Anyone who wants to start college has to think about how to pay for it. In case the parents aren't financially strong enough to cover an apartment at the college town as well as the living costs of the children who want to study. Many students have to earn their living and their tuition fees themselves. That's why many students go looking for a scholarship. Besides BAföG (German federal student aid) and taking on one or even several part-time jobs, being able to find a scholarship is another way to finance a degree. Anyone who thinks that scholarships are only awarded to the highly gifted is mistaken. Scholarships are awarded by foundations, which have different goals and award criteria. Roughly speaking, these foundations fall into three categories: there are foundations affiliated with political parties, with trade unions, or with religious denominations. So finding scholarships isn't entirely easy after all. A student should be convinced by the background or profile of the foundation.

Finding a scholarship

Research Pays Off When Finding a Scholarship

To find suitable scholarships, you should start quite early. Good research into the right foundation simply takes time. And the application process also often takes longer than expected. When awarding their scholarships, foundations look for students who are engaged, whether in the social, civic or political sphere. Other award criteria can be age, social situation and place of study, but also gender. There are also special scholarships for women, for people with a migration background and so on. If you meet the formal criteria, you absolutely must keep to the application deadlines.

Finding a Scholarship - Searching on Your Own or via Search Engines

Researching on your own when looking for a scholarship can be tedious. These days you can do the research on the internet. But you have to visit each foundation's online presence and read everything carefully. This can take a lot of time. It's also possible to search for a scholarship using search engines. It's also possible to register online and find a suitable scholarship that way.

Finding a Scholarship and Applying Online
Finding a suitable scholarship isn't the only hurdle many people have to clear before a scholarship is finally secured. It's also important to learn about the application formalities. Gathering the necessary documents and proof is often hard too. Usually a written application with a résumé and a motivation letter is required. The goals of the foundation shouldn't be lost sight of in the process, of course. For this reason it's very important that you can identify with the goals and guidelines the foundation has for awarding scholarships.