The number of students planning to study abroad is increasing annually. So is the number of students who opt for scholarships! With limited funds and a pile of applications. It is necessary to have an outstanding scholarship essay to benefit from the scholarship. Scholarships are a boon if you want to save a lot on your tuition fees abroad. Hence, to get a scholarship in New Zealand or other countries, you need to write a winning essay. Given are some very useful tips that you must consider while writing your scholarship essay.

1. Know your scholarship

Scholarship for study abroad programs are not solely based on academic talents. Given are the types of scholarships usually available for international students studying abroad.

Destination specific: Many governments, public authorities, and universities fund students who come from a specific country.

Student specific: Such scholarships are available to students who meet the eligibility requirements depending on their gender, religion, family, and medical history.

Merit-basis: For students based on their academic excellence or extracurricular achievements, social service, etc

Need-based: These scholarships are based on the financial background of the family. Documents including verification of employment, tax returns, and family income will be requested by the authorities.

Subject-specific: Grants are offered by several colleges and universities to students who want to study in a particular field.

Athletic scholarships: Provided to top-grade sportsmen, these scholarships need you to contribute with training and represent your university at events at the same time balancing your education.

2. Research

Now that you know what scholarship for foreign studies to apply for, next you will need to do research on what the word limitations are, what they are looking for, the requirements, and all other necessary details. You can visit the provider’s website, read their mission, and understand about them. After this you can highlight your interests that align with the organisation's mission in your essay that tells that you are an ideal candidate for receiving scholarship. 

3. Brainstorm

Now it is time to organise the flow of your content. Take enough time and jot down points you have to write down in your essay. Have a clear idea of what you are going to write. Instead of last-minute rush, start it as early as 2 weeks before the application is due so that you get time to correct or improve your essay thereby delivering a good one that makes you stand out from the crowd.

4. Follow the instructions

Scholarship essays will have some instructions that you need to follow. Carefully read those before you start writing. You would be surprised to know that some students get rejected just because they don’t follow the instructions given even if they are academically brilliant.

5. Personalise your introduction

Grabbing the reader’s attention through the first few sentences are important. Write a compelling introduction about you and your achievements to hook the reader to your essay. Set your profile clearly, be genuine but don’t overdo it!

6. Write in a winning format

Introduction, body, conclusion; that’s how essays are generally like. Write authentic details and always end your paragraphs with a good closing. If you have more content in the middle paragraph, split it into two short paragraphs which are generally considered easy to read. Make sure that at the end of the conclusion part you write about how the scholarship will help you or what you will do with the scholarship. In addition, over the entire essay check whether you have neither exceeded the word count nor lagging behind.

7. Write concise, clear, and error-free content

This is not a writing competition, so don’t beat around the bush. Write precisely and clearly to convey your words directly to the reader. Go for shorter sentences than large ones, sound formal, and write in an engaging tone. Do not use too many complex words. Likewise, take care of the grammatical errors, indeed some people check if there is any error. If found, they might stop reading it too!

8. Write relevant content

Write what is important and what relates to the scholarship. Talk only about your relevant achievements which are related to your field of study applied. Do not oversell, focus on highlighting your strengths, who you are, and the value you would bring with receiving the scholarship and studying further.

9. Keep the tone positive and inspirational

Nobody wants to hear a depressing sad story about how hard life was to you as a student. Rather, cheer up and write it in a positive tone. Instead of saying you had hurdles and difficulties, tell them how you overcame difficult situations. Write in an innovative way.

10. Write a thank you

End your letter with a brief thanking the reader for reading your letter or gratitude for the scholarship opportunity they are providing.

11. Proofread

No matter how much time we would take to write an essay, there could still be some error or some room for improvement. Hence, proofread the whole thing and correct wherever necessary. You can also show this letter to your family or friends for feedback which you can use to improve your essay. 

Pro tip: You can use the same essay for applying to multiple scholarships. You just have to edit the name or course or any other specific details and move on.

You can refer to multiple scholarship samples to apply for scholarship to study abroad. Nevertheless, never copy anyone else’s essay or AI generated content. This will lead to immediate rejections. You can also reach out to study abroad consultants to get more information.