Winning a scholarship may not be as easy as reading an email or this text. But tens to hundreds of thousands of African students are winning scholarships every year to study in their country or abroad.
There is an abundance of opportunities out there. And winning a scholarship is achievable if you can just put your heart to it.
If you are serious about getting that scholarship, here are 10 things you need to know and put to practice to increase your chances of winning a scholarship for next academic year.
1. Identify your Scholarship Strengths
What is your scholarship winning advantage? Is it academic talent, leadership potential, volunteer activities, natural ability, community involvement or passion for development? Create an achievement portfolio to identify and highlight your strengths. Engage in activities that build on your strength.
In addition to previous academic performance, students that engage in extra-curricular and volunteering activities often have better chances of winning a scholarship.
2. Prioritize to Find the right Scholarship
Do you desire local or international scholarship? Do you want to study in Europe, USA, Canada, Asia or Australia? You have to decide what you want. Then find and apply for as many scholarships that meet your desire.
On AfterSchoolAfrica, you can search for scholarships by Deadlines, Field of study, Country or level of study. Take note of deadlines, benefits, eligibility and requirements of the scholarship program.
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Past scholarship winners agree that early scholarship search and preparation added to their advantage. Start preparing your materials even before application opens. Transcript, certificates, English language tests, recommendation letters, etc. Monitor your progress as you apply for each scholarship.
4.Work with other Scholarship Seekers
You don’t have to go through it alone. Working with like minds will make the boring process more interesting. Get support, feedback, ideas, encouragement and momentum from each other.
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5.Focus on Sponsor’s Goals
Every scholarship provider or awarding institution have unique selection criteria. Dig deeper to learn more about the organization, their objective and mission. Why do they offer scholarships? What are they looking for in applicants? Let your application match these expectations.
6. Follow Instructions
The easiest way to be disqualified, even if you meet every requirement, is to not follow instructions. How you prepare your application will show how detail-oriented you are. Prepare your application according to instructions.
7. Stand Out
Make your application stand out from the crowd. Clearly convey your hopes and dreams so that the selection committee can get a clear picture of who you are and what sets you apart from other applicants.
8. Write an Engaging Essay
If the scholarship requires an essay, it’s an opportunity to express your personality, originality and creativity. Let your essay demonstrate who you are, what you intend to achieve and why you should be awarded a scholarship. And keep it within chosen topic.
9. Be formal
Don’t make the mistake of using informal abbreviations and emoticons in your online application. Applying for scholarship is not like updating Facebook or Whatsapp profile. Be formal. And make sure someone proofreads your application before submitting.
10. Submit early
Avoid late submissions. Submit your application before the deadline. Then hope for the best.
If you don’t win, try again.
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