Scholarships are financial assistance schemes offered to deserving students for the purpose of subsidizing their pursuit of a collegiate education. In today’s educational scenario, the scholarships offered by individuals and organizations amount to billions of dollars and make it possible for intelligent students who may not possess the financial capabilities to receive a quality education. There are several types of scholarships available and some amount of research is necessary on the part of the students to understand what kind of a scholarship he/she would be eligible for.
Student need-based scholarships are offered after careful consideration of a student’s current financial status and ability to afford a college education. Such scholarships are commonly offered into the socially and economically underprivileged and also to members from under-recognized or marginalized communities.
Merit-based scholarships are offered in recognition of a student’s consistently high academic performance in high schools or on account of the student’s achievement in athletics, music, dance, art or other similar extra-curricular activities.
There are yet other scholarships that are offered to students who wish to pursue a specific field of study or research. Usually, such scholarships are supported by the relevant industry such as bio-medical research or soil chemistry, nursing and so on.
In some colleges, the college itself may offer a scholarship to very competent students who qualify for the scholarship after an elaborate process of multi-pronged assessments. Obviously, students who wish to study only at a specific college of their choice, are the likely recipients of such scholarships.
Bond scholarships is yet another popular kind of scholarship, where some institutes while offering the student a scholarship also require a commitment that the student will work with them for a stipulated time frame. Scholarships offered for students who wish to study medicine and then practice in rural areas and similar programs offered by the armed forces are examples.
Another commonly used entry point by students for consideration for scholarships is athletic proficiency. Such scholarships are offered to exceptional athletes and sportspersons so that as they continue their education in the institute, they also play on the college team in league games of the respective sports. However, opinion on such scholarships is divided, for there are many who feel that offering such scholarships on the basis of merely athletic excellence may dilute the academic standards of an institute.
Even within these broad classifications of scholarships, there are specific criteria set by each institute which the applicant has to meet in order to be considered eligible to receive the scholarship.
They say it is never too late to pursue your dreams. This is especially true when it comes to career and education. Unfortunately, not all can afford to quit their jobs and go back to school. This can make it difficult to pursue higher studies or certain courses that can enhance skills. Fortunately, there are several free online learning platforms that allow anyone and everyone to be able to have access to good quality learning resources.
Here are some of the best websites for free online education that you can sign up for.
Coursera
Coursera is one of the most popular platforms for taking free online courses. It features classes, both free as well as paid, on a variety of different topics. This platform is currently being used by over 35 million learners that have access to 150 university partners, 2,700 courses, 250 specializations, and four degrees. These courses are curated in partnership with leading universities and organizations from around the world, such as Stanford and Harvard.
edX
edX is a platform that was founded by Harvard and MIT that brings together top-ranked universities. This platform was founded to help eliminate the primary barriers that prevent people from pursuing education, i.e., cost, location, and access. Along with free courses, edX also offers certain specialized courses for a specific fee. The platform can be accessed by interested educators and technologists through Open edX if they wish to assist in developing new educational tools.
Udemy
Udemy is another online learning platform that is quite similar to Coursera in terms of the format of the courses. The unique aspect of this platform is that it allows users to build their own custom courses by compiling individual lessons so that these can be taught online. There are over 100,000 courses in 50 languages on this platform that are taught by 42,000 instructors from around the world.
TED-Ed
TED-Ed is a platform made by TED to help share ideas and knowledge from teachers to students. This award-winning platform has a global network of more than 250,000 teachers that teach several free courses on a variety of categories and themes. The lessons are taught using animated videos and interactive content so as to make them more interesting for the students.
If you are planning to pursue an accounting degree, you should consider doing it online. There are more than 580 institutions in the country that offer master’s degrees in accounting, and many of them offer their courses online. Therefore, you can pursue this course without shifting to a different state, and you can also continue with your current job. Here are the top picks of online master’s degrees in accounting that you can consider if you are interested in this field.
Auburn University
The online master’s degree in accounting at Auburn University is open for you if you hold a Bachelor’s degree in accounting or business, and if you meet all the prerequisites for the business and accounting department. Students who enroll in this program receive study materials, instructions, and assignments that are similar to the on-campus course. The schedule is extremely flexible and can accommodate working professionals as well. Full-time students of this course can complete it within one year. They get to select electives like real estate finance and information risk analysis, among others. This course also prepares students for the Uniform CPA Exam. This whole program is available online, including the exam. However, students have to complete a three-day on-campus residency during their final semester.
University of North Carolina
The University of North Carolina offers an online Master of Accounting (MAC) degree through its Kenan-Flagler Business School. This school accepts students from all undergraduate backgrounds. However, students who have business or accounting backgrounds may get course waivers. Students who enroll in this course can choose a concentration in Tax or Audit. If you take up the full-time course, you can finish it in less than 15 months. You can start this course either in June or December. This way, even if you miss the application deadline for one semester, you do not have to wait for an entire year to enroll in the course. The MAC degree is entirely online, except for a one-week leadership immersion on campus, which is mandatory and takes place at the beginning of the course.
University of Connecticut
An online master’s degree in accounting from the University of Connecticut is one of the best online courses in the country. This university offers a Master of Science in Accounting (MSA) program. Full-time students can complete it in two semesters. Working professionals who enroll in this degree take two courses per semester. The University of Connecticut also offers you electives like Forensic Accounting, Disclosure for Not-for-Profit Entities, and Fraud Examination among others.