Finding and winning a scholarship is not easy. If it was, everybody would certainly be jumping on it.
Countless scholarships are offered by academic institutes during the academic year to make education accessible to deserving students.
Winning scholarship money can be such a big help when it comes to paying for school. This is why we bring you 7 tips to help you find and win a scholarship.
Top 7 tips to help you find and win scholarships
The scholarship game isn’t for the faint-hearted, it is highly competitive.
At the end of the day, you’re applying for the same scholarships everyone is applying for, and not everyone can win.
With that in mind, there are plenty of tips that can help you. Let’s look at the top 7 tips;
1. Apply As Early As Possible
Am sure you are probably tired of hearing this but trust me it will play a vital role in your scholarship success
Schools have a specific amount of funding available and the earlier you apply, the more you will receive and the easier it will be to get a scholarship
Well, even if you don’t wish to apply early,start searching for scholarships as early as possible.
Familiarizing yourself with the whole process will help you a lot more.
2. Check university websites for opportunities.
First of all, discover and decide which university you wish to attend, then their website should be your next target. It’s a good place to start your scholarship search
Normally, the university’s website will give a great deal of resources on scholarships, financial aid, and other funding.”
Call the school financial aid office. If you meet the qualifications, find out how to apply. Don’t assume that by applying for admission, you’re applying for scholarships. It’s often a separate process.
Find scholarship programs by country, field of study, or university name.
3. Search For Other Scholarship Providers
Try and look beyond universities to find alternative scholarship providers, such as the QS Scholarships scheme.
Talk to people and search using various resources, such as libraries, the internet, or books, for available funding opportunities.”
Your teachers and high school guidance counselor can help you look for scholarships too.
Must Read: Paying For Study Abroad: 21 Tried & True Strategies
4. Pay Close Attention To The Application Essay Topic
Make sure that each scholarship application you write is well-targeted for the opportunity in question.
Analyze the application essay topic and Identify all the key words, take time to understand them and strictly stick to the question when you answer.”
Also if you don’t understand the application process, visit your school’s Scholarship Office. If your school has a Writing Center go and have a tutor review your essays.
Let’s look at some tips for writing an application essay topic:
- Pre-write—start with an outline. Whether you prefer a bulleted list or a mind map, plan out what you’re going to write. Are you trying to share your background, your goals, your personality, or your life experiences with the scholarship committee? Lay your ideas out first before you start writing.
- Be yourself & be original. Write as though you’re talking to a friend. Being authentic and original is the key to writing a great scholarship essay. Readers will be able to tell when you’re not being genuine.
- Be clear. You don’t want to leave your reader guessing—state why you deserve to win the scholarship and give honest reasons to support it.
- Share your essay with others for feedback. Your friends, family members, and teachers know you best, and they’ll be more honest with you than anyone. Their feedback could help you make your essay even better!
5.Make Sure To Proofread Before Submission
Before submitting your scholarship application, make sure to proofread it twice or get someone else to read it. This will help you identify typos and other errors
Your scholarship applications will be greatly improved after you have gotten someone to pass a critical eye over them,
Also, have it in mind that a careless application can reduce your chances of securing the scholarship.
Pay attention to word and character counts—they may not seem like a big deal, but you should stick to the parameters the scholarship sponsor has asked for. Make sure you’ve fully answered the prompt.
Finally, Make your online appearance polite, respectable, and mature as many scholarship administrators may decide to check applicants’ social media accounts for verification.
6. Manage Your Time Well
The truth is, finding the best scholarships for you is truly time-consuming.
A good way to stay on top of deadlines is to add them to a calendar and set reminders.
It’s important to budget some time in your week to actually search and apply for them.
Time management is more difficult when you’re juggling multiple scholarship applications and you can make a calendar of all the deadlines and give yourself enough time to work on each application.
You can also try to budget at least 3 hours a week towards searching and applying for awards and you’ll be way ahead of the rest.
7. Apply, Apply, Apply!
In order to win any scholarship, you have to apply, so learn to apply for every scholarship you are eligible for.
This is the most common piece of advice you will get from this article. “Stop doubting yourself and start applying!
Maybe you are scared of applying because you feel they are quite competitive, but putting in the effort will likely be the best decision you will make.
Also, don’t wait until it’s too delinquent to apply for scholarships! If you wait too long and the scholarship application requires you to submit letters of recommendation, your procrastination may cause whoever is writing your letter to rush.
Frequently Asked Questions
1.What are 3 ways that you can find scholarships?
- The financial aid office at a college or career school.
- A high school or TRIO counselor.
- The U.S. Department of Labor’s FREE scholarship search tool.
2.What are the 7 types of scholarships?
There are different types of scholarships that are available to the right college-bound student.
- Academic Scholarships
- Average Academic Performance Scholarships
- Athletic Scholarships
- Scholarships for Minorities
- Scholarships for Women
- Creative Scholarships
- Unusual Scholarships
Conclusion
Now that you have these simple tips, you can go ahead and apply for your scholarship
And remember that no matter the outcome of your scholarship application, you should be proud of yourself and all you have achieved.
Also, trade carefully to avoid being scammed.
Good Luck!