Scholarships Part I: Our Students' Success is VIU's Success

It is well-known that students feel more motivated when they are recognized for their effort and hard work, and as a result, they are more likely to be engaged in activities proposed by their professors and university. Thus, the question is: what is the best way for a university to acknowledge and promote student accomplishments and support students on their dreams at the same time? The answer is: SCHOLARSHIPS!

Virginia International University has a history of supporting its students. Since it was founded, VIU has been awarding scholarships to full-time undergraduate and graduate students as a way to recognize students who have special talents, demonstrate academic excellence, or actively participate in on-campus activities. VIU has been offering different types of scholarships throughout the years, always expanding in order to benefit more students. Right now, there are seven types of scholarships which are available for eligible prospective and current students: fresh start (for transferring students); student activity (for students who are strongly engaged in on-campus activities); campus employment (for those students who work on campus); special achievement (for students who demonstrate a special talent); new horizon (for students who come from countries which face economic and political problems); and deans and presidential (for students with exceptional academic results). Scholarships are available for both on-campus and online students. Over the years, more and more students have been granted scholarships at VIU. When students receive scholarships, they tend to exceed their own expectations by putting more efforts into achieving their academic goals. And our students’ success is VIU’s success. Written by Camilla Nunes.

VIU Scholarships: What the Students Say

Ali Iqbal Murshed
MBA in Global Logistics

Never considering myself an “A” student, I always struggled with academics. However, since coming to VIU, the supportive learning environment has consistently inspired me to regain interest in learning, which has reflected in my recent academic successes. My professors were generous enough to write some excellent recommendations for me and my past experiences certainly did pay off by adding much needed credentials for the selection committee to consider. Receiving this scholarship has boosted my confidence to a whole new level and motivated me to continue to strive for excellence in the future. I must also mention that VIU has given considerable attention to providing financial support for international students whereas many other well known institutions surprisingly do not have such facilities.

Faria Islam
MBA in International Finance

It came to me as a pleasant surprise when I realized that I was one of the proud recipients selected for the Special Achievement scholarship this year. As this was my first semester at VIU, I really did not expect to be awarded a scholarship.  As an international student I have gone through lots of challenges, one of them being financial challenges. This scholarship has really helped me by reducing some of the pressure. Moreover, this is the first time studying and staying outside of my country and I was expecting it to be tough. But with VIU, the transition has been very smooth, as I have been helped by the university at every step. Everyone has been a great support to me.