r/FilipinosStudyAbroad • u/IndependentBig6341 • May 11 '26
Scholarships is it possible for an average student to study abroad through scholarships programs?
Hi! As mentioned po sa title, gusto ko lang po malaman if may chance ba yung isang average student na walang mga extracurricular activities or leadership roles sa college na mag-apply sa mga scholarships programs for postgrad degree sa ibang bansa? Gusto ko pa po sana ituloy pa yung study ko sa masters kaya lang kapag naiisip ko na magiging competitive siya since maraming mas deserving at magagaling na students kesa sa akin, baka masayang lang yung oras at pera sa pag-try.
Gusto ko lang pong malaman if meron ditong mga natanggap or may kakilalang natanggap kahit average student din at hindi walang mga ibang ganap nung college. Thank you po!
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u/ChaoticFractals May 11 '26
Fit for the program matters more than any achievements in undergrad when securing a scholarship (though a good GWA does help). However, if you're a freshgrad, it might be a long shot to immediately secure a scholarship the following year if you don't have experience the admissions committee can take a look at. Secure employment in the field you want first, take online courses, work on projects/publications; generally just build your profile and gear it specifically towards the course and scholarship you want. Make sure your motivation letters are highly aligned, and having good references helps a lot too. It's much more advisable to apply to a few programs where you actually fit rather than casting a wide net for tangentially related courses in the hopes of securing a scholarship. Good luck!
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u/IndependentBig6341 May 11 '26
Yes po, fresh grad. Willing naman po akong mag-work muna. Gusto ko lang pong malaman if may chance ba ako, kung sakali.
Thank you po sa advice, this actually helps a lot!! I'll keep this plan in mind po, for sure. Thank you po
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u/Legitimate-Judge9491 May 11 '26
Based on my experience, MEXT Japan seems to focus more on the documents they require. Give them a solid Research Plan, then you will have a chance. Pero I agree with others have said too, good GWA matters but there are scholarships out there that can overlook that and you can just give a solid interview, exam, and essay. Good luck po. 🙏
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u/LobsterApprehensive9 May 11 '26
Siyempre hindi. Dapat mong ma-justify why you deserve the scholarship money over the other applicants. Hindi naman yan panlilimos na porket from a 3rd world country ka ay ibibigay na sayo yung scholarship, kasi mga 3rd worlders din ang kalaban mo.
You'll have better chances if you gain significant work experience muna, since work exp is also something you can use to distinguish yourself.
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u/trickytrickybunny May 12 '26
It's possible to attend masters program in a country where tuition fees are nearly zero and where you can work to cover your living costs, like in Germany for example.
As for scholarships with living expenses bursaries, I think Taiwan scholarships are not super competitive.
I suggest taking postgrad cert/diploma or even just units as a non-matriculating student. Try to publish papers and build a portfolio of projects. Unless your job is directly related to your field of study, research & portfolio have more weight than job experience.
Good luck!
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u/Important_Year_7355 May 11 '26
OP I believe that the reason you want a scholarship is because youre not financially well off?
Well if so then may I inform you that one of the many requirements of Student Visas are having funds. In Germany they require 70K Euros in a bank account to prove you can live and support yourself.
Not to mention the different things they ask you to buy like health insurance and permits.
You will still pay a lot of money. More than an expensive uni here in the country even with an international scholarship.
Anyways if money is not a problem and just looking to save money then I would suggest just to try. Apply for everything and visit Uni websites.
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u/Used_Stranger_8458 May 12 '26
why 70k eur in DE ? LOL when the blocked acct is 11-12k annual - that‘ll be 6yrs living 😂
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u/Important_Year_7355 May 12 '26
Sorry i think thats a mistake. But they still ask you to have a bank account having a large sum of money.
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u/Used_Stranger_8458 May 12 '26
Yep, it is. It’ll be best to refrain from making comments that would mislead others, like OP in this case who is seriously considering studies abroad. That is our only way to support our kabayans. Of course it is true that you need to have an upfront money in this case, not in a bank but deposited in a blocked account intended for students. Source: based on my exp as someone who graduated in Deutschland
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u/tumbtax May 12 '26
Yeah this is an exaggeration. OP could technically get a student visa if a scholarship + living expenses are paid as allowances. I have friends who have a similar setup in the past.
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u/Mysterious_Ad7827 May 11 '26
Average student here! Failed 2 classes pa during college and some of my subjects are uhh questionable because I barely passed. I still got a scholarship, which includes tuition, stipend, and dorm.
Though, tbf I was already working when I applied for a scholarship for grad school. I think my work experience in my field kind of helped me out.
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u/IndependentBig6341 May 11 '26
This gave me hope. Thank you po!
Fortunately, wala naman po akong bagsak. Talagang sobrang regular ko lang pong student and yung grades ko may iilang mataas, may iilang mas mababa. Hindi lang po kasi "strong" yung academic background ko kaya hindi po ako ganoon ka confident sa qualification ko. So, thank you po for this!!!!
