest aim".

The words 'manhood' and 'manly' were removed when the law was changed to throw open the scholarships to both sexes. With that exception, the Trustees consider that nothing has rendered invalid these directions and that the aim of selection committees will be to choose persons whom they consider likely to become outstandingly good citizens, with the desire to serve and with the energy to fulfil ambitions in whatever area they may eventually make their careers

http://www.rhodesscholarships-india.com/

History of Rhodes Scholarships

Great Recommendation Letters Win Big Scholarship Bucks

Your scholarship application is due in ten days. It must have three recommendation letters attached, and, so far, you have not gotten any back from your teachers. A note to each of them last week hasn't gotten any results. Talk about strained nerves. All the work to get the application ready, and now letters are halting the process.

This is a scenario that repeats itself hundreds and thousands of times each year. You can avoid this problem by taking important appropriate actions. Start by asking for your recommendation letters at least six weeks in advance. This allows busy teachers to take their time in writing great responses. After two weeks remind them with a note in their mailboxes. Seven days after that make a visit to their classroom. Remind them in person that your application could be late and disqualified and that you will come by in a few days to pick it up. Thank him or
her again and then stop by once more.

One way to avoid total mayhem is to ask for more letters than is really needed (awards may vary in the number of letters needed).If the requirement is two for an award, ask four people.

If you are applying for more than a couple of scholarship awards (and you really should be), ask the teacher or whoever, if they would be willing to put their comments on a CD.

Remind them that you will be sending out dozens of applications. It will save them time. Then, you will bring the letters by for their signatures. They can inspect the documents before you send them in. A hand-written signature is always best.

Who should you ask? Does it make a difference? Yes, it does matter. Know this: English and foreign language teachers generally write the best letters. They personalize them and may write from a half to a whole page. They also produce results that have no spelling or grammatical errors. Again, and this is a general statement, coaches and physical education teachers write the shortest remarks and may have mistakes in spelling and grammar. But, go with your best options regardless of teaching position.

Use your high school letterhead, when possible.

Remember to ask your teacher if they can write a positive response. If not, move on. A probable scholarship winner fulfilled all requirements with a big plus and was in line to receive an $8,000 award. Everything was super except for one recommendation letter. She assumed her coach would write a glowing response. He didn't. Don't
let that happen to you. She didn't win.

Follow the same time-line for all requests, and remember this: everything in life is a decision, make the right ones today for your college scholarship success.

Great Recommendation Letters Win Big Scholarship Bucks

Scholarships are Your Friend

Author: Dewitt Shotts

There is nothing like getting scholarship information directly from someone who has already had the experience. Here are a few tips that one parent shared about getting scholarship money for college. Her son went to a private college for four years on a full scholarship and her daughter earned a scholarship at a state school. Below are some brief thoughts to consider when looking for your scholarship.

Her words of wisdom, for getting the scholarship that you want, were to start early, start early, start early! There are two important scholarship dates to make sure that you stay ahead of the deadlines. One of the most important things to start doing early, is to study and sit for the ACT or FAT. Many students start in the seventh or eighth grade start studying for and taking the test. She says that it does not matter how many times you take the test so many people take the test several times. The most important thing in qualifying for a scholarship is your final test score.

It would be good to check to see what test is required in your state for scholarships. Because of making a 32 on the ACT, her son won the governors scholar award and received scholarship money from the state program called the academic challenge. Watching for test deadlines is very important because they missed one test that could have given them more scholarship money.

The second important date is the deadline set for applying to be eligible for the various scholarships. You will start testing at least in the eighth grade and it does not hurt to start learning what scholarships are available by the time you reach the tenth grade. For sure by the eleventh grade, you need to know the scholarship rules that you are interested in pursuing because the deadlines for applying for many scholarships can be nine months before the fall that you would enter college.

Another start early point for scholarship success is when applying for a scholarship, you would treat it like you would preparation for a good resume. You need to put as many scholarship enhancing details as you can about how involved you are in the community, how you are serving at the home for senior citizen, you volunteer at the hospital, you are a life guard at the pool in the summer, you have a part time job at the mall or anything that enhances your chances of being selected for the scholarship. A good idea is to document anything to use when applying for your scholarship that shows you are an asset to your family, your church, your school and your community.

Here is a Good Way to Start Your Scholarship Success!

