Scholarship Essay
Scholarships are the golden ticket for students willing to go and study abroad but can’t afford the tuition fees of their dream university. Scholarships are one of the most effective and convenient methods to ease the financial burden from students and their families but it comes at a price and the price you have to pay is in the form of a perfect application containing all your academic achievements and background and a well-written essay. Scholarships are granted to students that write and explain to the scholarship committee why the student thinks they should get the scholarship and are able to impress the scholarship committee with their essay. It shouldn’t only be about why you think you deserve the scholarship but it should also be a little bit about you to give a sense to the scholarship committee about the kind of person you are which makes the decision making the process a lot simpler. If done right, a scholarship can be your ticket to your dream university.
So let’s get started with how you can write the perfect essay to get a scholarship to your dream university.
Take Time
The most important thing to consider while writing an essay is to give yourself enough time to write as rushing into it would not get you far enough. A well thought and written essay would go a long way. It not only helps in writing but also in rewriting as you would have enough time to go through your essay, brainstorm some more ideas and edit the essay accordingly.
Understand What is Asked of You
Many essays do not create that much of an impression on the committee as they fail to understand what is really asked of them and write everything except the answer to their question which is a big negative. The best way to start your essay is by first understanding what is being asked of you and how you can frame your answer in the essay.
Know Your Audience
You have to consider the fact that you are not the only one applying for the scholarship. Plenty of applications come to the scholarship committee and they have to go through each and every application so in order for you to stand out you must really nail your essay. Also, get familiar with the institution or organisation providing the scholarships what are their goals and their motivation for providing this scholarship and frame your essay accordingly.
Be Real
One of the common mistakes students make is that they try to write what they think the scholarship committee expects them to write and then they add false details about themselves. You should know that the scholarship committee read hundreds of essays and they are able to tell if someone is being genuine or just writing for the sake of it. The best thing to do is be yourself and write what you believe in. It would go a long way.
Now let’s start with how you should frame your essay and what should be the format in which you have to write your essay.
Essay Format
There is a way in which the scholarship essay is to be written. The format is given below.
You must first explain your personal background in a Scholarship Essay.
You have the opportunity to write a quick and detailed description of your educational background in the second paragraph.
They explain why they want the scholarship and course for which they have applied in the third paragraph.
You then should explain why you are the best candidate for the scholarship.
Popular Scholarships to Study Abroad
Narotam Sekhsaria’s Scholarship
- Scholarships amount: 20,0000 RS
- Scholarship type: Merit
- Course level: MS
- Subjects: Pure Sciences, law, management, applied science, architecture, social science and humanities.
Hani Zeini Scholarship
- Scholarship amount: 75,530 RS
- Scholarships type: Merit
- Course Level: UG and MS
Harvey Fellowship
- Scholarship Amount: 12,07,360
- Scholarship type: Merit
- Course Level: MS
- Subject : Journalism and media, research, teaching, economics, business, finance, international diplomacy, security and business, Film production, visual and performing arts.
Tata Scholarship
- Scholarship Type: Need-based
- Course Level: Bachelors
Inlaks Scholarships
- Scholarship amount: 75,46,000RS
- Scholarship Type: Merit
- Course Level: MS
Topics to Leave Out of Your Scholarship Essay
Inspirational Quotes
Rather than using the same old famous quotes to write about the advice or wisdom you have received from your teacher, friends, parents or any mentor, this will give your essay a personal touch and will surely increase your chances.
Using some famous motivational quotes can decrease your chances of getting a scholarship.
Controversial Topics
Avoid writing about controversial or political topics in your essay unless you’re asked to write about them. Remember that any comment you make on a controversial topic can offend the reader and will eventually decrease your chances of getting the scholarship.
Emoticons, Photos, or Flashy Fonts
Remember that your scholarship essay is a professional essay. Don’t try to show your creativity by using emoticons, photos, or flashy fonts here.
Using flashy fonts or photos will eventually decrease the credibility of your essay.
Your Autobiography
Don’t use too many words for describing your life story. Remember that you’ve to write within the required word limit therefore try to write credible, crisp, and concise content.
Cliche Stories
Don’t focus on criticising your luck while writing your essay. Don’t try to use some cliche stories that are simply portraying that your luck is very bad and the only way to move your career ahead is this scholarship. Try being real and specific while writing about your goal, background, etc.
Outline Example of Scholarship Essay
Hook Introduction: begin your essay with an engaging extract from the story you’ll share or express.
1-3 Body Paragraphs: Continue to share significant elements from the tale, elaborating on how it relates to the prompt and makes you an equitable candidate for the scholarship. Make sure to emphasize qualities that scholarship committees are looking for, such as leadership skills in school activities, academic and career ambitions, and why you’re applying for this award in particular.
Conclusion: Finish your essay by restating your interest in the scholarship and demonstrating how the tale you’ve told indicates your college preparation.
