Fully funded diploma scholarships for international students are scarce and very few but they exist and this blog brings them closer to you with the necessary information. So, if you want to study a diploma course abroad, you can find the necessary scholarships here to support your education.
A diploma is different from a degree, the major difference is that a diploma takes a shorter time to complete and it is less expensive compared to a degree. A diploma course prepares you for a specific job role by equipping you with the necessary skills, usually hands-on practical and theoretical knowledge, to be fit for the role.
If you cannot commit to the years it takes to get a degree or you want to get into the workforce faster, then a diploma is what you should go for. Just as there are undergraduate and graduate degrees, there are also undergraduate and graduate diplomas as well. Most working professionals who want to acquire new skills in their field often go for a graduate diploma even though they may already have a bachelor’s degree.
Now, as higher education is becoming more expensive, getting a diploma has become very expensive as well which has made people start looking for scholarships to assist them and enable them to acquire their educational and career ambitions. So, just as bachelor’s and master’s degree scholarships exist, diploma scholarships are also available and awarded to deserving students.
Now, this blog is here to provide you with all the necessary details regarding all the various fully funded diploma scholarships for international students. We made sure to curate the scholarships that are offered every year so that if they were closed as at the time you are reading this article, you can check in again the next year and apply.
The major providers of diploma scholarships are colleges and polytechnics offering diploma programs but most of them are for domestic students like the Nanyang Polytechnic scholarships, Ngee Ann Poly scholarships, and Singapore Poly scholarships, there are just very few left for international students but there exist, and I have gathered them in this blog.
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Fully Funded Diploma Scholarships for International Students
For the sake of clarity, a fully funded diploma scholarship is a scholarship that covers 100% of the tuition fees of diploma students, it can either be renewable for the duration of the student’s program or offered one time. Some fully-funded awards may also go on to cover feeding, study materials, accommodation, living allowance, and monthly stipend but this award is mostly offered for degree programs.
Having said that, let’s get into the details of the fully funded diploma scholarships for international students.
1. SIM Global Education Diploma Scholarships
Singapore Institute of Management (SIM) is a private higher education in Singapore offering degree and diploma programs in more than 120 academic programs. The institute admits international students and offers diploma scholarships to outstanding students who are enrolled in the diploma program.
There are two different diploma scholarships for international students; the SIM GE Academic Excellence Scholarship and the SIM GE Merit Scholarship.
SIM GE Academic Excellence Scholarship is for new international students with strong leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills, and excellent academic results in their high school. This scholarship covers 100% course fees only.
The SIM GE Merit Scholarship is offered to new international students with excellent communication skills and outstanding academic records in their high school. This scholarship covers 50% of course fees only.
So, the SIM GE Academic Excellence Scholarship is one of the fully funded diploma scholarships for international students because it is 100% while the SIM GE Merit Scholarship is partially funded because it covers half.
Both scholarships are offered annually and if you are a recipient of any of the scholarships, you will continue to receive the scholarship reward till you complete your academic program at SIM.
To apply, you will visit the site via the link below fill out the scholarship form, and submit it via email with all supporting documents before the application closes. All supporting documents are required to be submitted in soft copy format (scanned and zipped). The supporting documents are:
- All official academic documents, certificates, transcripts, and reports showing grades awarded by institutions that you have completed or are currently pursuing, in original language with English translation, if applicable
- Documentary evidence of English Language qualifications (GCE ‘O’ Level / IELTS / TOEFL / SATI / Pearson Test / other equivalent English Language qualifications)
- Documentary evidence of all co-curricular activities/scholarships/achievements/awards (if any)
- Personal statement
- Photocopy of passport
- A copy of the acknowledgment document for your diploma application as evidence of successful application.
The scholarship also has other terms which you will find in the link below as well as the opening and closing dates of the scholarship application. If you can’t find the application form, that means the application has closed for the year and you will have to check in the next year.
2. George Brown College Divisional Awards & Scholarships
George Brown College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada offers over 150-career focused certificate, diploma, postgraduate, and degree full-time programs to international students.
Now, the college has something known as Divisional Awards & Scholarships, these are awards dedicated to each academic center and it is through these academic centers that all the academic programs in George Brown College are offered. These academic centers are:
- Center for Arts, Design & Informational Technology
- Center for Business
- Center for Community Service & Early Childhood Services
- Center for Construction and Engineering Technologies
- Center for Health Sciences
- Center for Hospitality and Culinary Arts
- Center for Preparatory and Liberal Studies.
International and domestic students pursuing a certificate, diploma, or degree program/course at George Brown College are enrolled in one of these centers depending on what they wish to study. Each of these centers has its respective scholarships and awards that they offer to international and domestic students.
To be considered for the awards for your specific center, you must be enrolled full-time in the diploma, degree, or certificate program and demonstrate financial need and academic excellence. You will only need to submit just one application which will be used to consider you for all the awards. To apply, log in to your STU-VIEW account, click on the Student Awards tab, and select Apply for Student Awards.
Before applying for any of the awards, you must have registered a full-time course load, else you will not see any awards applications when you begin the scholarship application process. Click on the link below to get a complete breakdown of the application process.
