This article contains information on How to Write a Scholarship Application in 2020
You can write your scholarship application in numerous ways. If you collate all the scholarship entries that have ever won a prize, you would notice the difficulty in identifying what made them the same. Each would offer a distinguished pattern employed by the writer; an exceptional insight into his or her past, present and future aspirations.
Uniqueness is the key, and the first point to remember when you pick up your pen to write. Make your scholarship application essay exclusive to you, personalize it, delve deep into your passion and drive to study your subject, and create a response that could only ever relate to you. It is this individuality that stands out, and that’s exactly what catches a scholarship committee attention and defines a winner.
It’s of high importance that your letter must have proper spelling, correct format and grammar. Any errors could be cause for an instant rejection of the request.
Before writing anything, make sure to gather specifics that will be needed for the letter. Some scholarships have specific application requirements and if these guidelines are not followed, the application can be instantly annulled.
You should have in mind that the main purpose of a scholarship application letter is to summarize your academic, social and personal qualities in just a letter that is not boring, short, simple, educative and straight to the point.
Before you begin to write your scholarship application letter, take a while to ponder on the purpose of the letter. Then you can take a piece of paper and write down the most crucial points you need to make in your letter while you brainstorm for more ideas on how to make your application simple, straight to the point and very professional.
Avoid asking people to assist you in writing your scholarship application letter because they might ask you some questions which you may likely have no idea about. So be confident about your potential, pick a pen and write a wonderful scholarship application letter that will surely rock the scholarship selection officer out of his seat.
While writing your letter, ensure it’s concise and right on topic. Do not deviate while trying to make a point, or complain about funds — this wouldn’t be a prudent way to write your letter. Also note that scholarship applications will often require you to state why the scholarship should be awarded to you, why you’re the best candidate, what makes you exceptional.
Ensure to include the recognition and awards you may have received. Highlight activities that depict your talents and passions.
Make sure you pinpoint things that depicts your ability in line with the following:
- Leadership,
- Creativity,
- Perseverance,
- Care for your community.
Ensure you excellently sell yourself positively, but you should avoid a hyperbole kind of statement(s), exaggeration is a no-no!
Identify the key themes; it is vital to understand what each of these ideas means, beyond the initial level. The more depth you bring to your understanding of the meaning of each theme, the more examples you will be able to identify to show your abilities.
Make use of the keywords from the scholarship statement throughout your essay. This will show your commitment to addressing the question being asked. If you are finding it difficult to begin your scholarship application essay, include a quote or statement that relates to your intended course, and which you can later link to the main body of your text.
Displaying wider knowledge and aptitude for your subject will help convince the scholarship committee that it is a worthwhile investment to support you in your chosen course.
Take note of the scholarship requirements and include all the requested information before sending the application letter, to stand a higher chance of being selected. You should also try to ensure that you proofread the letter over and over again to pinpoint any mistake that may disqualify you. The more people that you can ask to help proofread your letter the better.
Writing Your Letter: First Paragraph
The first paragraph should focus and tell about your educational and career goals. It is appropriate to discuss interests and the chosen field of study. Give them all the reasons they want and why they should invest in helping you to further your education.
It is always essential to show a bit of passion in the area of course work. Organizations want to give their money to a student that is considered to be worthy, not give their money to an applicant who is going to drop out a few months later.
Second Paragraph
The second paragraph needs to be aimed at your leadership experience/abilities, level of creativity and perseverance. If there are any extracurricular activities or if you have done any community work, it should be stated here. Any academic awards also need to be listed in this paragraph. If you were valedictorian or graduated with honours, be sure to highlight this in the second paragraph.
This paragraph is all about effectively selling yourself positively and your abilities a bit. I hope you’re not thinking that extracurricular stuff doesn’t matter, if you are, then think again. The more a person is involved in school and the extracurricular activities, the likelihood of them staying increases.
Third Paragraph
The third paragraph tells why you need to be considered for the application. This should be written directly to the scholarship committee. It is necessary to be professional, but always be direct. Do not act desperate for money, rather desperate for education and how the money will help fund this. It is acceptable to talk about housing, books, food and all the costs associated with college.
Fourth Paragraph (Optional)
There may be room for a fourth paragraph, depending on how much a person has to write. Make the reviewer feel confident that the application they are looking at is valid. Highlight any talents and let them feel some confidence that the program will be completed. Since this will probably be the closing paragraph, be sure to re-emphasize the goals including career and educational goals.
Bottom Line
The letter should be around 1-2 pages and should not go over the two-page mark. Make the font 12 and make use of double spacing to make it easy to read. Always use resume or apt stationery paper so that it stands out from other letters. Check, recheck and be certain it’s free from clerical errors and make sure the letter is perfect.
If you are sending the letter via Email the subject line should have your full name accompanied by Application for [NAME of SCHOLARSHIP]. The body may be shorter than a hard copy with just the facts. Close the email with Best regards, your first, last name and your phone number.
