One of the options for gratuitous encouragement of talented youth as free or partially paid education abroad is an international grant for education. However, it cannot be simply obtained, but it can be won.

A full grant is provided for the winner, which fully covers all future training costs, including the cost of flights, accommodation, and visa processing. But this option is rare. More often, so-called partial grants are issued, which include only tuition fees.

Who has the opportunity to win a study grant?

Most of the grants are designed for university students, although high school students also have chances to study abroad. For example, we are talking about an exchange program (full grant). High school students from Russia can also be its participants, who, as a result of competitive selection, acquire the right to study in schools of a particular country and live with local families. The government of the country participating in the program is fully responsible for all costs.

The greatest opportunities for obtaining a grant are available for students, postgraduates, and also young teachers of higher educational institutions with an age limit of thirty years.

Who is funding the students?

In 2014, the Russian government approved Global Education, a special program for financing and supporting citizens studying at foreign universities.

This was done in order to help those who independently went abroad, but plans to work later in companies registered in Russia, in particular in the Far East and Eastern Siberia.

Ways to get a grant for training.

The most difficult one. Write a compelling motivation letter to the management of selected universities, proving that it is your candidacy that deserves the grant. At the same time, the main task is to describe all your achievements, future plans and … withstand quite serious competition.
Win a competition, information about which can be obtained both on special sites and directly from the government of the country selected for training. It could be Russia as well. The domestic government will subsidize further education abroad in case of victory.
Apply to a private foundation that may well be interested in the talents and abilities of an applicant who does not match the age of the options listed above. However, there are few funds ready to provide the full amount for training, and it is often necessary to apply to different funds, collecting the amount in parts.

Limitations in the number of grants may be the reason for possible failure, so it is better not to despair, but to keep trying.

What documents need to be collected to receive a grant?

Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation and a foreign passport.
A bachelor’s or specialist’s diploma from a Russian university (if you are still studying in your last year, but have already enrolled in a master’s program, it is possible to provide a certificate of study).
A document confirming that you are enrolled in a foreign university (you must indicate the program, how much it costs and how long it takes).
Certificate of no criminal record.

That is, everything that confirms compliance with the requirements for program participants.

Each stage provides for its own list of documents, please note that the documents at the stage of filing an application and for signing the Agreement are different.

What awaits the winner of the competition?

The winner signs an agreement with the organizers of the program and receives his grant.

Important: during the period of study at a foreign university, participants report to the operator assigned to him by the program. It also provides a report form and a specific list of documents.

In case of improper fulfillment of the agreement, the program participant will be forced to pay all the funds provided to him within the framework of financing, as well as a fine in the amount of double the amount of the funds that were paid to him.

Before entering into an agreement, read the refund policy and consider whether you can fulfill all the conditions.

A grant is a very good financial support and a real opportunity to get a good education and live abroad, but it is important to remember that receiving it imposes certain obligations on the program participants, the failure to fulfill which entails large fines. Be careful and follow all agreements!

Tip: Visit a free study abroad consultation and get information on applying to foreign universities or choosing a short-term summer program.

Scheme for receiving grants for study abroad

In 2014, a program called “Global Education” was launched on the territory of our state. This year it was extended for another 8 years. The winner of the competitive selection receives a subsidy in the amount of 2.76 million rubles each year, while the studies lasts. The allocated money can be used to pay not only for tuition, but also for housing, meals and the purchase of materials for study.

In order for a young person to be provided with a subsidy for studying abroad under the above program, he should act as follows:

Carry out the choice of the university and the direction of study;
Submit all documentation to the selected educational institution and successfully cope with the tests offered for admission;
Register on the official resource of “Global Education”, enter all the data in the proposed application form and supplement it with scanned copies of the required documentation;
Unlearn and, returning to the country, work for at least 3 years in the received specialty.

General requirements for a grant applicant

The requirements that must be met by the participants in the competitive selection for the provision of grants for training are determined by the curriculum and the conditions of the grant itself.

However, there is a list of requirements that always put forward to the applicant:

having a certain degree of education;
good command of the language of instruction;
a good level of preparedness for training;
confirmation that the candidate is enrolled in a foreign university;
be sure to be a citizen of the Russian Federation;
lack of an outstanding criminal record;
the possibility of a candidate for returning after training to the territory of his country and employment in organizations in the specialty received.

