Scholarships Tips

Steps on How to Make Excellent Results in TOEFL?

Michael Nzeribe1 Comment

The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) can be difficult for many students if they are not native speakers of the language. Many academics who want to achieve outstanding scores on their TOEFL exams get stuck during their preparation due to a lack of guidance or proper assistance.

TOEFL may serve to be the most difficult test taken by any student in his life. When scholars would know the guided series of steps to achieve success on their TOEFL exam, nothing can stop them from getting the desired results. Read some of the helpful tips to get a 100 on the TOEFL test:

How to score big on your TOEFL test?

  1. Understand the test well: Before taking the TOEFL test, it is imperative to learn about the test and how it works. The TOEFL is a test of English as a foreign language that is used to serve as an English proficiency test conducted by an American company known as ETS. It is aimed at non-native students who wish to study in the main universities of English literature in American countries. The test is used to check writing, speaking, reading, and listening skills in English. There are four sections that are used to test the different abilities of an individual. The total score on the TOEFL test is 120. The each university of English expects a candidate to obtain a particular score to register for admission.
  2. Begin preparation: TOEFL cannot be beaten in an overnight effort. Students must put in a lot of work and time to earn a 100 on their TOEFL test and enroll in the university of their choice.
    • Students should start preparing as early as possible to free up time for a quality review at the end.
    • Preparation should take at least six months and up to a full year to be fully prepared for the TOEFL test. For those students who are taking the exam for the first time in their life, it can be a bit challenging. English-dominant candidates may need only a few weeks of preparation to get good grades.
  3. Improve your reading skills: When reading books, we do not imply that students should read only the books or novels that might interest them. They should put more emphasis on enriching their vocabulary. To achieve the same, they must read magazines, newspapers, and other literary articles to excel in the reading section of the TOEFL test.
  4. Pay attention to details: Listening skills can be developed by paying attention to minute details. Academics would have to listen carefully to the lectures of each class. This would help in the listening section of your TOEFL test. There are several online audiobooks available to improve the listening skills of scholars. Any content in English like Youtube videos, or movies can also help improve listening skills.
  5. Take Good Notes: It is imperative that students learn effective note-taking that helps their reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills to excel on the TOEFL exam. Scholars should make a summary note of the main points rather than noting everything. They can improve their note writing with the use of symbols and shorthand.
  6. Enrich your pronunciation: To excel on the TOEFL test, a student is required to speak with clear pronunciation. One should never try to fake an accent as it will be a terrible mistake. The speech must be clear and easy to understand by others. Always practice and speak to anyone and everyone in English whenever you get the chance.
  7. Speed ​​up your QWERTY typing: This would help the writing section of the TOEFL test write fast and correct words during the test.
    • Speed ​​typing would make you spend less time on exam sections.
    • You can focus on more difficult questions in your free time.

Students can also excel at typing. It is about typing with all ten fingers without looking at the keyboard. 8. Make English your favorite subject: If you want to stand out and get a 100 on the TOEFL test, you must love the subject of English. People who have a knack for English can easily score above 100 on their TOEFL.

How to Prepare to Study Abroad 2023

Michael NzeribeLeave a comment

Checklist to study abroad

Preparing to study abroad can be hectic and overwhelming, especially if this is your first time living in another country. With so many requests, deadlines, and arrangements to make, it’s easy for things to slip through the cracks. Sometimes you may not realize you’ve missed a step until it’s too late.

When it comes to planning a study abroad trip, timing is everything. You should pay close attention to dates and deadlines, especially when it comes to:

  • Apply to programs
  • Find financial aid
  • Find housing
  • Make travel arrangements
  • Obtain passports and/or visas

A checklist is an excellent tool to visually organize the steps you need to take to prepare to study abroad.

#1 Identify the career/master’s degree of your interest

With thousands of options, how will you choose a career that’s right for you? If you have no idea what you want to do, the task may seem insurmountable. Fortunately, it is not. Follow an organized process and you will increase your chances of making a good decision.

Assess yourself: Before you can choose the right career, you need to learn about yourself. Your values, interests, soft skills, and aptitudes, combined with your personality type, make some occupations right for you and others completely inappropriate.

