What is a Study Abroad Scholarship? What are the requirements for how to hunt for scholarships for high school students? This is a topic that attracts a lot of attention of students when studying abroad gradually becomes a trend today. Studying abroad with the support of high-value scholarships is the dream of many students. In addition to providing learning opportunities, these scholarships also help you alleviate your financial burden somewhat, significantly saving you compared to studying abroad at your own expense.

Currently, there are many different types of study abroad scholarships for Vietnamese students, and each type will have different requirements. Let's find out with IDP about popular scholarships for international students and the secrets to a successful scholarship hunt.

1. What is a scholarship?

Scholarships are grants from educational institutions, government agencies, and public and private organizations, to support part or all of the cost of learning for learners. For the purposes of this article, scholarships refer to financial aid packages for Vietnamese students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate programs in English-speaking countries.

2. Classification of study abroad scholarships

Not all scholarships are of equal value. Some scholarships will cover your tuition fees, others will support your living expenses. Scholarships can be divided into several groups with different scholarship award criteria:

2.1. Government Scholarship

Scholarships from the government are extremely prestigious and valuable scholarships provided by governments of various countries to candidates with the best academic qualifications. Once you are admitted to these scholarships to study abroad, you will be sponsored all tuition fees, living expenses, even from living expenses, airfares to money to buy books and school supplies.

To receive the above attractive benefits, this also means that you must meet the criteria and pass the rounds of tests with extremely fierce competition. Each country will have a strict monitoring process to select the right candidates.

Some of the most popular government scholarships today include:

Endeavour Scholarships and Fellowships (Australia)

Destination Australia (Australia) Regional Scholarship

Chevening Scholarships (UK)

Fulbright Scholarship (USA)

2.2. Merit-based scholarship

Merit-Based Aid is a scholarship that is considered based on a student's academic or extracurricular merit. This is the most common type of merit-based support scholarship. Students can receive scholarships from colleges and universities.

When awarding this scholarship, schools will be based on standardized test scores, average academic scores (GPA) in the most recent years as well as certificates of participation in extracurricular activities. For scholarships granted in 4 years of study, you need to maintain a certain GPA to be able to continue receiving this scholarship.

2.3. Need-based scholarship

Need-based support scholarships are determined by the student's financial situation rather than just based on their academic performance. In addition to the scholarship application, you need to prepare additional documents showing your family's financial ability to prove your need for financial support.

2.4. Territorial Specific Scholarships

This type of scholarship not only requires applicants to meet certain score requirements but is also limited to a specific group of countries – but more commonly developing countries (including Vietnam). This group of scholarships can be granted by institutions, governments, and within the scope of universities.

2.5. Scholarships to study abroad at IDP

Studying abroad is no longer a strange concept for many students, but one of the obstacles often lies in the fairly expensive fees. That is why there are always many students looking for scholarships in the countries they plan to study, in order to maximize the cost of studying abroad. To save some time researching between different information, you can refer to the scholarship summary of each country below and contact IDP for a completely free consultation.

Scholarships to Study in Australia 2025

Canada Study Abroad Scholarships 2025

UK Study Abroad Scholarships 2025

USA Study Abroad Scholarships 2025

New Zealand Study Abroad Scholarships 2025

3. Tips for hunting for scholarships to study abroad

How can you win large scholarships from 50% of tuition fees to full scholarships? Here are some tips that will help you increase your chances of successfully hunting for a scholarship to study abroad.

Plan to prepare as soon as possible

The scholarship application process usually lasts more than half a year or can be longer, you may have to balance your studies in school and complete your study abroad application. Make a plan to find out which destinations you want to study, schools, and scholarships that match your abilities.

Maintain an excellent grade point average (GPA)

Basically, your GPA isn't the only factor that determines the success of your resume. However, having a good GPA will help you increase your chances of successfully applying for a scholarship. Usually, with undergraduate applications, you should prepare for a high school GPA, with the best score being an average of 8.0 or higher per year.

Preparation of standardized certificates

Some schools often require standardized English certificates in their application sets. Depending on the school, there will be different IELTS scores, but the usual score will usually require applicants to have an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher. Some schools also require you to provide a letter of recommendation or study abroad essay to show your future study plans.

See more:

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Statement of Purpose (SOP) Essay – "Everything You Need to Know"

Offer extracurricular certificates

In addition to academic scores, international universities are always interested in extracurricular activities, they want to learn more about who you are and how you contribute to the community through these activities. Besides, you can submit multiple scholarship applications at the same time, which will increase your chances of getting a scholarship.

