And if you are interested in applying for the money to fund a creative or research project, the Office of Nationally Competitive Scholarships will be a great place to start! As I said before, these offices may go by different names, but your future university will most likely have dedicated staff that will help you find and attain really cool opportunities.
While it might seem far away, getting to know the resources available to you while you are studying at a given university is really important. It might seem tempting to just shoot for the most competitive or prestigious school that you can, but I would urge you to reconsider. Your personal success and growth as an individual is what will define your career and help you stand out much more than a school name ever could. And as much as personal success is, well, personal, having caring advisors and mentors really, really helps.
Thus, I would like to share with all of you with some opportunities at which I either looked, to which I applied or in which I participated in while in undergraduate studies:
Fulbright/MITACS – This is an award for students who wish to participate in an advanced research project in Canada for a summer during their undergraduate studies!
Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship – This is an award for financially disadvantaged students to fund study or research abroad during their undergraduate studies!
National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates – This is an award for students who wish to participate in the research program of a U.S. research university for a summer during their undergraduate studies!
