Bachelor’s Degree Scholarships: A Complete Guide

A few months ago, Ananya Desai, a bright student from Bangalore, was not sure if she could afford her bachelor's degree at her dream university in the US. Despite excellent academic grades and other skills, the cost of Education in the US has become a challenge for her. But the entire scenario has changed after she discovered a fully funded scholarship offered by a US University. 

With proper guidance, thorough research, and a compelling application, Ananya was able to secure a scholarship and is now pursuing her bachelor's degree in computer science at her dream university tuition-free.

Do you wonder how students like Ananya turned their dream of studying at a prestigious institution into a reality? Worry not, this blog will guide you on how to get a scholarship for a bachelor's degree in India and abroad.

Why are Scholarships Important?

• Scholarships play an important role in shaping students' careers. They provide incredible financial support, especially to economically weak students.
• A significant benefit of scholarships is that they reduce education costs by covering tuition fees, living expenses, and sometimes all education-related expenses.
• Many scholarships are merit-based, which encourages students to excel in their studies and other activities that contribute to their qualification and scholarship gain.
• Many students, despite academic excellence, are unable to afford higher education at top universities. Scholarships provide access to higher education for all students, regardless of their financial background.
• Scholarships add value to a student's profile and enhance the chance of getting internships, research opportunities, and jobs.

Different Types of Scholarships for a Bachelor's Degree

There are various types of bachelor's scholarships available for students. The common types of scholarships are...

1. Merit-Based Scholarships 

• Merit-based scholarships are awarded to students based on their academic performance, leadership skills, talents, etc of students.
• These are rewarded based on excellence and are highly competitive.
• Many government bodies, private institutions, and non-profit organisations offer these merit-based scholarships. These scholarships cover fees, living expenses, and other education-related costs.
• Some scholarships are fully funded, while others are partially funded in this category.
• To secure these scholarships, students are required to demonstrate exceptional academic excellence.

2. Need-Based Scholarships

• Need-based scholarships are offered to students based on their financial status.
• Demonstrating a low income is mandatory to get these scholarships. However, the academic performance of students always doubles the chances.
• These scholarships are also provided by many government bodies, private institutions, and other non-profit organisations. Few need-based scholarships are fully funded, while some of them are partially funded. Tuition fees, living costs, and other expenses are also covered in these scholarships.
• High recommendations and strong demonstration of purpose can enhance the chances of getting these scholarships. International students' scholarships aim to provide financial support to these students. These scholarships promote cultural exchange, encourage global talent.
• To be eligible for these scholarships student being an international student is a mandatory condition. Language proficiency tests such as TOEFL and IELTS are mandatory.

3. Scholarships for Underrepresented Students

• These scholarships are aimed at underrepresented students such as minorities, women, LGBTQ, and other marginalised communities.
• These are provided to allow equal access to students across all communities. These scholarships fall under the Need-based category.
• Like other scholarships, many government bodies and other institutions offer these scholarships.
• To be eligible for this scholarship, solid proof of belonging to a particular community, gender, ethnicity, etc, needs to be submitted.
• Candidates explaining their experiences in their motivation letter and how they shaped them, what made them fall into the group, can strengthen their profile to get scholarships.

Popular Scholarships for a Bachelor's Degree 

Below are the top scholarships for a bachelor's degree 

1. Scholarship: Higher Education Scholarship Test HEST
   Discipline: All courses except Medicine / MBBS accepted
   Scholarship Type: Merit-Based
   Funding Type: Partial Funding
   Eligibility: Indian citizens
   Scholarship can be taken at:  All major study abroad destinations
   Application: Click here to apply
   
   
2. Scholarship: Education Future International Scholarship-USA and NON-USA
   Discipline: All courses offered by Universities
   Scholarship Type: Merit-Based
   Funding Type: Partially funded
   Eligibility Nationalities: Open to all Indians
   Scholarship can be taken at: Universities in all countries except India   
   Application: Click here to apply
   
   
3. Scholarship: Igniting Minds Foreign Fellowship
   Discipline: All subjects offered by the universities
   Scholarship Type: Merit-Based
   Funding Type: Partially funded
   Eligibility Nationalities: Open to all Indians
   Scholarship can be taken at : Universities in all countries except India
   Application: Click here to apply
   
   
4. Scholarship: The INSPIRE Scholarship for Higher Education(SHE)
   Discipline: BSA, BS, science fields
   Scholarship Type: Merit-Based
   Funding Type: Partially funded
   Eligibility: Students aged 17-22, merit score in the 12th board exam, and rank below 10,000 in JEE.
   Application: Yet to be announced for the year 2025

How to Get Scholarships for a Bachelor's Degree

There are several scholarships available for a Bachelor’s Degree. To make it simple, follow these steps, which could create a significant impact on the scholarship applications.

1. Research: A thorough research on the available scholarships is important before proceeding with them. Start early to gain an edge over the competitors.
2. Identify the Right Scholarship: This is the crucial step for any student that saves a lot of time and reduces the chance of scholarship rejection. Institutions have a set of criteria to be eligible for the scholarships that they provide. Based on that, finding the right scholarships that fit you the best can enhance scholarship approval.
3. Strong Application: Apply through scholarship portals such as WeMakeScholars, National Scholarship Portal, etc. A strong application with all the key documents ready is essential. Recommendations from experts and a highly regarded personality can boost scholarship chances.
4. Track Application: Tracking is equally important as the application. A constant check on the emails and the follow-up on the application status can help with corrections and submission of the missed documents, etc. 

Why WeMakeScholars is the Best for Bachelor's Scholarships

• Government-Backed Organisation: WeMakeScholars is a non-profit organisation supported and funded by the government of India under the Digital India campaign. This itself is proof of the credibility and trustworthiness of the organisation that students can approach for scholarships without any hesitation.
• Comprehensive Database: WeMakeScholars has a comprehensive database of all the available scholarships from the top providers across the world. This data covers all the courses that students from all the countries that students wish to go to. This makes WeMakeScholars a one-stop destination for all scholarships.
• No Extra Charges: As previously discussed, the WeMakeScholars initiative comes under the Digital India campaign that supports and empowers students across India and abroad. Thus, we do not charge any fees for the services we provide.
• High Success Rate: Our success speaks for itself, why we are the best. Thousands of students like Ananya secured scholarships with the support of WeMakeScholars.

How to Apply for Bachelor's Scholarships Through WeMakeScholars

Follow these steps that ease the process of scholarship application.

• Step 1: Visit the WeMakeScholars Scholarship Portal.
• Step 2: Select the categories of interest from the filter that appears on the left-hand side.
• Step 3: Available scholarships will appear based on the categorise that you select.
• Step 4: Choose the scholarships that you are interested in.
• Step 4: Check the eligibility requirements for that particular scholarship and proceed further.
• Step 5: After you meet all the eligibility requirements, select Click Now to Apply for the scholarship.
• Step 6: You will be directed to the official website of the scholarship provider. Click and register for the scholarships, after which you will get an official email confirming your status.

Conclusion

Scholarships are an incredible source of funding for students' education, especially those with big dreams but cannot achieve them due to financial challenges. In this blog, we have covered every detail of the scholarship, why they are important, and the types of scholarships available.

We have also discussed the application process along with why choosing WeMakeScholars is a game-changer for scholarships. Apply through WeMakeScholars and enhance your chances of scholarship approval.