Winning a scholarship involves both effort and time. Many people dream and talk a lot about what they’ll do to get a scholarship, but find themselves daunted by the requirements. The result is that they don’t even bother applying or they apply in the wrong way. All scholarships are worth the effort. With some scholarships valued at over $100,000, the months of effort are really worth it! So how does one apply for a competitive scholarship?
Tip #1: When you hear about a scholarship opportunity, read all of the available information about the scholarship and its conditions for eligibility. Make sure that you are applying for the right scholarship. If you meet the eligibility requirements then you should submit an application form and all the necessary supporting documents. If you don’t meet the requirements, then don’t apply. “Check if you are eligible to apply for it or not. It is important to read and go through the conditions carefully and then check if you are able to meet them.” Hamid Al Thairi, US Department of State Fulbright grantee currently studying at Oakland University
Tip #2: Be organized and neat. Once you have determined that this is the right scholarship, read the scholarship’s stated conditions and instructions repeatedly until you are sure that you have completed every step properly. If the application says fill out every question, then fill out every question even if the question doesn’t apply to you. You didn’t have required civil service? Then write “not applicable.” Don’t leave questions blank for the reader to guess the answer, because chances are the reader has many applications to review, won’t bother to guess, and will just put aside the application as incomplete. For the same reasons, don’t submit a messy, torn, bent or hard-to-read application. If you don’t take the effort and time to fill out the application both completely and neatly, that sends a strong message to the selection committee that you’re not very interested in the opportunity. “You should be enthusiastic and ambitious. I worked hard and I wanted it so I got it! One of the most important characteristics is to be organized. No one can help you with everything. You have to help yourself, and that prepares you for your program when you have to be responsible and handle your life by yourself.” Ahmed Saleh, U.S. Department of State Youth Exchange and Study grantee currently studying in North Carolina
Tip #3: Get good recommendations and follow the process for getting the recommendations. If the instructions require that the recommendation forms are to be sent in a sealed envelope, make sure the recommender seals the envelope with his/her signature and stamp.“The recommendation letters are very important for scholarship programs…I think that my American professors wrote good things about me that convinced the admissions here team to take me.” – Farouk Al Salihi, U.S. Department of State PLUS alumnus, currently studying at the London School of Economics as an MBI Al Jaber Foundation grantee
Tip #4: Try again for the right opportunities. If you don’t succeed the first time, don’t worry. Look back on the process and see what you can do to improve yourself for the next round. Failure is the key to success. Real failure is only failure when we don’t get back up and try again. Yusuf Bamahra, U.S. Department of State Fulbright student currently studying at the University of Nevada Reno adds: “Never give up if you apply and do not succeed; instead you should apply as many times as it takes to get nominated.”
Good luck on your journey!
Tip #1: When you hear about a scholarship opportunity, read all of the available information about the scholarship and its conditions for eligibility. Make sure that you are applying for the right scholarship. If you meet the eligibility requirements then you should submit an application form and all the necessary supporting documents. If you don’t meet the requirements, then don’t apply. “Check if you are eligible to apply for it or not. It is important to read and go through the conditions carefully and then check if you are able to meet them.” Hamid Al Thairi, US Department of State Fulbright grantee currently studying at Oakland University
Tip #2: Be organized and neat. Once you have determined that this is the right scholarship, read the scholarship’s stated conditions and instructions repeatedly until you are sure that you have completed every step properly. If the application says fill out every question, then fill out every question even if the question doesn’t apply to you. You didn’t have required civil service? Then write “not applicable.” Don’t leave questions blank for the reader to guess the answer, because chances are the reader has many applications to review, won’t bother to guess, and will just put aside the application as incomplete. For the same reasons, don’t submit a messy, torn, bent or hard-to-read application. If you don’t take the effort and time to fill out the application both completely and neatly, that sends a strong message to the selection committee that you’re not very interested in the opportunity. “You should be enthusiastic and ambitious. I worked hard and I wanted it so I got it! One of the most important characteristics is to be organized. No one can help you with everything. You have to help yourself, and that prepares you for your program when you have to be responsible and handle your life by yourself.” Ahmed Saleh, U.S. Department of State Youth Exchange and Study grantee currently studying in North Carolina
Tip #3: Get good recommendations and follow the process for getting the recommendations. If the instructions require that the recommendation forms are to be sent in a sealed envelope, make sure the recommender seals the envelope with his/her signature and stamp.“The recommendation letters are very important for scholarship programs…I think that my American professors wrote good things about me that convinced the admissions here team to take me.” – Farouk Al Salihi, U.S. Department of State PLUS alumnus, currently studying at the London School of Economics as an MBI Al Jaber Foundation grantee
Tip #4: Try again for the right opportunities. If you don’t succeed the first time, don’t worry. Look back on the process and see what you can do to improve yourself for the next round. Failure is the key to success. Real failure is only failure when we don’t get back up and try again. Yusuf Bamahra, U.S. Department of State Fulbright student currently studying at the University of Nevada Reno adds: “Never give up if you apply and do not succeed; instead you should apply as many times as it takes to get nominated.”
Good luck on your journey!
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