Can work experience overcome good grades? What can I do to qualify for an international scholarship if I had poor grades 10 years ago?

I heard about "grade forgiveness" for some schools so I thought it could happen to me.

Background: I have poor grades due to unhealthy childhood environment. As soon as I could, I ran away from home and lived mostly for survival. But I suddenly had my moment of clarity of what I finally wanted to do in life.

I'm nearing my 30s(f) but I feel like I'm out of time. I'm doing my master's now on top of a full-time job. My job however is not related to what I want to do but it keeps the bills, loans, and school tuition paid.

I was thinking to get another bachelor degree (related to what I now want) and to pull up my GPA, but I'm also doing volunteer work (related to what I now want). If I choose a second degree, I have to stop volunteering.

1. Could I apply for an international scholarship, say Chevening or Erasmus, with below average GPA, so-so work experience, and a non-related bachelor degree to what I want to apply for?

2. Or should I go get a second degree but I have to stop volunteering/gathering work exp, just so I could apply for a scholarship? Will that help me get an international scholarship?

3. What are other options out there to increase my credentials to an international standard or exposure? Aside from IELTS because I would take that too once I finish my master's. Just in case, I'm also learning 2 languages during my free time.

I feel like this whole pursuit of a career change is bleak. I have to keep my full time job all throughout these plans but HR already notified me my contract is ending in 2021. I am preparing for any future financial setbacks because I want to push this through.

Submitted July 19, 2019 at 01:31AM by lavenderpug https://ift.tt/2JUi7EJ