The process of applying for a scholarship is an important step for anyone who wants to study abroad and needs financial help to achieve this. Therefore, there are some crucial points that need to be followed in order to increase your chances of being selected for assistance. To assist you in this process, we have listed here everything you need to do before submitting your request. Check out!

What does it take to apply for a scholarship

Search

The first step in applying for a scholarship is to find out what financial aid options exist. So, to avoid putting pressure on yourself and potentially losing an excellent scholarship, start your research early. The more time you devote to researching scholarships, the more options you will have. That’s because you’ll need time to research scholarships, request information and application forms, and complete your application by the deadline. Please note that some scholarships may close even before the beginning of the school year.

To do this research, you can consult the websites of the universities you are interested in attending, as there is usually a specific section on them to list the financial aid offered by the institution.

Check if you are eligible for the scholarship

Another important step that you need to take from the beginning is to find out which scholarships you are really eligible for, as some will have specific criteria. For example, some grants are for selected courses, specific nationalities, separated by gender, etc. By doing careful research, you can find the most appropriate scholarships for you and then spend time working on your application for them.

Get organized

It pays to be organized when it comes to applying for a scholarship. To start, write down the grants you plan to apply for, so you can easily follow them and don’t miss any important deadlines. It is also a good idea to keep all the material in the bag in a separate folder. That way, you will always know where each document is and will be able to check if you have the most up-to-date information.

Include all necessary information

When applying for a scholarship, you may think that it is more effective to apply for many grants, rather than spending more time on just a few. If you do, however, you may end up leaving some very important information out of your application. Therefore, always check if you have all the information requested by the selection notice in your application. An entry with missing items does not make a good first impression on the selection process committee, especially if those items were specifically requested.

Think about the presentation

A scholarship application is very similar to a job interview. If you want to make a good impression, spelling mistakes and illegible writing will not help you. Therefore, be sure to spend time reviewing this and, if the notice requests you to fill out a form in a specific way, do exactly as requested. Before submitting the application, ask a friend or relative to do a new review. They may encounter an error that you did not notice!

Provide the correct information

This is kind of obvious, but it’s important to make sure the details you’re entering are correct. Providing your contact details and other personal information inaccurately or writing something wrong will make you look extremely sloppy and potentially delay the process. Therefore, review the data at least three times before submitting the forms.

Provide good references / recommendations

In some selection processes, you may be required to provide references in your application. Therefore, it is important to choose carefully who will give these references. After all, this can make all the difference in your application. You also need to inform each of your references about the deadlines for the scholarship selection process and tell about the type of skills and experiences that need to be demonstrated when applying. This will allow them to write a more specific reference, which highlights the parts of your application that you want to highlight.

Write a convincing essay

It is very common for universities and funding agencies to request, among other documents, an essay on the application for the scholarship. In this case, an essay is nothing more than a kind of essay on a specific topic , which serves to show the candidate’s skills. Therefore, it is important that you write a convincing text, following all instructions contained in the statement.

Track deadlines

Always have extra time (a few days) between the end of your preparation to apply for a scholarship and the application itself. You may need this time if it is necessary to print your registration in a printing shop or if you are waiting for confirmation from a person who is going to write the recommendation, for example. Keep in mind that late applications are generally not considered by the selection process committees.

Check-list to apply for a scholarship:

• Are you eligible for the scholarship?
• Do you already know all the deadlines?
• Do you have all the information needed for the application? This varies depending on the scholarship notice, but it usually includes academic record, proof of financial income and confirmation of your study plans.
• Who will make your recommendation know which scholarship you are applying for?
• Have you and a friend / family member reviewed your scholarship application?
• Did you submit your application before the deadline?