Now you have one eye on the test dates and test scores and the other eye on the scholarships that you want and the scholarship application deadlines. Then you want to contact the college that you wish to attend to see what their scholarship requirements are. The college should be very helpful and interested in your success not only in applying for your scholarship but in your success throughout your college experience. They will be able to tell you what scholarships you will qualify to receive and the tests and test scores that will be required for that scholarship.

A good way to get a general idea and overview of what scholarships could be available is by searching the internet. This a great place to start to get a broad base scholarship information. The college that you are interested in attending should have scholarship information online and your state department of higher education should be a very good scholarship source online. You can do scholarship searches for free on some websites and get a feeling of what is available and what additional questions that you should ask about any scholarship. There are some sites where you have to pay for scholarship searches and there are government supported counseling services along with paid seminars that would give you more scholarship information.

When you are selecting a scholarship, be aware to consider the source of the scholarship funds and the organization that is behind the scholarship. The Federal Trade Commission warns students and parents to always be aware. If the scholarship sounds too good to be true, then you need to be careful. Below is one of their announcements.

Scholarships guaranteed or your money back! Beware of scholarship "guarantees." Before you pay for a search service, get the refund policy in writing Call the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP to learn how to avoid scholarship scams.

Once you get a scholarship, the money should go directly to the school and they will take care of the details on your behalf. Something to be aware of after you get into school is the requirements to keep your scholarship. Once you get your scholarship, you do not want to loose it by not keeping your grade point to the required level or missing one of the other scholarship rules.

Here is one last point. Treat it like a business. Be serious. Be diligent. Treat your scholarship search like you are getting paid to do it. Actually, you are getting paid.

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Scholarships are Your Friend

9 Killer Mistakes That Destroy College Scholarship Applications

Are there mistakes that can disqualify a college
scholarship application? You bet. Generally speaking, most local scholarship committees may find a few minor mistakes acceptable, but the higher the level of competition, the less tolerance there is for a faux pas. And when you go for the gold at the national level of competition, no mistake is permissible. Even at the local level, if the competition is heavy, one error can result in the loss of money.

Even small spelling mistakes can cause an application to be thrown out. A judge reviewed a submission from a girl who was second in her class. She had a 3.95 GPA. The problem? She misspelled salutatorian. Believe it! How does that happen? Surely, it should have been noticed. Was it a keyboarding error? Maybe.

Another application from a boy on the baseball team noted that he won the league batting title with a .259 average. Know anything about baseball? Most likely, the number 2 should have been a 3, 4, 5, or even 6.

Yet, another listed the applicant's age as "88." Do you suppose she was the oldest high school student in the country...in the world? But wait, she listed her birth date as eighteen years earlier. Those are the kinds of silly little miscues that can disqualify good candidates. Use the computer spell check and have someone read for context and spelling problems. Most people cannot do a good job of proof-reading themselves. Why take a chance?

Another blunder is leaving blank spaces. This is not a good thing. The committee may think that you are trying to hide something. If the question or statement is not applicable to you, write DNA on the line, which is the standard abbreviation or acronym for Does Not Apply.

Use a computer and keyboard whenever possible. Investigate the many inexpensive and free form-filling computer programs. No long hand here. Never write in pencil. And, NEVER, NEVER. EVER, EVER use whiteout.

Follow directions exactly. It is not unusual to see lists where paragraphs are required and vice versa. Sometimes a signature is needed with the name printed. A simple YES or NO may be necessary, Instead, an opinion is given.

Here's a tricky one that trips many juniors and seniors with honor roll credentials. After ten years in school, they still have problems using to, too, two, and they're, their,there.

Oops! I saw a sure regional and possible national winner disqualified, because her application missed the deadline date...by one day. Always beat the deadline. Mail early.

How could this happen? An app arrived without the parent permission slip signature.

Check, Check, Check.

This bears repeating: most mistakes can be eliminated when others proof the application. Then read it aloud while someone else listens.

What can you do, if the mistake cannot be corrected? Be sure to make a copy before you start. If it says "copies are not permitted," go back for one or two more originals.

Planning produces positive outcomes when the scholarship effort is truly a family affair.

To learn more about planning to win scholarships, visit:
http://scholarshipdoctor.com/

9 Killer Mistakes That Destroy College Scholarship Applications