Make a list of occupations to explore: First, find careers that appear on multiple lists and copy them onto a blank page. Title it “Occupations to Explore.” Your self-assessment will indicate that they are a good fit for you based on several of your traits, so they are definitely worth exploring. Then find any occupation on your list that appeals to you. They can be careers that you know a little about and want to explore further. Also, include professions you don’t know much about. You might learn something unexpected.

Explore the occupations on your list: Find job descriptions and educational, training, and licensing requirements in published sources. Learn about advancement opportunities. It uses labor market information to obtain data on income and job prospects.

Finally, after doing all your research, you’re probably ready to make your choice. Choose the occupation you think will give you the most satisfaction based on all the information you’ve collected. Note that you are allowed replays if you change your mind about your choice at any point in your life. Many people change careers at least a few times.

#2 When do you want to start studying?

Pay close attention to application deadlines as they can be sooner than expected. This is because you will need a lot of time to apply for a visa, make travel arrangements, and enroll in classes before your program begins.

Another reason to consider applying early is that some programs accept students on a first-come, first-served basis.

It’s no secret that studying abroad can be expensive. In addition to tuition at a foreign university, you will have to pay for accommodation, food, travel costs, and more. Many students will require financial aid to cover these costs.

Deadlines for applying for scholarships and funding vary. Some may require you to apply early, while others have deadlines closer to your departure date. As a general rule, it is always better to apply earlier.

#3 Sign up for a language test (if needed)

Students whose native language is not English and who plan to attend a study abroad program taught in English are almost always required to demonstrate their level of English. Most of the time, this test is in the form of a standardized language test score.

Some commonly accepted exams for English are:

TOEFL — Test of English as a Foreign Language (most common). The average TOEFL test score is 75 to 80 to be accepted into a university. However, some universities require a score of 100 or higher. Your scores are valid for two years and you will be accepted by American and Canadian universities.

IELTS — International English Language Testing System. Your results are reported in scores between 1.0 for the lowest score and 9.0 for the highest score. There is a score for each section of the test, i.e. Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking. You need to at least get an overall GPA of 6.5 to be accepted. As it is an exam organized by the British Council, it is the preferred exam in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.

PTE —Pearson Test of English. This test is accepted by universities in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand. The main factor that distinguishes it from IELTS and TOEFL is that it is a computer-based test that you can book at the last minute. Plus, you get your test results within 48 hours. A minimum score of 55-60 is enough to be accepted by a university.

Because you will need to include a test score on your application, you should register for a test as soon as possible. Each of these tests can be performed regularly at centers around the world.

#4 Minimum score required for entrance exams

The first step in the admission procedure is to take the appropriate exam to prove your eligibility for a university before applying to study abroad. Here is a list of the most common exams for admission to foreign universities given by students from all over the world:

SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test): The SAT is widely taken by middle and high school students. It is a 3-hour written exam designed to measure students’ English and math skills. A perfect SAT score is 1600; greater than 1000 is considered a good SAT score. Getting good scores on the SAT will get you into almost any college in the United States.

ACT (American College Testing): The ACT tests your excellence in math, science, and English. The best part is that it is based on the high school curriculum that you are already well versed in. The minimum ACT score required is 16-17.

GRE (Graduate Record Examinations): It is designed to test your mathematical and analytical skills and is accepted by universities in the United States. Any score above 260 GRE will grant you admission to a university.

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test):  You must take the GMAT to be accepted into business and management schools. Its objective is to evaluate your analytical, reading, and writing skills in English. The main eligibility criteria to take this test is that you must be 18 years of age or older. The GMAT score range at top business schools is 550+.

MCAT (Medical College Admission Test):  MCAT is a multiple choice based exam. MCAT scores are required to pursue a medical course in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean islands. It is designed to test your skills in physical science, biological science, and verbal reasoning. If you score at or above the 65th percentile (506+), you will pass the MCAT.

How An African Primary School Network Is Opening Doors To Scholarships From Around The World

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For many African students, it is a dream to study abroad. In fact, an ICEF Monitor report reveals that 9 out of 10 students are interested in pursuing a degree in a foreign institution. However, financial constraints hold students back from achieving this academic goal. In addition to expenses related to tuition, they need to think about accommodation, materials, and much more. A scholarship can cover the expenses, but before that, students must get quality education that helps them qualify to study abroad.

Fortunately, one institution is helping students achieve these dreams of getting a degree in another country. Bridge International Academies is helping students land international scholarships.

