The educations.com team reviews thousands of applications and essays for our study abroad scholarships. Read our top ten scholarship tips to learn about the best ways to get a scholarship and make your study dreams come true! If you're more of a beginner and wondering how scholarships work, check out our scholarship guide .
1. Focus on the scholarships that are
right for you
The first thing to know in terms of the best ways to get a
scholarship is to look for study abroad scholarships that you qualify for and
seem like a good fit. There are many scholarships you can apply for, but most
are competitive. There are also many different types of scholarships that you
can apply for. For example, scholarships in the United States can be awarded on
academic merit, or they can be awarded as an athletic scholarship .
Be sure to reserve your time and effort for scholarship
applications that you have the best chance of winning, and spend the remaining
time casting the wider net for less likely fits.
2. Talk to the values of those who
are granting the scholarship
When you're thinking, 'How can I get a scholarship?', make
sure you're asking yourself, 'What do scholarship providers want from me?' Our
scholarship tips cannot give you the key to the heart of the institution
offering the scholarship, so do your research!
At the top of the list of best ways to get a scholarship is
conveying that you are a student who is an ambassador of the best attributes of
the university, organization or company offering the scholarship. Check out
their mission statements to see what they hold most dear, and look for examples
of how you live and breathe those values to include in your writing.
3. Share your vision for the future
Study Abroad Scholarships will make a significant difference
for many students in their personal lives, yet few students are able to
articulate how this scholarship will help them make meaningful differences in
the world.
Whether you want to make a change in academia, NGOs,
national government, the private sector or your hometown, you need to explain
your “why”. So one of our handbag tips is to find out what drives you and how
special that is. If you're having trouble framing this, check out our article
on Study Abroad and Global Citizenship or Simon Sinek's talk for leaders on how
to start with “why” to inspire others to invest in their mission.
4. Carefully follow the scholarship
writing prompt
One of the most important things we will tell students when
asked: How can I get a scholarship? is to take a close look at the criteria for
a scholarship abroad and the essay application . The criteria are not random
and are designed to help the right student match the values we want to
promote in the world.
Many of our candidates skip the essay question and are
immediately disqualified. Even though you may be an excellent candidate in
other areas, reading and following the essay prompt is necessary for success.
An additional point on our list of scholarship tips is to
strategically reuse parts of your scholarship essays to save some time.
However, be sure to significantly customize the wording to suit the wording
request.
5. Don't be afraid to share how
challenges have shaped you, but make sure you don't just list difficulties
Having a passionate reason to pursue your studies abroad is
fantastic and most appreciate that excitement can help you achieve your goals.
It's also important to keep in mind that sometimes an essay
focused on the difficulties you've faced can overshadow what you're being asked
to write. Again, one of the best ways to get a scholarship is to adapt your
answers to the prompt.
For example, on our Masters Scholarship in Europe , we asked
“Why did you choose your study abroad country and how will it help you grow as
a global leader?” Some of our most compelling finalists have faced personal
struggles or witnessed the dire effects of problems facing their community,
country or world. This lit a fire in them to choose a program and country where
they could improve their knowledge and give back to the world. They discussed
how they plan to act on challenges through the public, private, or
not-for-profit sectors.
When you focus on the passion your life challenges have
ignited in you, you can show the fellow how you will positively influence the
world.
6. A scholarship application is not a
CV
When learning about how to obtain a scholarship, it is
crucial to know the difference between a scholarship application and a CV or CV
. Unfortunately, some students that our ideal candidate attributes as “academic
achievers” and “involved in extracurricular groups” have used their application
essay only to provide a chronological history of their grades, volunteer work,
and career history.
After reading their scholarship essays, we still had no idea
if they were globally minded or how their program and country of choice would
make a difference. One of the best ways to get a scholarship is to weave your
experience into a narrative that tells the app reader who you are, not just
what you've done.
7. Follow the submission instructions
to ensure your scholarship application is approved in the first round
Another simple but often overlooked factor when students are
learning how to get a scholarship is to follow all submission instructions from
the beginning. Using the correct file format, attaching the correct documents,
and making sure you hit the correct word count are all important tips to ensure
your grant application is eligible for consideration.
A few minutes of time can ensure your entry is not
disqualified.
8. Pay attention to details for a
professional looking app
While many scholarship award committees won't disqualify you
for a typo or spelling error (we don't include that in our rubric), it's still
a great idea to have a trusted friend, family member, classmate, or mentor
reading your registration to give you feedback.
We also recommend choosing an easy-to-read font if not
specified, and not getting too creative with images unless they're allowed and
speak to the message behind your app.
For example, including photos of your volunteer work or a
photo of you presenting an academic project can bring your essay to life.
9. Make your scholarship essay unique
Another tip for how to get a scholarship is to be personal
and transparent in your application. Academic scholarships are extremely
competitive, with many applicants offering a good reason to be chosen. Don't be
afraid to stand out from the crowd!
For example, if you're pursuing a master's degree to further
your dream of helping Mexico preserve its native bee population, don't be shy
about sharing how you became interested. Scholarship reviewers would love to
hear more about how your passion started and developed over the years, and
sharing these types of details will help you stand out from the crowd.
Just in case we need to mention it, please make sure your
entry is honest and the words you use are your own. Most scholarship committees
have access to anti-plagiarism software , and the references you provide, as
well as the follow-up interviews you take, are important in confirming your
honesty. Being dishonest is an easy way to completely disqualify your
application.
10. Don't miss the deadline!
The most important information about getting a scholarship
is to make sure you apply on time! Scholarships are generally executed on tight
deadlines. You might not think about it, but the administrative procedures
required to sift through thousands of entries, choose finalists and ultimately
a winner will mean an entry cycle will be closely choreographed.
If you are applying for multiple scholarships abroad, it is
important to keep track of and schedule all the scholarships you will apply for
to complete and submit applications ahead of deadlines. While some Fellows may
be flexible and accept applications a few hours or days past the deadline,
others will not.
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