It’s that time of the year when universities announce the onset of the application process. You’re all set with the list of universities you would like to apply to. You’ve started analysing the pros and cons of each college, looking at admission essays and feverishly working on multiple applications. One of the most critical parts of an application is the scholarship. Every university has a list of scholarships offered and, you must treat it just like an independent application process. Here is a list of things to keep in mind if you are planning to apply for a scholarship: –
Research
Start by going through in detail the list of scholarships offered by each university you are applying for. Look out for
- The scholarship application process outlined on the university website
- What the scholarship entails – it may be for tuition fees (in part or whole), accommodation etc. It is crucial to be extremely clear on your requirements vi’s-a-vi’s what is being offered as part of a scholarship by the university.
- Deadline for application
Get your documents ready
As part of every scholarship, a set of documents will need to be submitted. Below is an illustrative list of the same
- Mark sheets/grade sheets from high school/graduation
- Graduation/ degree certificates
- Test scores of competitive exams
- References
- Financial status proof, such as bank statements
- Statement of objective/ essay/note on your introduction and purpose of applying for the scholarship
Spend time on your references and financial status proofs
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Reference requirements
- Depending on how many references are required, make sure you reach out to the right individuals.
- They need to be qualified in a profession where their reference will boost your application and, most importantly, reachable.
- Usually, reference documents are obtained through website links which need to be shared with those individuals. There may be challenges of links not working, references submitted but not updated etc.
- You will need to continuously monitor the references, regularly engage with the individuals and follow up if they haven’t submitted.
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Financial status check
- Each scholarship will entail the submission of specific documents as financial status proofs.
- You may be submitting your financial status or your parents’ or sponsors’. Be very clear on whose financial status proof you are providing, and in case it is of your parents’ or sponsors’, make sure to follow up and obtain the documents well ahead of the deadline.
- Check if there are specific requirements, for example, bank seal required on bank statements and arrange for the same.’
Proofread, proofread and proofread!
It is vital that your scholarship application is crystal-clear and error-free. Even the tiniest of mistakes can become grounds for rejection. So ensure
- All required documents are submitted and nothing is missed out
- Each document is complete – for instance, if a semester-wise mark sheet is needed, make sure all mark sheets are submitted. Or if three references are needed, all three have been submitted
- To perform a spell and grammar check on your essay/statement of purpose/objective. Offering it to friends/family/professionals for proofreading definitely helps obtain varied perspectives and feedback
- You match the eligibility criteria For instance, if the scholarship is for Asian female students, you need to fit into that criterion, if not, the whole application process is futile!
- To triple-check the deadline and also look to see if there are internal deadlines – to submit all your documents as per the required schedule.
Organising hacks
- Build a detailed excel sheet covering the list of universities applied to, the list of documents required, deadlines and the status of each document. Keep updating the excel as needed. This will be a complete snapshot of your scholarship applications
- Incase of hard-copy documents, maintain separate folders/sub-folders. If you are scanning documents on your system, create specific folders and sub-folders
- Set reminders on your phone a couple of days before each overall/internal deadline. Set specific reminders to follow up with your references or speak to banks for your financial status proofs
- Create checklists for each application and check off each point once completed.
The application process by itself is a test. It evaluates your determination, focus and seriousness about your education, discipline through the way you systematically look into requirements and provide accurate output and professionalism in delivering authentic and timely information. So, take a deep breath, look into all the above aspects and submit your amazing application- your dream of a glorious educational experience might just turn into reality![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