What is Bridge International Academies?
Bridge International Academies is a Kenyan company that has been providing for-profit education to children in remote communities since 2009. Today, they have several schools in Africa located in Kenya, Nigeria, and Uganda and they also operate in India. Working with the local community, parents, and teachers, Bridge International Academies delivers high-quality education to primary and pre-primary school students. They train their teachers to deliver effective lesson plans and distribute parent-friendly learning guides so students can be guided accordingly at home.

Because of these efforts, Bridge students perform well on tests, ensuring they are a gateway to student success.

Bridge International Academies Scholarships

Aside from establishing schools in remote communities, Bridge International Academies partners with organizations to provide scholarships to students. Just this March, a collaboration with social impact organization The Special Foundation resulted in 10 Bridge pupils receiving full scholarships for their primary and post-primary education. Fortunately, it has been reported that this opportunity will be extended to more pupils in the coming school terms.

While Bridge makes education more accessible to underserved communities, some parents still lack sufficient funds to sustain their children’s education. Opportunities like these secure Bridge students’ acquisition of high-quality education along with the necessary resources to do so.

Effective Education from Bridge International Academies

An article by Education Next informs that enrollment in Bridge improves a student’s learning. This is after a group of scholars from the University of Chicago wrote a paper on standardized education in Kenya, which revealed that Bridge students’ test scores are “among the largest observed in the international education literature.” Furthermore, the paper notes how primary students that received Bridge education “gained 3.48 equivalent years” of schooling, compared to students in other schools that only received the equivalent of 2.

This only goes to prove that Bridge’s way of teaching dramatically increases learning gains, therefore having achieved their goal of delivering high-quality education.

Notable Graduates from Bridge International Academies with International Scholarships

The effectiveness of Bridge’s education is manifested in its graduates who have succeeded in getting international scholarships. One of them is Natasha Wanjiru, an alumna of Bridge International School Kabiria. Her enrollment at Bridge led her to score high marks in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE)—a primary school exit exam that can determine a student’s future. This provided her an opportunity to qualify and eventually get accepted into a US scholarship. She completed her education at Episcopal High School in Virginia and with another scholarship, is currently attending Sewanee College in Tennessee.

Another alumna is Josephine Nyakundi, who was offered a four-year scholarship at Rabun Gap-Nacoochee High School in Georgia. Like Wanjiru, this was a result of her high KCPE score after studying at Bridge. She now attends Presbyterian College in South Carolina to continue her education.

Receiving high-quality education is a great opportunity that Bridge International Academies is making possible, especially for those in underserved communities. If you’re looking to start your scholarship journey, check out our services today here at Pick a Scholarship.

How to Study Medicine in Spain + Full Scholarships

Michael Nzeribe16 Comments

Study Medicine in Spain Today

Having Spain as a destination to study Medicine is a good option. This nation offers academic stability, world-renowned universities, and suitable environments for all international students. It is necessary that you know the advantages and everything related, for this reason, we have decided to gather a set of information that will provide you with the necessary mechanism to take a leveling in Medicine as an applicant outside the European Union.

Spain is a European country developed in various aspects, including the university academic, the educational system of this country is recognized by important national and international entities. Among its purposes is to offer excellent preparation and guarantee highly qualified spaces for the integration of all its applicants, who come from all over the globe, including Spanish-speaking countries.

Opt for Medicine scholarships in Spain for African students

Studying Medicine in Spain implies meeting a series of essential requirements, including having previous academic preparation that is equivalent to that obtained in Spain, a visa and passport, and knowledge of the language. This will not be a problem for candidates from Spanish-speaking nations, although, if you only speak English, you will need to know a little Spanish. There are universities that offer courses in both languages.

Due to the rise of foreign students requesting preparation in Spain, there are a large number of universities that offer partial or full financing to applicants of extraordinary academic levels. Many of these funding programs are sponsored by institutions outside of universities.

Main reasons to study Medicine in Spain:

  • Courses are offered in the Spanish language.
  • World-class universities. Currently, five (5) higher education institutions in Spain are on the list of the best 200 universities in the world in the field of Medicine.
  • International community. This figure has increased in recent years, due to the financing programs that are offered to foreign students.
  • Low-cost tuition fees compared to other countries. For applicants who are unable to obtain a scholarship, university tuition costs are very low compared to the United States or the United Kingdom.
  • Rich and exceptional culture. During your stay in the European country, you will be able to get to know different areas where you will obtain an incomparable cultural experience, this has a plus if you are a Spanish-speaking student.
  • A country developed in various fields, it is fully qualified to receive applicants from all over the world and offer the best in technology, security, health, and other important fields.

