How to Apply for a Scholarship to Study Abroad: The Complete Guide

Winning a scholarship to study abroad is not a matter of luck: it is a process that is prepared several months ahead. This guide details every step, from choosing programmes to submitting your application.

1. Identify the scholarships that fit your profile

Start by defining three criteria: your level of study (bachelor's, master's, doctorate), your field and the countries that interest you. Each programme has its own conditions on nationality, age or residence. On MaBourse.ma, use the filters on the Scholarships page to keep only the offers that are genuinely open to your profile, and always check the deadline before investing time in an application.

2. Prepare the essential documents

Most programmes ask for the same documents: transcripts and diplomas (translated and certified where necessary), an up-to-date CV, a motivation letter, recommendation letters and proof of language proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, TCF or TestDaF depending on the destination). Prepare clean scanned versions of every document: an illegible file is often rejected without being read.

3. Take care over the motivation letter

This is the decisive document. It must connect your background, the programme you are targeting and your professional plan for after your return. Avoid generic phrasing: selection committees read hundreds of letters and spot copied texts immediately. An effective letter fits on one page, cites specific features of the programme and explains what you will bring.

4. Respect the calendar

The major scholarships (Eiffel, DAAD, Chevening, government scholarships) open their campaigns 8 to 12 months before the start of the academic year. Build a personal calendar with a margin of two weeks before each official deadline: application platforms are often overloaded in the last few days.

5. Submit and track your application

Always submit your application through the official link shown on the scholarship page. On MaBourse.ma, the "Apply" button takes you straight to the programme's own website, and every link is checked daily. After sending it, keep proof of submission and follow progress from your My account area by adding the scholarship to your favourites.

The mistakes that cost a scholarship

• Applying for a scholarship whose eligibility conditions you do not meet
• Sending the same application to every programme without adapting it
• Submitting on the last day and running into a platform outage
• Neglecting the additional documents specific to the programme

Finally, apply to several programmes in parallel: the selectivity of the major scholarships (often fewer than 10% of applicants are accepted) means you should multiply targeted applications rather than bet everything on a single one.