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Student Fellowships
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Article on Student Fellowships
Pursuing higher education can be bothersome these days especially with the ever escalating cost of education. In fact, the cost of pursuing a particular course of study in a higher institution some years ago cannot be compared to what is obtainable today. This high cost undoubtedly presents some difficulty but thankfully, there are ways of getting the necessary finance. Student fellowships play an important role by providing financial assistance to deserving students.
Types of Student Fellowships
There are basically two broad categories under which these fellowships can be grouped: undergraduate and postgraduate. These categories cover all aspects of pursuing a higher education in the United States. Typically, in the United States, financial aid to undergraduates are more commonly referred to as scholarships or grants while those available to graduate students are referred to as fellowships. For this article however, the two categories will be referred to as fellowships.
Undergraduate Student Fellowships
Financial assistance available for undergraduate students bears the larger percentage. According to the National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS) conducted every 3-4 years by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) at the US Department of Education, about $2.91 billion was given out to about 1.2 million students in the 2007/2008 academic year. The average scholarship amount was about $2,500 per student. The 2007/2008 survey by NCES used information from about 114,000 undergraduates—a statistically significant sample—to collate the results.
Graduate Student Fellowships
These represent a smaller fraction of grants or fellowships available to students. Since a lower number of people go on for graduate studies after bagging their undergraduate degrees, correspondingly, the aid for graduate studies is lower but of course, still available as a much needed help. According to the same 2007/2008 survey by the NCES, $736 million was disbursed to 127,000 graduate students as financial aid with the average amount per student being $5,796. This accounted for all the forms of graduate student aid.
Sponsors of Student Fellowships
Whether for undergraduate or graduate students, the different sponsors of the fellowships are basically the same. The first sponsors are usually the various institutions or universities. Each university has one form of fellowship or the other that students can benefit from. The federal and state governments also provide financial support to students through various grants and schemes. Private organizations form the last category of sponsors as a lot of foundations, companies and other private establishments have several forms of financial aid for both graduate and undergraduate students.
Eligibility
The award of the different fellowships is based on three points: merit, demonstration of some exceptional skills or abilities and financial need. Typically, merit requires a high academic standard which translates to a high GPA. Students with exceptional athletic and leadership skills are covered under the second category. The third category caters to minorities or ethnic groups, women, and other special cases. All these provisions make it easier to secure financial aid for education. For more information on the fellowships available, it is recommended to enquire at the particular institute that you have chosen to study at.
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