What do I need to study Medicine in Spain?

After completing an exhaustive search and determining where you want to complete your training in Medicine, it is important that you learn more about the different aspects of the university: expenses related to maintenance, qualities of the city where you will reside, among others, you will start the application process and you must provide the Spanish institution with information about your skills and abilities as an international student.

It is very important that you know that entry to Spain is through a visa. If you do not have a valid one, it is highly recommended that you carry out this procedure through the Spanish consulate or embassy in your country of origin. To do this, you must prepare a file with the following documentation:

  • Successfully completed visa application form.
  • Valid ID.
  • Acceptance letter.
  • Valid passport.
  • Proof of financial status.
  • Recent passport photos.

Below is a list of the best medical schools in Spanish universities. As mentioned above, these have international prestige and are found in the QS World University Rankings as the best 200 institutions in the world.

Universities of Spain in Medicine

Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences – University of Barcelona.

This faculty is considered by different world entities as the best in its area in Spain. From its beginnings to the present it has been in constant evolution, its objectivity has allowed it to adapt to the changes that are required over time. Climbing positions and ranking as the best university in Spanish Medicine.

Different institutions in the field also carry out their work at the faculty’s headquarters, such as The Institute of Nanobioengineering of Catalonia, and the Barcelona Science Park Foundation, among others.

In addition, it offers great diversity in courses and subjects for bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. Those interested in being part of the University of Barcelona have the opportunity to freely choose the field that interests them.

Official notice: University of Barcelona

Faculty of Medicine – Autonomous University of Barcelona.

It also ranks as one of the best universities in the field of teaching Medicine. This house of study has become one of the most requested learning centers by international applicants who wish to prepare for the future in the medical field.

While completing her preparation at the UAB, she will put her learning into practice at university hospitals in Spain. In addition, students will have the opportunity to explore and conduct research through other institutes affiliated with the university, including Hospital Research Institute and Valle de Hebrón University Hospital.

The Autonomous University of Barcelona has financing projects which are open on different dates for the registration of candidates.

Official notice: Autonomous University of Barcelona

Faculty of Medicine – Autonomous University of Madrid.

Training professionals in 1970, since then it has become one of the most important Spanish institutions in the medical field. Throughout its history, it has offered the skills and strategies of its members in different medical institutions. The Faculty of Medicine of the Autonomous University of Madrid records the participation of a large number of its professionals in hospitals in the European nation.

In the studies and teachings that they offer to their members, they also promote different medical research specializations. This university guarantees unique growth and support, they will have everything they need to be able to fulfill their professional dreams.

The UAM has several financing programs for international students, one of them is the Erasmus Scholarship at the UAM. This award is one of the most famous for foreign candidates who want to train in Spain.

Official notice: Autonomous University of Madrid

Faculty of Medicine – Complutense University of Madrid.

It is a notable school in Spain, it aims to train high-level professionals, and polish their skills and abilities, in addition to teaching them the scientific needs currently required in the medical field. The medical school of this important European university provides a world-renowned education. Properly prepare the new leaders in the area.

It is equipped with the best technology and the best spaces to receive foreign students and provide them with an optimal first-class education.

The Complutense University of Madrid also has financing projects for students who demonstrate academic excellence.

Official notice: Complutense University of Madrid

Faculty of Medicine – University of Navarra.

We have previously talked about this prestigious Spanish university and its scholarships for international students. The institution of higher education professionally trains all its members and has various areas and fields of study.

The University of Navarra has internationally recognized for all its academic programs and funding awards that it grants to its members in order to support their stay and education in Spain, being of great help to Latin American applicants.

Upon receiving an academic degree at the University of Navarra, you will have endless job opportunities in your home country or abroad. It will open the doors for you to carry out your professional internships in university hospitals around the globe, including Europe, Latin America, and the United States.

Official notice: University of Navarra

Reminder

This content indicates the best universities in Spain to study a Medicine specialization in any area as a foreign student. Each of them offers scholarships for different fields, both partial or complete. Likewise, it is important to indicate that they also have very low registration prices compared to the United States or other nations.