Most often, one of the main conditions for participation in the competitive selection is the applicant’s enrollment in an educational organization outside the country. Occasionally, it is allowed to apply for a grant and application documents at the same time. But there are programs that allow you to apply for a subsidy before the applicant is enrolled in a foreign educational institution.

Worth knowing! Competitive selection for a grant is held every year. Therefore, if a student is late for submitting documents in the current year, then he can successfully do so in the next.

Application process

The set of documents is determined by the country in which the educational process will take place, the educational institution and the curriculum.

But its standard equipment is as follows:

international passport. You should see if its time expires;
diploma of education. The committee considering candidates takes into account only the average score, therefore, it is possible to receive a grant with several satisfactory marks;
a certificate that confirms the passing of the exam in the language in which the training takes place;
birth certificate;
health insurance;
in addition, it is worth attaching a letter stating the motive for obtaining education outside the country, recommendations, as well as samples of the applicant’s work, which are mandatory for professions related to creativity.

Deadline for submission of documentation

All documentation must be collected and submitted 6 months before the start of the school year in which the young person wants to start getting an education. The deadlines for the submission of documentation can be viewed on the resources of the organizers or on the university portal.

Errors in applying for a grant resulting in a denial

Often, applications submitted by applicants for a grant do not receive a response. This is due to the mistakes that applicants make when applying for a study grant abroad.

Most often, applicants make the following mistakes:

not thoroughly familiarize themselves with the conditions for obtaining a subsidy and its program;
do not pay due attention to the requirements of this eligibility program;
poorly assessed the opportunities that are provided;
are hesitant about studying abroad;
a small number of applications are submitted;
submit an incomplete set of documentation;
submit applications at the wrong time;
do not follow the instructions that are attached to the application;
cheating when applying for grants that don’t exist;
there are no means to communicate with the target audience;
make spelling and grammatical errors when writing an application and filling out documentation;
provide false information.

Grants and scholarships for study abroad

Such grants are paid by Russian and foreign organizations and foundations. As a rule, these are one-time payments for specific purposes. Students who study well at school, participate in various educational, creative and sports projects and events, win contests and olympiads can apply for a grant.

“Bridge of Cultures – Russia and Germany”

Competition, which is annually held by the Interregional Charitable Foundation “Interkultura” (AFS Russia) and the Goethe-Institut (Germany). The competition is attended by schoolchildren aged 15–17 who study German in Russian schools. To receive a grant, you must register on the competition website and answer the questions of the online test. The next step is to record a video on a specific topic in Russian. The third stage takes place orally at the Goethe-Institut. The winners of the competition receive a scholarship to participate in the program “Academic Year in Germany”, for the second place they give a scholarship to participate in a three-week language course in Germany, for the third place – a scholarship to study at one of the German language centers.

“Academic Year Abroad”

Annual competition for high school students in the framework of the international program European Citizenship Trimester Program. Citizens of Russia from 15 to 18 years old who are interested in studying the history, culture and languages of the peoples of the world can take part in it. Winners and awardees receive grants to study in schools abroad and the opportunity to live there with a family that takes part in the program. To take part in the competition, you need to shoot a video on the topic “Why should I become a participant in the program” and write a letter in English to the host family. The second round takes place in person in the form of an interview. The size of the grant is determined individually. Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, Hungary, Germany, Denmark, India, Italy, China, Mexico, Netherlands, Finland and other countries are participating in the program.

Global Education Program

This is a domestic scholarship program that started in 2014 and was extended in 2017 until 2025. Global Education is a government initiative that finances grants to study abroad for Russian specialists and bachelors who have entered the best foreign universities. The amount of funding per student can be up to 2.76 million rubles per year, which are intended to pay for tuition, accommodation and other related expenses.

Requirements for candidates

In order to receive such grants for training in 2020, the following conditions must be met:

Russian citizenship.
No previous convictions (outstanding or not canceled).
Availability of an official document on training or admission to a leading foreign university under a full-time residency, master’s or postgraduate program. The university must be included in the list approved by the relevant order of the Government of the Russian Federation (it can be found on the website of the Global Education program).
Availability of a document confirming the completion of a bachelor’s or specialist’s program (i.e. a bachelor’s or specialist’s diploma).

It is important to understand that the program is designed to improve the qualifications of domestic personnel. In other words, for the financial assistance provided upon graduation, you will need to work at least three years in your specialty in Russia.

Any violation of the conditions of participation in the program entails the need to return the funds provided and pay a fine in 2 times the amount (that is, the total amount of funds that the participant owes to the program is three times the amount of the grant).

