Grants for Graduate School

Many students worry about how to apply for Grants for Graduate School. The process is neither cumbersome nor complex; it just requires patience, focus, and a keen sense of purpose. With these, one could quite easily apply for a Grant for Graduate School.

STEPS ON HOW TO APPLY FOR GRANTS FOR GRADUATE SCHOOL

1. Step – 1Know the Need At the very beginning, the applicant must always know what he or she requires, for what purpose, and how much. Knowing this in advance can save much time and hassle in finding a suitable Grant. Also, trying and being specific while searching for a Grant – such as Grants for Master’s Degree or Grants for Research Programs, and so on, would be to one’s advantage.
2. Step – 2Search for a Funder The next step is to look for Grantors who match the applicant’s needs. This can be easily achieved by speaking to faculty members at the University or searching the internet for a suitable funder.
3. Step – 3Understand the Funder’s Requirements If the Grant is suitable to the student, they must check to also see whether the Grantor’s needs are met or not; what the requirements and eligibility criteria are, and if they can be fulfilled. Keeping an eye on application dates and deadlines that may be mentioned, is strongly advised.
4. Step – 4Draft an Application In case the Student’s needs and Grantor’s needs are in tune with one another, the student may proceed with applying for the Grant, bearing in mind all instructions put forth by the Grantor.
5. Step – 5Review the Application It is good practice to always review the application and check for anything that may have been overlooked or for errors to fix and changes to be made.
6. Step – 6Add Supporting Documents If required and asked for in specific, adding supporting documents to the main application is an obvious thing to do. However, one must not go overboard by attaching irrelevant documents just to bulk it up a bit.
7. Step – 7Submit the Application Following the instructions as to how, when, where, and to whom the application is to be submitted is important. The submission should preferably be made early, well before the deadline.

Note: Many Grants are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Submitting an application early significantly improves the chances of being accepted for funding.

SECTIONS IN AN APPLICATION FOR GRANT

Truth be told, every Grant application is unique, but having said that, certain points or sections are commonly required to be part of an application. These sections are, but not limited to:

1. List of Goals/Objectives A Student applying for a Grant for Graduate School should begin their application by listing out their goals and objectives, academic and otherwise.
2. Demonstration of Need The next step is to show a real need for funding and why it may be beyond the reach of the applicant to fund the program, project, or research by themselves.
3. Proposal Outline a brief, yet informative proposal with key points that summarize what the study or project is all about and how it is to be executed.
4. Stating the Grant’s impact State why and how the Grant will impact the proposal and what the outcomes could be.
5. Existing Resource & Capabilities Outline existing resources, such as own funds, sponsorships, team members, etc., and capabilities of those involved in the whole operation.
6. Budgets, Timelines & Metrics Where possible, touch upon general budgets and timelines with important milestones, phases, and metrics.
7. Inclusion of Specific Information If the Grant is specific in its scope and reach, mention relevant information and also additional information that may have been asked by the funder. In certain cases, the applicant may be asked to submit an Essay, in which case they can get some good professional tips on how to write one.

Grants for Graduate School vary depending on several factors, including the state of residency of a student and current academic pursuits. Given this fact, it is nearly impossible to list out all the Grants that are available across the length and breadth of the country. However, here are a few that are popular among students falling under certain categories:

Applying for Grants for Graduate School may be a simple-enough affair, but there are ways and means to stay ahead of the game and improve the chances of being awarded one. Here is a list of tips and best practices to follow, that may very well add zest to the Grant application:

1. Research the Funder It is always advisable to spend a considerable amount of time researching funding options. There are several funders and funding options available, but one must be careful to note who the funders are, what their requirements are, and any other pertaining information that may help short-list the Grant. Moving on, the Student should eventually narrow down their search to particular types of Grants – merit-based, profession-related, need-based, or any other type that caters to their needs.
2. Understand the Fund While checking the background of the funder, among other things, one must also take into account the explicit requirements of the Grants being offered. The applicant must go through the eligibility criteria, check for specific questions asked, see what the fine print says, and generally understand why they think they qualify for the fund in the first place, before proceeding with an application.
3. Communicate Effectively Being concise and driving one’s points home is the best way to convey the message to a Grantor that one is deserving of the Grant. There should be compelling reasons emphasized for the applicant to stand out from among the rest, with truthful and factual data to substantiate such a claim.
4. Customize the Application Many students tend to overlook the additional or specific requirements a Grant may ask for, especially if the Grant is not broad-based, but limited in its scope. The Student applying to such Grants should go through the guidelines and instructions provided by the Grantor and ensure that all requirements are covered well enough through the application. In other words, they should customize or tailor the application to the Grantor’s needs.
5. Connect with Faculty Members Apart from the internet, the best way to find out about specific Grants one can apply to is from Faculty Members of the College. Most teachers and professors will be aware of the latest Grants available, especially for their departments and subjects. Additionally, faculty members are better suited to guide the applicant, provide referrals and recommendations and generally add heft to an application.
6. Stay Up to Date Students who want to specialize in a specific subject or field should always keep abreast with the latest in the world of scholarships, grants, and financial aid, connected to their choice of subject or field. Doing so will reduce the hassle of having to search for a suitable Grant and an opportune moment to apply for one. After all, a Student can apply for more than one Grant, so it is wise to keep one’s eyes open to newer Grants that become available.

Grants for Graduate School are many, each one with its unique flavor. It is quite easy for a student to get sucked into the quagmire of endless lists of Grants, which is why seeking help to easily locate one that fits the bill, is always welcome. Here are a few student resources to do just that:

• grants.gov The Grants.gov website is the official website mainly for federal or state-funded Grants. It consists of a complete directory of Grants for catering to a wide range of needs.
• Federal Student Aid An official site administered by the U. S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid contains in-depth information on Scholarships, Grants, and Funding, through the FAFSA form.

In addition to the official U.S. Government websites, other resources are equally useful to students looking to fund their education. Here are a few:

• OMC – Online Masters Colleges Our site – Online Masters Colleges – has detailed and well-laid out information a student needs to have about Scholarships, Grants, and other forms of financial aid. Additionally, OMC offers its own Scholarships, while also awarding specific ones to women, African Americans and disabled students.
• Candid A student who needs to gain proper and guided knowledge to win ‘funding from funders’ should visit Candid. The site offers online tools like ‘Foundation Directory Online (FDO)’ and ‘Grants To Individuals (GTO)’ that can help with finding a suitable funder.
• Unigo If Grants are not the only means of funding one is looking for, then Unigo can help with its long list of over 3.6million scholarships and grants. The site also contains detailed information on student loans.
• Fastweb is a portal that can help students with seeking various forms of financial aid while also looking for part-time employment.
• Sallie Mae Through Sallie Mae, students can effectively plan for college, explore ways to save money, and apply directly for student loans to fund their education.
• Scholarships.com Finding a scholarship or alternative source to fund Grad School is but a breeze with scholarship.com. The site claims to provide students with funding assistance and an access to about $19billion in education funds!
• Scholly Scholly is another popular website that claims to make scholarships easy. With some basic information provided and a few clicks of the mouse, Scholly lists out potential scholarships to explore. The service is also available via a mobile app.