Strategy for Scholarships Aspirants

1. Start by making a good CV (academic).

2. Also prepare and give IELTS/TOEFL/GRE 

whichever you prefer as it depends upon the requirements of university/country, but is necessary to gain admission in high /good ranking universities. Good scores are a must as average does not do much in gaining a scholarship.

Strategy for Scholarships Aspirants-I

3. Make all your education documents

In order that as transcripts, degree certificates, attestations of all the degrees and transcripts by HEC, etc. Up-to-date and correct travel documents like CNIC, Passport, Police verifications, health certificates, etc.

4. Prepare a statement of interest/ motivation 

also prepare answers to some basic questions;(why u want to do this degree from abroad, what skills will this degree bring to you, where do u see yourself in 5 years from now, how would you contribute to the country once you return back, etc etc.) to help u fill applications/pass interview.

5. Select 2 to 3 subjects of your interests 

(if u r a master's student) and /or Outline a basic research proposal if research student (at this stage it should be for yourself to be clear which area u want to study ahead and u become familiar with issues and current ongoing work in the area ... u can always modify this later according to changes required e.g. after discussing with 

Professor ... this is also necessary to create a good impression with your prospective supervisor when u discuss your intentions) this should be made even if u r applying for the non-research degree to know about the background area of your interested subject.

6. Target universities/departments

In light of the above subjects /outlined proposal, target universities/departments u want to do your studies from (to know their specific eligibility criteria) ... try collecting all the materials required for admission and apply in it to get admission offer.. some scholarships require that candidates already holds an admission offer.

7. Search interested universities' websites

Search interested universities' websites, if these universities offer scholarships/funding (note most of the universities offer them but they are very competitive).

8. Also look for other scholarships 

Scholarship that is offered by Government / International organizations e.g. Commonwealth scholarship, DAAD & Fulbright, Vanier Canada, Singa Scholarships, Endeavour Scholarships, Türkiye Bursları scholarships, Twain Scholarships, Korean scholarships, Chinese scholarships, Bestway Foundation scholarship, Anne Marie Schimmel Scholarships, Vicky Noon Oxford University scholarship, Strathclyde-Pakistan50th Anniversary Scholarship, etc for these scholarships go to donor/sponsors/ university website, as usual, they open between May - Nov. 

You may also target those universities that offer scholarships to international students e.g. in the UK many universities like Uni of Manchester, Uni of Bath, Edinburgh Uni, Kings College, Queens University Belfast, Cardiff University, etc offer once a year.

9. Fill in the forms carefully & proofread

Fill in the forms carefully & proofread (no spelling mistakes, no formatting mistakes, and all required documents in order). A good scholarship application takes a minimum of 2-3 weeks to get ready.

10. Be prepared for investing time

Be prepared for investing time, hard work, and rejections but don't lose hope and be persistent - it normally takes between 6 months to 2 yrs to get one.

Strategy for Scholarships Aspirants-II

Students who can't find a scholarship.

A lot of students are struggling. They have gone through every guide and every tip. Still, they are not being able to score any scholarship/admission.

The reason is simple enough. There is a lot of competition out there and you have to improve your profile before applying.
This is a universal fact. Even if your GPA, GRE, and IELTS are sufficient enough, a guy with strong references is going to take away your position.

There are only two ways which work in academia,

You have a strong reference, i.e. your professor personally knows the professor abroad.
You have an exceptional profile.
Let's talk about references first

There are two kinds of references.

One is a formal reference that is provided by almost every professor to their student. This reference letter is considered a formality (just a piece of paper) in academia. The purpose of such letters is to fulfill requirements.

The second is called a personal reference. This reference works like a miracle. Letting down a professor's personal reference is considered rude in academia. This is the exact reason that professors are super reluctant to provide such references. In this situation, their reputation is at stake. 

If a professor is providing a personal reference that means that they are sure that you won't ruin their reputation by 1) Leaving the program after admission/in between your degree 2) Not meeting your new supervisor's expectations or 3) Tainting the professor back home's reputation in such a way that they won't be able to recommend anyone anymore.

So, basically, you can earn a personal recommendation only if you follow the golden learning rules of Imam Ghazali. That is completely submitting yourself to a capable professor for a year or two (a very common practice abroad). 

Help them in their research and publish a few articles with them. This will help your professor grow confidence in you. Greater the confidence, better the recommendation. Unfortunately, spending one or two years is a very common practice after graduation all over the world. But in Pakistan, except LUMS, this idea is considered to be a joke. Believe me, it works! This is the only way you can get a proper reference. IT'S NOT A WASTE OF TIME!

Let's talk about building the profile

Completing a final year project and your thesis is the bare minimum. A good GPA without reference can't help you sometimes as well. As a solution, Publish!
In academia, it's a famous saying, "Publish or perish".

To be completely honest, this quote goes as much for students as much as it is for the professors. If your thesis and final year project were amazing. Internationally, it has no worth until and unless its peer-reviewed.

Work with your professor, after graduation, to publish your work in an acceptable International standard journal or conference.

If your professor doesn't have the capability to publish in high-impact factor journals or ranked conferences. You can publish a lot of work at local conferences.

Note: Please make sure you don't publish in predatory journals. If you have even a single publication in a predatory journal, your international academic career (without any exaggeration) is over. Here is a list of predatory journals: https://predatoryjournals.com/journals/

Please search up what ranked conferences mean. A ranked conference has so much worth that a single publication in a C-ranked conference could be enough to score a Masters/Ph.D.

Look at where the big guns in your area are published. Go to the famous professor's profiles at google scholar and search up the venues they are recently publishing at.

Publishing at any such venue can be a breakthrough for your starting career.
If you're doing research in a fast-paced field like computer science. Conference publication(s) will be sufficient. But for more dry areas like economics, statistics and so. You have to have journal publication(s).

 

1. Apply for International Summer Internships:

Most of the top universities and research institutes in Europe and North America offer summer internships to undergraduate and master's students. Mostly these internships completely cover your expenses. 

During this internship, you'll have to complete a research project under the supervision of a professor. It's a great chance to prove your worth, enhance your CV, do research at a renowned institute, and gain international exposure.

2. Apply for the student exchange program:

Various international institutes offer an exchange program in which you get to study and spend one semester at that university, where you study various elective courses out of your choice. You get international exposure and improve your soft skills.

3. Poster Presentations

Young researchers should present their ideas and initial research findings at local conferences within Pakistan. Your research doesn't always have to be a journal paper. Start with a poster! You get a chance to have early feedback and also potential collaborations.

4. Research Collaborations

This is really important. Why look for a potential supervisor within your university when there are millions of professors out there? Reach out to professors early in your degree, email them, discuss your interests, seek potential collaboration. Ask if they can co-supervise you, or maybe just collaborate with you on a research project.

Then talk to your local supervisor and they'll happily agree to collaborate. The second best part is that you don't have to worry about travel grants anymore, the foreign prof will do that for you. And the first best part is that you'll get his name on your thesis, on your research article, and on your CV. You get their recommendations and you can even start a Ph.D. with them if you really impressed them during the course of your degree in Pakistan.

5. Summer Schools

A lot of international conferences or specific research group communities offer fully-funded summer schools in which their focus is to mentor students. Give them a perspective of what kind of research is being conducted in their area, how they can find a thesis topic, how they can build a research network, and more importantly how you can improve your soft skills.

6. Volunteer at conferences

Perks of volunteering are that you get partial funding, you get to meet and greet your favorite researchers in person. You get to attend the whole research conference and get new ideas and directions for your research. You also get to find new potential collaborations.