4. How do I get a full scholarship to study abroad?

Hunting for a full scholarship to study abroad is the dream of many students today. Although not everyone is lucky enough to have this opportunity, with careful preparation and a reasonable strategy, you can completely increase your chances of receiving a scholarship. Here are some suggestions you need to keep in mind to conquer the scholarship successfully:

Understand the requirements of each scholarship

Each scholarship has its own unique criteria and requirements. Therefore, thoroughly understanding the criteria of the scholarship before applying is an extremely important and necessary step to help you prepare a complete and outstanding application.

To find out about the criteria for full scholarships, you can visit the website of the university, the organization that offers the scholarship, search on websites about studying abroad or participate in study abroad seminars to meet representatives of universities and scholarship organizations for one-on-one advice.

Maintain good academic performance

For most scholarships, especially full scholarships, the applicant's academic achievement comes first. A good academic record demonstrates a solid foundation of knowledge and good thinking, which is also an aspect that helps organizations assess your abilities and potential.

When considering your grades, you should try to maintain an average score of 3.5 – 4.0 per year (about 9-10 points on the Vietnamese scale) to improve your chances of getting a scholarship.

Meet foreign language and extracurricular achievement requirements

Besides academic grades, learning English and participating in social activities are also aspects you need to pay attention to. Depending on the country you choose to study, the requirements for foreign language certificates as well as scores will vary (IELTS, TOEFL, SAT).

Extracurricular activities not only show the diversity of your skills and interests, but also prove that you also have important soft skills such as teamwork, leadership, communication, etc. If you want to pursue a discipline or seek a scholarship on a particular field, get involved in activities related to that field.

Essay preparation is impressive

An impressive scholarship essay is more than just a presentation of your accomplishments, but also an opportunity for you to express yourself, inspire, and convince the selection committee. Let us know your learning orientations, the benefits you can bring to your country, to the host country and more broadly to the international community when receiving the scholarship, what advantages and qualities do you have to ensure that you complete the course and promote what will be achieved by them

5. When is the right time to hunt for scholarships to study abroad

For those of you who want to hunt for a full scholarship, you should be prepared as soon as possible. You should start learning information about scholarships from the beginning of high school, so that you will have time to better prepare the important criteria including:

  • Good academic performance

  • Foreign language certificates with high scores

  • Participate in extracurricular activities

  • Prepare an impressive essay

  • Find a reputable referrer

Also, take the time to consider your country, school, and field of study based on your interests and career goals you want to pursue in the future. In particular, preparing a solid financial foundation is also quite an important factor in the process of planning to study abroad and hunting for scholarships.

Searching for scholarships early will help you complete all your paperwork and be ready from the moment you start applying, especially if you apply for "First come first served" study abroad scholarships - priority is given to applicants who apply early.

6. Where to find scholarships to study abroad

If you already have a list of the universities you are targeting, you can visit the school website and follow the instructions. The scholarship application process often varies from school to school, so you should do your research carefully to follow the instructions. You can also contact the university directly through the Student Service or Admission Office for more information, guidance, and advice.

For those of you who don't know what industry to choose, you can imagine the industry you want to pursue, the destination, the climate... to find the right school for you. You can attend study abroad fairs of prestigious companies to meet directly with school representatives and consider scholarships on the spot. Or you can also try to find a scholarship for your favorite field of study by visiting IDP's scholarship search website or contacting counseling.

And always keep in mind that each type of scholarship has a certain deadline for submission. Plan and apply as soon as possible, do not wait until the deadline of the scholarship to apply. When accompanying IDP, your advisors will always be by your side throughout the preparation process from the preparation of the application to the submission to the school, taking note of all the necessary additional documents as well as the deadlines of each time.

Hunt for scholarships easily with IDP!

IDP believes that the above way of hunting for scholarships to study abroad will partly give you more confidence and luck on the way to conquer the long road ahead. For more information about the school, scholarship grants as well as conditions to hunt for scholarships to study abroad, please contact IDP's study abroad consultants today.

To help you find the right school for your academic ability, attend IDP's Study Abroad Day and events of the year to meet directly with representatives of schools and review your application on the spot.

In addition to the consultation process on the right country and school for the study abroad process, IDP is ready to accompany you in finding scholarships to study abroad, preparing study abroad documents, applying for admission, and monitoring progress until you receive a confirmation letter from the school. In addition to the existing offices in cities, you can consult through an online IDP office and access all online services anywhere.

Contact IDP to start your study abroad consultation today!

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