What Is the Difference Between Scholarship, Grant, and Financial Aid: A Guide to Financial Payments for Students Abroad

Are you planning to study abroad, but are not sure that you can fully cope with the expenses? The good news is that in many countries, foreign students can receive financial support: from partial coverage of expenses to full payment of tuition and accommodation. In this article, we will sort out the three key types of financial support: scholarships, grants, and financial assistance. Let's figure out what they are, for whom they are suitable, and how realistic it is for a foreign student to receive such support.

Spoiler: even if it seems to you that only geniuses receive grants, in reality this is not always the case — many programs take into account not only grades, but also motivation, social context, or the specifics of the field.

Scholarships for International Students

A scholarship is a cash payment that helps cover tuition, living expenses, and related expenses. The amount of financial support depends on the specific educational centers and the chosen program - most often, scholarships help to pay or compensate:

• Studying (fully or partially),
• Housing: from a place in a dormitory to renting an apartment,
• Health insurance,
• Educational materials and books,
• Travel expenses, including flight to the country of study,
• Monthly expenses for daily needs.

Some agencies offer comprehensive financing, covering several items of expenditure at once, while others offer only certain categories.

The selection of potential scholarship holders is usually carried out according to several key criteria. First of all, the level of studying is assessed: high academic performance, the presence of scientific publications or portfolios (especially for creative specialties). Language skills are equally important, so most scholarship programs require an official certificate (TOEFL, TestDaF, DELF, etc.) with a certain score, below which you cannot fall. Motivation is of great importance, that is, the ability to clearly explain why a student needs this program and how it will help in professional development. Priority areas of study are also taken into account - for example, STEM specialties, medicine or pedagogy, which are in demand in the recipient country.

Some scholarships are aimed at special groups of applicants: students from developing countries, representatives of racial minorities, and people with disabilities.  Accordingly, only students from this category can receive it.

Each scholarship program has its own requirements, but general rules can be distinguished:

• It is necessary to maintain the established grade point average (GPA) throughout the entire period of study, not to fall in academic performance,
• Studying must take place on a full-time basis,
• Periodically report on progress: provide essays, presentations or official report cards,
• In case of early expulsion or violation of the terms of the program, you may be required to return the funds paid.

The list of available scholarship programs can be found on the websites of the institutions, embassies and cultural centers of the state where the foreign applicant plans to enter. There are platforms with specialized databases where hundreds of scholarships from all over the world are collected. Another source of information about current scholarships is for the foundation and organizations that cooperate with universities in specific professional areas.

Grants for International Students

Grants are financial support that is given for the implementation of specific educational or research projects (usually for a period of one to two years). Unlike scholarships, grants are not aimed at covering the student's day-to-day expenses, but at funding a specific activity: scientific work, participation in an international conference, fieldwork, product development, purchase of equipment, internship, or short-term study program.

Another difference between scholarships and grants: the former are usually made regularly (monthly or once a semester), while the latter are usually one-time. It is important to note that grant recipients must carefully report on the expenditure of funds to confirm that the money was used for the stated purposes.

Financial grants are given not just for good grades — in order to qualify for a large payment, you need to propose a meaningful project and prove that you are able to implement it. The list of the main criteria for selecting projects includes:

• Relevance of the idea: the project should solve a real problem or contribute to the development of science, culture, technology.
• Clarity of the plan: you need to describe in detail and clearly the stages of work, deadlines, expected results and budget.
• Applicant's qualifications: Education, experience, publications or previous achievements in the chosen field must be confirmed.
• If the project involves working in a foreign environment, you will need a certificate (TOEFL or equivalent) or other proof of language proficiency.
• Having a letter of support from the recipient university, laboratory, or organization improves your chances.

Grant programs are most often divided according to the requests of different categories, including young researchers, specialists from developing countries, representatives of rare specialties or teams, rather than individual applicants. Additional requirements for the implementation of grants are the following:

• Use funds strictly for their intended purpose (for example, for tickets, accommodation, equipment, remuneration of assistants),
• Provide interim and final reports with receipts, photos, publication texts or other evidence of project implementation,
• Publish the results of the work (in a scientific journal, on the website, in the form of a report),
• Indicate the source of funding in all materials related to the project.

If some of the conditions are not met or the project ends early, grant recipients will have to return the money.

Material assistance

Financial aid is a one-time or periodic payment, the purpose of which is to support international students in difficult life situations. Unlike scholarships and grants, it is not related to academic performance or a research project, but only to overcoming temporary difficulties, which makes it possible to continue further education.

That is, financial assistance is an emergency or situational payment. It is given when a student has unforeseen difficulties: illness, loss of source of income, emergencies in the homeland or family, urgent home repairs, etc.

The right to financial assistance is usually available to international students who:

• Are officially enrolled in a university and study full-time,
• Faced with a difficult life situation, which can be confirmed by documents (medical certificates, bank statements, certificates of emergency, etc.),
• Demonstrate a different need for support: without this payment, they are at risk of interrupting their studies.

Some universities and foundations that pay financial assistance additionally take into account:

• The level of family income (if it has decreased sharply),
• The presence of dependents (for example, small children),
• Special circumstances (refugees, persons with disabilities, victims of natural disasters).

The terms of material payments vary depending on the source of assistance, but most often it is required:

1. Submit an application with a description of the situation and justification of the need,
2. Attach supporting documents (certificates, invoices, letters),
3. Be prepared to verify the circumstances: the university or foundation may request additional information,
4. Use the payment for its intended purpose and, in some cases, report on the expenditure,
5. Return the money if the assistance was provided on a refund basis. This happens rarely, but it is agreed in advance.

The amount and frequency of payments also vary: it can be a one-time amount to cover urgent expenses or small monthly supplements (for a period of one month to six months).

You can get financial assistance through various sources, for example, at universities: many universities have financial support funds for international students. Funds can be allocated from the university budget, through charitable donations, under special programs for vulnerable groups.

Another source is state and municipal programs. In a number of countries, local authorities or ministries of education allocate funds to help foreign students in difficult circumstances. For example, in Germany, some Länder support students through Amt für Ausländerangelegenheiten, and in France, through Caisses d'Allocations Familiales and regional foundations.

Charitable foundations and church organizations provide one-time assistance to pay for housing, medicines or tickets. The conditions and amounts depend on the capabilities of a particular organization.

Important tips for those who apply for financial assistance while studying abroad:

• Do not wait until the situation becomes critical - seek help as soon as you realize that you cannot cope.
• Check in advance whether you will need to return the money: most payments do not require a refund, but there are exceptions.
• Keep copies of all documents and correspondence: they may be needed for subsequent appeals.
• Study not only university, but also city and regional programs: sometimes help goes through municipal services, and not through the university.
• If you are at a loss, ask for help from the curator or the international office - they will tell you where it is better to turn in your situation.