3. Toronto Film School Creative Success Award
The Creative Success Award offered by Toronto Film School is not fully funded but it is a diploma scholarship award that international students at TFS can win. The award is actually for all students, both international and home students enrolled at TFS. It is awarded to a full-time student enrolled in the gaming program who demonstrates passion, potential, and creativity in their studies.
Application is an essay and a minimum CGPA of 2.7 or higher. One applicant is selected every quarter to receive the award which is $2,500 in tuition credits.
4. Niagara College International Scholarships and Bursaries for International Students
Fully known as the Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology, it is a public college located within the Niagara Region and the city of Toronto in Southern Ontario, Canada. The college offers a wide range of academic programs that cut across certificate programs, diploma programs, advanced diploma programs, bachelor’s degrees, and graduate certificate programs, as well as other short courses.
Every year, Niagara College offers over $4 million in scholarships and bursaries to qualified international students. The scholarships are divided into Entrance Bursaries, Returning Student Scholarships, and International Student Awards.
The Entrance Bursaries are for students who are applying for their first term at Niagara College and only one bursary per term is awarded to students. The Returning Student Scholarships are for enrolled students of Niagara College who are not in their first term of study, they are awarded based on academic performance, financial need, and volunteerism.
Lastly, the International Student Award is for students who are the top academic and engaged students in their school, this award does not require an application, candidates are selected based on their academic performance and active co-curricular record.
Niagara College International Scholarships and Bursaries for International Students is not diploma students alone, it is for all international students across all programs at Niagara College.
5. Humber College International Entrance Scholarships
Humber College offers polytechnic format education by applying both theoretical and hands-on teaching and training to give students opportunities to learn in real-world settings. The International Entrance Scholarships Humber College offers are for international students starting their diploma and/or advanced diploma studies.
The scholarship comes in the form of a fee reduction award. It reduces the recipient’s tuition fees by CAD 2,000 for the first two semesters. Only 20 students are selected for this award. This is not a full-funded diploma scholarship for international students, but the award can still go a long way in curbing your tuition, so we added it to the list.
6. Durham College International Scholarships
Durham College is a public college in Ontario, Canada with two main campuses in Oshawa and Whitby. The College offers more than 150 academic programs leading to diplomas, advanced diplomas, graduate certificates, and bachelor’s degrees. International students are offered admission into any of these programs and also offered scholarships to help offset the cost of their studies.
To be eligible for the scholarship, you must have been accepted into Durham College and pay your fees by the indicated deadline on your offer letter then arrive in Canada and remain enrolled past the 10th day of the semester. The scholarship amount is between CAD 1,000 and CAD 1,500.
This is not a fully-funded award, it is just to curb the cost of studies at Durham College for international students.
Helpful Tips for Diploma Scholarships for International Students
There are very few fully-funded diploma scholarships out there for international students but there are a lot more for undergraduate programs. The best or fastest way to find fully-funded scholarships as an international student is to contact the institutions where you are most likely going to study.
Make a list of the schools where you would like to pursue a diploma program and start contacting them one by one to enquire about their financial packages, which are their scholarship offerings for international students, they will ALWAYS give you feedback.
But first, ensure that the school has your choice of course and they accept international students. You can also make these inquiries alongside the scholarship information you want to get.
The possibility of getting a fully-funded diploma scholarship as an international student is very slim but by contacting the school, they will offer you a variety of financial options and advice that will help to curb the cost of your studies.
How to Apply for a Diploma Scholarship for International Students
Below is a general step-by-step guide to applying for a diploma scholarship as an international student:
1. Search for Diploma Scholarships
Searching for the appropriate scholarship is usually the first step to applying for a scholarship and the most daunting task of all. But since you are here you should not have to go through such stress, just go through our scholarship categories to have free access to premium information on all types of scholarships from different parts of the world.
Doing this would greatly reduce the workload for you.
2. Review the Scholarship Eligibility Criteria and Requirements
The main thing that sets every scholarship aside is its requirements, and this is the most important information of all when applying for a scholarship. Take your time to carefully read the eligibility criteria and requirements of the scholarship that you are about to apply for. This is very important. Missing a single detail could cost you that scholarship, so tread carefully.
Whether you qualify to apply for a scholarship or not, you will know when you read the eligibility criteria. The documents you will need to apply for the scholarship will be under requirements, so, read that part carefully too.
3. Start Your Scholarship Application
So, you have reviewed the eligibility criteria of the scholarship and you satisfy all of them, right? Because you have to. If you do, then start the application process. Scholarship applications are usually online and they usually entail filling in the scholarship application, scanning the required documents, and submitting the application.
Just before you hit that submit button, review your application one more time to crosscheck and avoid errors.
4. Await Further Information
After you have applied for the scholarship, there is nothing else to do except wait for feedback. This feedback will most likely be sent to the email you provided by filling out the scholarship application form. If you are among the selected applicants, there may be a request for a virtual or physical interview depending on officials.
FAQs
Can international students get diploma scholarships in Canada?
Yes, an international student can get a diploma scholarship in Canada. The institutions in Canada are recognized for their robust scholarship offering to attract international students.
Are there fully-funded diploma scholarships for international students in the UK?
No, there are no fully-funded diploma scholarships in the UK for international students but there are for undergraduate degrees offered by a few UK universities.
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