As a scholarship recipient, I am often asked how I landed a scholarship. Here is a list of a few tips I have for anyone looking to apply for a scholarship.
1.Research
The first step to any application is to research about the scholarship you want to apply to. What country is the scholarship offered? What type of scholarship is it? How long has the scholarship been running? A great way to do this is normally by going through the scholarship offering bodies’ website asking recipients of the scholarship for more information. This way you can also get their insight on how to go about the application. Most scholarship offering bodies even put up their beneficiary’s’ contact addresses.
2.Write A Great Essay
Most scholarship applications require an essay. It could be a personal essay describing your life experiences or it could be a random essay based on a prompt. In my opinion, this is the hardest part of the application to write a perfect essay. The key is to be open and write from a personal experience and to include a witty anecdote. This is because panels can often tell when you have fabricated a story. You can also get someone to proofread your essay for grammatical errors often irritates scholarship panels.
3.Get A Great Recommendation Letter
A recommendation letter is an integral part of a scholarship application. Most panels prefer letters from your past teachers or employers. Make sure to find someone who holds a high opinion of you as some applications make you waive the right to view the recommendation before submitting.
4.Follow Instructions
As obvious as this may sound, you should follow the given instructions to the letter. This is because you can be eliminated for a simple reason such as submitting two recommendation letters instead of three. It also paints a bad picture and no one wants to pay for your education if you cannot follow simple instructions.
5.Make Your Application Unique
You should have it in mind that your application is one of the thousands! Remember that the other applicants are just as talented and eligible as you, if not better. If you submit a lukewarm application you may be looked over for someone who put more effort into theirs; regardless of how much more qualified you are. Use the extra-curricular activities you did in school or an internship you held as leverage to portray you as an all rounded student.
6.The Interview
If you are lucky enough to impress the panel, you will be invited for a scholarship. It could be a conference call or an in-person meeting. When preparing, do a lot of research from your intended area of study to the college you want to attend to current affairs. During the interview, dress modestly, be yourself and ask questions.
This article was written by Capital Campus Contributor Garnet Achieng’