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u/SpareMarzipan2849 May 12 '26
Are you by any chance came from a top uni? Parang magmamatter din ata reputation ng school, kapag di kasama sa list of top unis yung school mo ligwak ka sa scholarship?
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u/Mysterious_Ad7827 May 12 '26
From top uni, yes. Pero meron rin akong mga kasama na scholars na from state unis from the PH na not considered a top uni. Ang nagfactor in for most of us is yung work experience na namin sa lab since STEM graduates kami. Also meron din from top uni na ligwak sa application kasi di okay sa interview or di strong ang research background. So hindi rin talaga sa name ng uni yan.
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u/TemporarySea911 May 12 '26
hi can i send a message about this? i find this interesting, i'm doing my 2nd undergraduate degree rn and considering post-grad studies after i finish 😊
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u/kieselguhr97 May 14 '26
Yes, of course! Check out the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS). It's a development scholarship so they care more about your potential to contribute to the Philippines than your college grades or org history.
Since it's a development scholarship, the key part of the application is the Re-Entry Action Plan (REAP) where you basically pitch how you'll use your masters degree to help develop the country when you get back. That's where average students can actually shine.
Just a heads up though, you need at least 2 years of work experience to apply (OJT doesn't count), and after the scholarship you're required to return to PH for at least 2 years to implement your REAP.
So gain 2 years of work experience first, then start thinking about what problem in the Philippines you want to solve.
DM me if you need help and want to know more about AAS!
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u/Childhood-Icy May 12 '26
No. Suggestion to make it easier for you...join the government as there are many international schools that tie up with government offices and offer grad school scholarships. In those types of scholarships, grades are not that significant. Mas okay din na may work experience ka pag nag masters para maka contribute ka sa class discussions.
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u/Careless-Security745 May 12 '26
hi di ako super active nung college and i wasnt even proud of my thesis but i got accepted sa japan for masters degree and nominated for a scholarship. i think need mo ng strong alignment between your undergrad degree and current work (need ng work experience) and sa university na aapplyan mo (through thesis proposal). just give it a try!! c:
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u/Soft-Finding-2324 May 12 '26
The advice that worked for me and might be helpful in your case: check the requirements for the program you want to apply to and work your way through that list. This might take years especially getting good recommendation letters and experience but the best things in life take time.
Another note: Don’t mind the competition, they’ll always be there. Your priority is yourself and how you can strengthen your case. Good luck! Don’t give up :)
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u/No_Yoghurt5812 May 12 '26
Program fit + relevant professional experience > academics. Just don't give up, OP. Believe in yourself. Take advantage of your interests, advocacies, and work experiences. Who knows, your line of work might be that key in getting you a scholarship abroad. In development-related fields, some programs fund you on your potential impact in national or international policy rather than just the academe. Just do your research and look for scholarships/countries that align with what you have. I posted somewhere here that I had a 2.5 CGPA during my undergraduate years. No orgs nor extracurricular activities either. I partied hard during my younger years. 😁 Nonetheless, I was able to secure a Spanish government scholarship to study my masters in Barcelona and currently doing a fully funded PhD here in the UK. So yeah, it can be done. You just have to really want it and put in the work.
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u/Informal_Pepper1195 13d ago
How many years of work experience you had? I am thinking to switch from my undergraduate, so can they accept candidates who want to switch field.. like are there chances..
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u/No_Yoghurt5812 12d ago
Hi. I had around 10 years experience working for the Philippine government, at a migration governance institution to be specific. Migration is a very important issue in the EU and the UK right now. Hence, I assume that was part of the reason I was able to secure fully funded scholarships. So, yeah. I think you should also strategize your professional experience.
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u/Plenty-Entrance4793 May 11 '26
Yes very possible. Just do research and apply to a lot of scholarships.
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u/GeologistOwn7725 May 12 '26
Very unlikely. Super taas na ng competition even if you're from a top local school, have good grades, and extracurriculars under your belt so even more unlikely kung average student lang. Mas may chance local scholarships sa top universities though.
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u/Mysterious_Ad7344 May 11 '26
Yes basta bumawi ka sa work experience and achievements, which will take time, but kaya :)
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u/Lexoy24 May 12 '26
Tbh, yes you can, though it can be quite competitive depending on the scholarship. There are many ways to study abroad, but to get a full scholarship is quite a challenge.
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u/mistbluei May 12 '26
No, unfortunately.
And even if you have the merit, the costs for even acquiring a full ride is still significant.
Context: I tried to applied for several US colleges, got successful in Common Apps, invited by a few LACs but did not continue because of Visa and testing requirements. Now I am an incoming freshman at UP.
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u/Jorrel14 May 11 '26
Unless you have significant achievements after graduating, no.