Math Scholarship for Students: Preparation Tips

If you’re good at math but lacking the resources to get into college, here’s the place to start. Looking for scholarships is the first step towards success. These funds could send you to the best universities in the world or abroad, even, depending on your preferences.

Getting a math scholarship is easier than ever now. All you have to do is follow these tips and ensure that you’re putting in the effort of applying. Check your eligibility and shortlist your preferences after identifying your desired category. Most of these scholarships are for undergrads, but you could also find some available for graduate students if you’re browsing more.

Check your basic eligibility

While your friends might make fun of you for being a ‘math major,’ you are super lucky to have this skill. There are so many opportunities you can discover if you love math, it’s absolutely insane. Math helps us in anything that we do, from physics to technology and business. Having strong math skills might qualify you for a wide range of scholarships, therefore.

You’ve got a bunch of available options to consider, including federal aid or other private scholarships, but you’ve got to check your availability before anything else. There is no point in applying without being eligible – it’s basically a waste of time. Here are some of the institutions/universities you should contact to check your eligibility.

• The University of California at San Diego
• The University of Illinois at Chicago
• The National Science Foundation
• Other education & technology scholarships
• Federal aid
• Other grants you cannot say no to

Mention your online presence

Everyone these days is a celebrity online. Having a website that’s visited by thousands can help you stand out in a crowd. You can build up your online portfolio or create a blog where you post some of your favorite projects. It might not be an immediate effect, but it will help you apply to scholarships and other financial opportunities as they scroll by.

You can also submit the link to your portfolio and website when you apply. Some scholarships ask for an essay or letter of recommendation, while others are just searching for your online presence.

Write an essay

This should be the easiest part, as you’ve come up with your qualifications already. But, you don’t want to miss out on this opportunity if you think it’s a good fit for you. Remember, you can write any format you prefer. A postcard might be too wordy, so you should try to be brief while still being persuasive.

For the topics you choose, you could include some personal interests, or your involvement in a team sport, etc. All you need is to come up with a good subject for each section of the essay. And, if you have the best writer at your disposal, you might even consider writing an outline first. You could get a mentor that will help you with the structure, too.

Shortlist your favorite universities

At first, you might have over ten universities you’d like to get in. Make sure you perform thorough research and pick the ones that draw your attention the most. You might not afford to apply to more than seven colleges, so shortlisting is necessary. Once you’re down to 10, check their websites again and look for what makes the college personal for you. In the end, it’s not about the university’s reputation but it’s how you connect to it. You could choose Common App for this part, since this app shows you what (math) scholarships are available for each university.

Research various types of scholarships

There are so many math scholarships available for you! I’ll present you a shortlist but if you need more info, check online. There is plenty of information out there.

• Radboud Scholarships
• American Mathematical Society Scholarship or Fellowship
• OHIO University Mathematics Scholarships and Financial Aid
• Northern Arizona University Mathematics and Stats Scholarship
• University of Missouri Mathematics Department Scholarships, etc.

Beware that you need a high GPA and overall good grades to get access to math scholarships. Some universities require students to take a math scholarship test to see if they’ve got what it takes to be granted a fellowship. During the exam, you might need to solve geometry equations, algebra problems, and go through other similar tests. You never know what the test features. Make sure you’ve prepared well in advance to ace your test. If your test score doesn’t meet the college’s expectations, you might not get the scholarship that you need and thus, not have financial access to the university of your choice. Don’t lose this opportunity by failing to prepare – put in the effort needed.

Check for graduate scholarships

If you’re looking to spend the rest of your academic years at the same university, make sure you check for graduate programs ahead of time. If your college doesn’t offer any other graduate options, you might want to go with another option. I know that most Canadian universities offer $40,000 and above annually for prepared students, so you might want to check that option. Most math students end up in Canada anyways, since getting a work permit is easier here.

Prepare your application

Your last goal is preparing your admissions application. After having shortlisted your favorite schools, it’s time to write a letter to inform them that you will be applying. Make sure no items are missing from your application. Your personal essay of intent must be well-written and to the point. Your recommendations must be real and well-organized. Your programs of interest must be specified – and so should your scholarship applications.

Wrapping Up

Students coming from all backgrounds have access to mathematical scholarships. No matter whether you’re European, Caribbean, African American, Asian, or Native American, you will have the possibility of applying for scholarships. Don’t forget to respect the guidelines above and start the application process ahead of time. Good luck!