How to participate in the program?

In order to receive a grant to study in Germany, USA, China or another country, you must perform the following sequence of steps:

Self-enroll in a university that is on the list of participants in the program.
Register on the official website of the Global Education Program.
Fill out an application for participation in the program and get your place in the electronic queue.
Attach an electronic set of documents (passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, international passport, diploma of higher education, document on admission to a foreign university, certificate of no criminal record).
Wait until the competitive selection of candidates participating in the program.
Wait for the approval of the winners of the conducted competitive selection.
If you win the competitive selection – provide the program operator with paper documents (either originals or their notarized copies).
Sign the Agreement for participation in the program and wait for the transfer of the grant.
Complete training at a foreign university.
Find a job in your specialty and work in an employing organization for at least three years.

There are several electronic queues, they are divided according to the areas of specialties (engineering, medical pedagogical, managerial, scientific personnel) and the levels of education received (residency, magistracy, postgraduate studies).

When participating in the competition, those who already have professional experience in the chosen specialty, as well as publications based on the results of developments and research in scientific publications, which are indexed in the Web of Science or Scopus database, have a better chance.

After winning the competition, the grant funds are transferred either to the participant’s bank account or to the current account of the foreign university in which he will study. Throughout the entire period of study and work, the grant recipient must draw up reports on his educational and work activities.

The list of employing organizations in which a graduate of a foreign university who has received a grant for training can be employed is also approved and posted on the official website of the program.

Grants to study in Russia

If the subject of your interests is not residency / master’s / postgraduate studies abroad, but the same in our country, or a grant for studying after grade 11 (i.e. for a bachelor’s or specialty), then theoretically it is also possible to receive financial assistance.

Periodically, scholarships and grants for training are sponsored by various non-profit organizations, charitable foundations, government agencies. Grants can be designed for different levels of education, individual projects, creative and cultural initiatives, support for gifted athletes, artists, writers, and so on. As a rule, the provision of such grants includes certain conditions (the most common is work in an employing organization).

To find out about such grants, you need to keep track of the news of the main charitable foundations (Volnoe Delo, Mikhail Prokhorov Charity Fund, Vladimir Potanin Charity Fund) and non-profit foundations supported by the state (RFBR, RSF).

Presidential Study Grant

The most famous of the domestic grants is the grant of the President of the Russian Federation for the development of civil society. It includes not only support for future young professionals, but also financing of projects from various spheres of public life.

Presidential grants for training are provided to citizens of the Russian Federation who have shown outstanding abilities and entered scientific organizations or universities for full-time study. They can be obtained by students enrolled in colleges, universities (for specialty and bachelor’s degree) and master’s degree. The total number of grant recipients in September 2020 should be 6,500 people. The size of the presidential grant is 20,000 rubles per month for the entire period of study, while program participants must annually confirm their right to receive it.

Things to Remember

In 2020, gifted schoolchildren have the opportunity to receive a grant of 125 thousand rubles “for special abilities and high achievements in mathematics, computer science and digital technologies.”
Excellent students who have become prize-winners of contests, competitions and olympiads from the list of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and who have successfully entered the university on the budget, as well as winners of international olympiads in general subjects, can apply for the grant of the President of the Russian Federation.
In the regions of Russia, there are various programs and competitions that provide for the payment of scholarships and grants to support schoolchildren who are excellent students and demonstrate outstanding achievements in studies, sports or creativity.
Schoolchildren from large and low-income families can apply for a scholarship to charitable foundations.
Scholarships and grants to support gifted schoolchildren are given to companies and enterprises interested in finding young talents, especially in the scientific and technical field. To receive such a grant, you need to study well, become a prize-winner of a specialized Olympiad, have scientific publications or patents for inventions.
A schoolchild can receive a scholarship or grant to study abroad if he takes part in special competitions organized by Russian and international organizations, for example, the Interkultura Foundation.

Sources used and useful links on the topic: https://fulledu.ru/articles/579_grant-na-obuchenie-chto-eto-takoe-i-kak-ego-poluch.html https://propostuplenie.ru/article/kak -poluchit-grant-na-obuchenie-za-granicej / https://lgoty-vsem.ru/lgoty/grant-na-obrazovanie-za-granicej.html https://media.foxford.ru/grants/ https: //www.profguide.io/article/kak-poluchit-grant-na-obuchenie.html

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