Guide to Scholarship Application
With university education for international students costing a fortune and student loans draining students after graduation, it is no surprise scholarships are every student’s funding dream. Scholarships provide either full or part funding for students without needing them to pay back.
However, getting a scholarship requires a lot of hard work, patience, and determination. The process of applying for a scholarship can be overwhelming and even discouraging at some point. Most students have a hard time navigating the scholarship application process and its many requirements.
7 Useful Scholarship Application Tips
To help you succeed in getting that scholarship, here are 7 top scholarship application tips that will guide you through your application process:
- Manage your time well and stay organized
When applying for scholarships, effective time management is crucial especially when you have multiple applications to complete. Using a calendar or any planner of your choice, you can set schedules for gathering documents you will need for your scholarship application process.
Preparing well ahead of time gives you enough time to understand the scholarship requirements, get your reference letters ready, craft an impressive essay and review your application carefully before submitting it.
An early scholarship application helps you stay organized and increases your chances of getting awarded the scholarship you are applying for.
- Explore all the possible options
Since there is no limit to how many scholarships you can apply for, explore all possible resources when seeking funding opportunities (people, the internet, newsletters and university websites are a great start for your search). Don’t ignore small awards or limit yourself to a particular geography. While looking out for foreign awards, you should also consider searching for scholarships within your city.
Apply to as many scholarships as you qualify for. You will find that most scholarships have similar requirements, so your scholarship application process may become less overwhelming and time-consuming as you apply.
- Do Proper Research
When applying for a scholarship, a little research can go a long way. Get to find out more about the scholarship and the type of applicants they are looking for. Take your time to understand the requirements fully, and then tailor your application to fit the scholarship.
Your scholarship application should appear original and follow the stated requirements. Proper research gives you an idea of what the panel is looking for and how you can play on your strengths to present yourself as the best applicant.
- Inform your referees early
When applying for scholarships, you may be required to provide letters of recommendation. For these applications, ensure that whoever you ask for a letter of recommendation can highlight your strengths and abilities and tailor your academic ability or personal character to present you as the best candidate for the scholarship.
As mentioned in the first tip, time management is key. To allow your referee to prepare thoughtful references, make sure you notify them at least a month before the application deadline and provide any necessary information they may need concerning your scholarship application to help them develop their letters. Also, ensure you follow up on your requests for recommendation to ensure they have been submitted.
- Prepare an impressive essay
Application essays are one of the best ways to make your scholarship application stand out. When writing your essay, take your time to understand the essay topic and what the scholarship committee is looking for. Follow all instructions as stated when writing your essay.
Before you start your essay, organize your thoughts into various sections, and structure your ideas to be clear and flow into each other. Start with a strong introduction and use specific real-life examples where possible.
A great tip when writing your scholarship essay is to make it personal. Establish relevant connections between your personal life and the essay topic. This way, you help the scholarship committee relate to your scholarship application on a personal level.
- Highlight your achievements
Consider your strengths, talents, passions and life experiences that you can use to your advantage. Singing your praises goes a long way when applying for scholarships. Highlight your achievements, recognitions and any awards you’ve received relevant to the application. The goal is to make your scholarship application impressive enough, so do not underestimate your skills and abilities. Figure out what experiences will make your scholarship application stand out from the others and include them in your application.
- Review and Refine
Yes, Yes and Yes to this point.
Proofread your entire application carefully. Spelling and grammatical errors are easy to miss, and they reflect poorly on the quality of your application. Take advantage of writing resources like spell check to spot these errors. Read your essay aloud to get an idea of how it sounds. Review and refine your work as many times as you need to. You can have as many drafts as you need to before your final draft.
Get another set of eyes to review your application. Having someone else look through your scholarship application helps you identify errors you could have missed and suggest helpful ideas to improve your application. Also, look out for word or page limit and ensure your applications follows these guidelines.
When applying for scholarships, ensure you submit the best application you can. Your scholarship application should be complete, original and timely.
Be patient, don’t lose hope and keep trying.
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