You probably already know that you should get a scholarship or a bursary and you have a pretty good idea that you will get one, but you don`t know when it`s the best time to apply. Have you ever heard those students who say they can`t wait to get to their senior year so they can apply for scholarships? Let me tell you that these students are completely wrong and may have a lot to lose because of their mindset.

There are thousands of scholarship programs that you can target when you are in middle school, high school, elementary school or college. There are funding programs out there for just about everyone. You should start the search for a scholarship as early as possible. And getting a scholarship at one point in life may raise your chances of getting a scholarship later in life.

The best time to start looking for a bursary or scholarship is as early on as possible. You must realize that there are many rumors online that getting a bursary or scholarship is impossible or very hard. That is because people who don`t get one start complaining more and are the loudest. The ones that do get a bursary are usually very grateful and do not brag about it, you hear less about them (apart from specialized forums) and you think that they do not exist at all while the reality is completely different. Never assume that you will not be eligible or accepted. Applying, as hard as it can be, is much better than gathering a huge student loan debt.

If you are wondering when you should start to apply this year the answer is as soon as possible. Your chances of getting a bursary will increase exponentially if you are one of the first who apply. Bursaries are means-tested and the funds are limited. If you apply late you may find that you were eligible for these funds, but you are just too late there and the funds were already allocated. Research bursaries a year before you want to apply and find out when registration will open so you can be among the first ones to apply. It`s never too early to start avoiding future debt.

If you think you are the only one in the race for bursaries and scholarships you are gravely mistaken. It is actually a very harsh battle for them and most people do not know the facts about this field. The reality is much harsher than you can imagine and here are some of the facts.

Full-ride scholarships are rare. Less than 0.3 percent of the students who apply get one. So do not bet on getting one and certainly do not put all your trust into covering your college expenses with a scholarship. You can get partial grants, scholarships and bursaries, but there is a great chance that they will not cover all your costs. One way to get out of this is to get a combination of scholarships, especially private ones and cash so you can truly cover all the costs.

Statistics say that white, Caucasian students are more likely to get private scholarships. You might think that minorities receive the most scholarships, but the numbers show a very different situation. It may be based on the fact that there are more Caucasian students who apply, but the thing you must get out of this is that you should never be discouraged by rumors and that you should always apply for a grant or a scholarship.

Income is sometimes irrelevant. Statistics show that many students whose parents earn between $50.000 and $100.000 per year actually get scholarships (but not bursaries). The reason for this is that scholarships are offered on merit while bursaries are offered based on the income of the family. It is only fair this way. Everybody should have a chance to get his or hers merits recognized no matter from what family he or she comes from. Your family income will not prevent you from getting a scholarship. It will probably won`t even be taken into consideration.

The situation is very different when it comes to bursaries as they are offered on the base that you cannot afford to sustain the studies. No matter what your case is, go ahead and apply for all the scholarships and bursaries you can find out about. You are just one step away from success.