7 Scholarship Application Tips: From The Winners

Begin your scholarship search as early as possible and know the deadlines as they are usually at the end of January and end of May.

The main reason to apply early is because universities or colleges have a specific amount of funding available and the earlier you apply, the more you will receive. Alexis Csizmazia, the winner of QS-IE University Scholarships says, he did the same.

We've all heard the saying that the early bird gets the worm and it's the same with the scholarship due to the limited amount of funds to distribute as a scholarship.

If you are a deserving candidate and well ahead of others then there is no doubt that you will be one of the top choices. So it makes perfect sense to get in line early to boost your chances of getting the scholarship.

First of all, be clear on which college or university you want to attend and what course you want to pursue. After that make sure what scholarship you want to apply for and get all the details.

To get the details checking the university's website is the perfect place to start. The website will assist you deal with resources on scholarships, financial aid, and other funding, says Doris Fang, winner of the 2015 QS Connect Masters 1-2-1 Scholarship.

You will also find video tutorials on some college websites explaining the scholarship application process. The video material on their website helps get a sense of what the selection committee expects from an applicant.

Another great piece of advice is that the content of your application needs to be specific and related to the topic.

Once you’ve identified relevant scholarships to apply to, then make sure each application you write is well-targeted for the opportunity in question. Take the time to analyze the application essay topic.

The most important thing you can do is Identify all the keywords, take time to understand them and do not go beyond the question when you answer.

Most scholarship applications require you to write an essay. Get noticed by the scholarship judges by telling an original story about yourself that challenges expectations. This is a great tool to help boost your chances.

If somehow you don't feel you have enough relevant merits, you can stand out amongst the others by being creative in your application.

For example, you can make a video/graphic/mock website and include it in your application. Always look for a way to stand out including work experience, high GMAT, and impressing in your applications.

This shows that you are capable of going the extra mile to get what you truly deserve. You can also come up with some plans about how are you going to use the scholarship and give back in the future.

Make sure you let the organization know that you are the perfect candidate and are not going to let the scholarship go to waste in any way.

The scholarship reviewing committee must go through a lot of applications every year to find a suitable candidate. So you must make sure to fill in all the necessary information and include required documents following the guidelines.

It is because even the slightest mistake can affect you negatively.

Make sure your application reads well by structuring your text in the right way so that it looks logical and very easy to follow. 

You can do this by including topics in numbered points, categorically, or in chronological order. Try to make your application so smooth that the reviewer won't be able to take their eyes off it.

Just let someone else go through your scholarship application. This will help you locate typos or other errors that might have slipped your eyes.

“My scholarship applications improved massively after I’ve gotten someone to pass a critical eye over them,” says the winner of the QS Academic Excellence Scholarship, Stephen Jarvis.

Constructive feedback will make you understand your relevant strengths and achievements more. This way you can focus on your strengths more and overcome your weaknesses.

Just letting a fresh pair of eyes go through your application might just do wonders in improving your application strength. They might help you tighten up the text and check your grammatical errors.

The last and final advice for scholarship application tips is to not overthink and just apply it. Once you've followed all the processes and double-checked everything then it's better to apply and relax.

Until and unless you've submitted it you will keep on thinking about and that constant urge to make few and frequent changes might ruin everything for you. Therefore once you feel confident, just submit it and wait for the result.

Stop doubting yourself and just apply because the sooner you apply the better your chances of getting the scholarship.

Sometimes, overthinking might just let you miss the deadline. It is always better to be early than late for your scholarship deadline and grab the opportunity at the right time.

Content Sources:

• Trinity College Dublin
• Top Universities
• Nitro
• Fast Web