Research scholarships through eligibility and evidence
Find relevant awards, check their rules and plan nomination or application dependencies.
Begin with institutions you would attend
Start scholarship research from courses and universities that fit your plans. Use official university funding pages and the IB recognition database to locate possible opportunities. Separate awards specifically connected to the IB from general awards open to eligible applicants. A scholarship's name or an old list does not establish that it is available for your entry year. Keep the official link and date checked. Build a manageable shortlist based on genuine eligibility before spending time on elaborate application essays.
Check every eligibility condition
Record the relevant entry year, nationality or residency rules, degree level, programme restrictions and academic conditions. Check whether the award concerns merit, financial need or another criterion. Do not assume that studying the IB creates automatic eligibility. Identify any requirement to apply directly from secondary school or to obtain a nomination. If a rule is ambiguous, ask the university's funding office with your specific circumstances. Avoid interpreting a broad promotional statement as a substitute for the published conditions.
Map the application dependencies
Some awards require a separate application, admission application, school nomination or referee submission. Record who controls each step and which must happen first. Confirm school nomination arrangements early without presuming that a nomination is available. Distinguish the award deadline from course, document and recommendation dates. Use current official instructions for the sequence. Your tracker should describe completion conditions, not merely a date called 'scholarship.' An application is incomplete if a required third-party form has not been submitted.
Try a worked eligibility screen
Imagine a student finds three awards. One requires a residency status they do not hold; a second applies only to a different degree; a third fits their background but needs a school nomination and financial documentation. The student removes the first two and asks the school about the third before drafting. This illustrative screen saves effort and reveals the important dependencies. It does not imply the third award will be won. Eligibility identifies an opportunity to apply, while selection remains a separate decision.
Prepare evidence accurately
For each remaining award, list the requested evidence and its owner. Academic records may come from school; activities should be described with accurate roles and outcomes; financial documents should follow the official submission instructions. Keep sensitive material in the appropriate secure process. Ask referees before listing them and give them relevant information within the rules. Write about real experiences rather than inventing leadership or hardship to match perceived preferences. Check whether applying to one award changes consideration for another, because schemes can interact.
Compare the confirmed outcome
When an award decision arrives, read the amount, duration, renewal requirements and what costs it covers. Distinguish confirmed support from pending applications. Use official current cost information to assess the remaining gap and discuss it with the people supporting your decision. Do not build an attendance plan on an unconfirmed award. Keep acceptance instructions and dates in your tracker. Scholarship research is complete when you understand both the opportunity and the conditions of any awarded support, rather than only knowing a headline award title.
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Official references
This is an original practical guide from IBvia. The examples are illustrative; your subject guide, assessment year and school instructions determine the requirements.
Keep working on your next step
Build a university plan around the course you want to study
Compare curriculum, learning methods and requirements before turning interest into an application list.
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Build a shortlist with credible alternatives
Compare course fit, requirements and practical feasibility before choosing a backup option.
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