1. Policy Statement
Global Path is committed to providing honest, accurate, and strategic guidance to students seeking financial assistance for international study. Our aim is to maximize opportunities for funding while maintaining the highest standards of integrity, managing student expectations, and ensuring all advice is based on verified, current information. We do not guarantee scholarship awards, as these are competitive and granted solely by external institutions.
2. Scope
This policy governs all activities related to financial guidance provided by Global Path advisors, including the identification, recommendation, and application support for scholarships, bursaries, grants, and other forms of financial aid.
3. Guiding Principles
Our scholarship guidance is founded on:
- Honesty & Transparency: Providing clear, unambiguous information about funding opportunities, including their competitiveness, terms, and conditions.
- Realism & Objectivity: Assessing a student’s eligibility against published criteria without exaggeration.
- Diligence & Accuracy: Relying on information sourced directly from official scholarship bodies, universities, and government websites.
- Empowerment: Equipping students with the knowledge and tools to pursue funding independently and sustainably.
4. Scholarship Identification & Verification
- Source Vetting: Advisors will only recommend scholarships from reputable sources, including:
- Official university financial aid portals.
- Government-sponsored programs (e.g., Chevening, Fulbright).
- Recognized international organizations and foundations.
- Verified private sector/business awards.
- Due Diligence: Advisors must verify the legitimacy of any lesser-known scholarship by checking for official contact information, clear terms & conditions, and a history of awarding funds before advising a student to invest time in an application.
5. Student Eligibility Assessment & Counselling
- Realistic Matching: Advisors will meticulously match a student’s academic profile, extracurricular achievements, and background with the specific eligibility criteria of a scholarship.
- Risk Communication: Students will be clearly advised if a scholarship is highly competitive (“long-shot”) and will be encouraged to have a parallel financial plan (e.g., partial funding, self-funding, or other options).
- Comprehensive Strategy: Guidance will encompass a mix of opportunities:
- Fully-funded scholarships (covering tuition, living expenses, travel).
- Partial scholarships/tuition waivers.
- Country or university-specific bursaries.
- External grant opportunities.
6. Application Support & Ethical Standards
- Document Preparation: Advisors will guide students in preparing compelling, authentic, and personalized application essays, motivation letters, and supporting documents. Under no circumstances will staff write these documents for the student. Guidance focuses on structure, clarity, and strategic presentation of the student’s own story.
- Prohibited Promises: Staff must never promise or imply a guaranteed outcome of securing any scholarship.
- Full Disclosure: All scholarship terms, including any post-award obligations (e.g., return-of-service agreements), must be explained to the student prior to application.
7. Fee-Based Services & Scam Awareness
- No Fee for Scholarship Search/Application Support: Global Path’s scholarship guidance is part of its free service model. This must be clearly communicated.
- Scam Education: Advisors will educate students on identifying scholarship scams (e.g., requests for upfront payment to “hold” an award, fees for “exclusive” access to scholarship lists, unsolicited award notifications).
- Anti-Bribery Stance: Global Path staff will not engage with, nor recommend that students engage with, any individual or entity suggesting that scholarship outcomes can be influenced through unofficial payments or favors.
8. Record Keeping & Continuous Updates
- A record of discussed scholarship opportunities and application status will be maintained in the student’s file.
- The Global Path scholarship database will be reviewed and updated quarterly to ensure information accuracy.
9. Definitions
- Fully-Funded Scholarship: An award covering tuition fees, living stipends, accommodation, insurance, and travel costs.
- Partial Scholarship/Tuition Waiver: An award covering a percentage of tuition fees or a fixed monetary amount toward study costs.
- Verified Scholarship: A funding opportunity whose legitimacy has been confirmed through official channels and verifiable past awards.
10. Policy Review
This policy is reviewed annually to adapt to changing scholarship landscapes and ensure continued ethical practice.
