n Raza Kamal Grade 12 student International Indian School Jeddah The phenomenon of scholarships is well known in the modern era. Scholarships today are a need of those who come from deprived backgrounds. The true meaning of scholarship has changed a lot. It gives needy and deserving students an opportunity to complete their education. Before a scholarship is awarded, excellent assessment and judgement are essential. This allows young, needy members of the new generation to fulfill their dreams, which otherwise face economic restraints. *** n Samina Shamim Lecturer in English King Abdul aziz University Getting a good scholarship can be challenging, and even frustrating. However, the rewards of getting a scholarship are worth the challenges. It isn't much of a secret that the costs of education have continued to rise in the last 20 years. This has made it harder for students from low income families to attend college and those who are educated have a tendency to get better paying jobs. While most colleges and universities are quick to talk students into taking out loans to pay for their education, few will mention scholarships, unless students are shrewd enough to ask about them. Nurturing a student's talents and career ambitions can be rewarding, and one way to help nurture students is by granting scholarships. Another powerful advantage of scholarships is their prestige. Because most scholarships require students to maintain good grades in order to keep them, it takes a great deal of responsibility to use them effectively. *** n Maimoona Jabeen Coordinator, Dept of English Grades 9-12, Girls section International Indian School Jeddah Merit scholarships are based on students' grades and over-all academic performance. These scholarships have a lot of merits as they not only pay for the entire fee but also keep students motivated to achieve high scores and qualify for it again. Later, students can even mention the academic scholarship on their CVs. I don't think there is any disadvantage in giving merit scholarships, but care must be taken while providing financial aid. Only students who need financial assistance must be selected. *** n Usamah Ahmed Khan Grade 11 student International Indian School Jeddah A scholarship is an award of financial aid given to a student to continue his or her further education. The most common type of scholarship is merit-based scholarship, where students are awarded for outstanding academic achievements or performance. However, sometimes these are awarded for specific special talents, leadership potential or other personal characteristics. Scholarships help a student to study further and generally improves their prospects.
