Though they both provide funding for Graduate studies, they are however quite distinct and requires different writing  style of the Academic CV and other documents to get.

Scholarships are financial grants given to a student to aid the financial burdens of his/her study. It may be in the form of research grant, tuition fee payment or an arrangement in place for outright waiver.

A scholarship can be awarded by the Government, a corporate organisation, an individual or an institution of learning. Usually, the beneficiary gives nothing back in return. Classic examples includes the NNDC, PTDF, Commonwealth, Chevening, Fulbright, Google, and ISP scholarships.

However in Graduate Assistantship, a Graduate student is awarded a tuition fee and paid stipends for a service rendered to the graduate school, Laboratory or Principal Investigator (PI). Beneficiaries of GA funding might serve as Teaching Assistant, Research assistant, Sport Coach or admission representative for the University or Department offering funding. It is not a FOC but a barter.

Unlike scholarships where excellence is a major determiner in who wins, Graduate Assistantships requires service in exchange for funding. Ability and Aptitude is preferred over Academic Excellence.

This explains why Graduates with Second class lower or Third class that have built Research abilities, Data Analytics skills or Sport coaching aptitude will be preferred over a First class graduate in a Graduate Assistantship Funding offer.

We are in the season of Graduate Assistantship offers from Universities in the US and Canada. If you are priming up to get accepted in one or more of these universities, you must beyond your academic grades demonstrate the;

1. – Ability to Teach
2. – Ability to carry out a quantitative research
3. – Proficiency with Data analysis
4. – Community service skills.

You know you are ready for GA funding when you have these things in place.

Written by Moses Udoisoh and Edited by the Team