This is your problem, you have finished your university studies or you are about to start them and you would like to study abroad, but you do not know where to start the process and you are worried about making a mistake in your application.
Making a mistake in your scholarship application means a rejection by the university and having to wait for the next application period, while all your friends or acquaintances start their studies and leave you behind.
In addition, most of those who are rejected feel pressured and choose a different career or university because they have no other options.
5 most common mistakes when applying for a scholarship abroad (and how to avoid them)
- Not being sure about what exactly you want to study (or its equivalent)
- Skip any step in the process
- Certified documentation
- Language requirements
- Not contacting your advisors
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Course selection and equivalencies. After selecting the area of study (administration, engineering, etc.) it is important to review the study program of the university to which you want to apply since some require that you have already studied something similar (high school with a certificate in administration, technical school, etc.) or a university degree equivalent to the European program.
Many programs accept equivalent studies from Mexico or South America, but if the program or university you apply to does not accept your certificate of studies, you will have to complete a certification and equivalency process.
Don’t skip any steps. The documents and dates in the scholarship application are absolute, this means that uploading the wrong document or the wrong date could cause you to lose your place.
Always check all your documents before uploading them to the application page, use names on your documents that help you identify them correctly, and don’t forget to check the time zone of the country you are applying to, you don’t want to miss a deadline due to a time difference.
Certify your documents. Equivalences and more equivalences, it is important that you certify your degrees since a foreign university has no way of knowing that your documents are original. Some of the most common documents that must be certified are:
- Degree obtained (high school or university)
- Subjects taken
In addition to this, if the program you want to study is taught in another language, you will have to certify the translation of your documents (the university will mention this in the requirements).
Language requirements. If you choose any program that is not taught in Spanish, this will be one of the main requirements. Please note that in addition to an official language certification, which varies according to the language of the course, you will be required to have a minimum level (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, etc.).
Check what type of certification is required (TOEFL for English, for example), use the official guide and prepare before your certification, and finally, take into account what is necessary to receive your certificate (usually a couple of weeks after your exam).
Get help from your advisors. Application situations, countries, and programs are different for everyone, but your advisor can give you all this information, as well as support you at every stage of the process. An advisor will help you check your documents or recommend programs that fit your current situation.
In short, details matter during the scholarship application process, organize your documents, don’t stress, and always remember to stay in touch with your advisor (it will make your life much easier).
