3 Incredibly Simple Ways to Win a Scholarship

First of all, before you can win a scholarship, you must first apply to one. And then you can ask: how can I win a scholarship to study abroad?

Good news is, the answer you seek is here.

Now let’s get right into it.

You know you've got to be exceptionally brilliant and influential and rich to win a scholarship to study abroad right?

Well, not necessarily.

You've thought over this many times. So each time you wanted to try, you felt like 'No, I can't'.

When you eventually tried to apply, you felt you'd already done the needful and was nearly confident it'd be worth it. You finally submitted your online application, and then what happened?

Blank.

It's past the deadline. No reply, no congratulations. Nothing.

It's enough to knock you off your curiosity. And you might want to quit trying. 

Fortunately, winning a study abroad scholarship is easier than you imagine. Following appropriate guidelines could be all you need to be successful.

So what can you do to win a scholarship to study abroad?

1.      Be proactive (the earlier the luckier)

To apply successfully for a scholarship, you need to do it right on time. Accept that there are thousands of applicants like you and be mindful of this as you apply. Rather than apply to try to beat the deadline, beat competing applicants by being the first to apply. This gives you an edge, as adequate attention is given to early applicants.

Are you in your last year in college? Never been the best time to apply. Several scholarships in different fields abound this period.

While you might be advised to subscribe to as many scholarships sites as you can, I feel it'd be better if you only consider those relevant to your field of study.

Navigating through a tiring list of study grants (fellowship, research grant, internship, etc) will only waste your time. Subscribing to sites that specifically tend to your scholarship needs will save you the stress.

Moreover, applying on time lets you focus on the suitable ones. When you apply to the ones for which you're qualified, your chances of winning are high.

Suggested: 3 Amazing Reasons You Should Apply For a Scholarship

Not only is early application important, it saves you from the rush hour. Many scholarship applicants don't realise why they fail to win. It's simple: you get disorganised when you apply late. Your mind is subconsciously fixed on not losing the opportunity, so you give less attention to how well you've applied. Sadly, you don't know that applying in a rush is nearly proportionate to not applying at all.

Having in mind that applying on time is key, you then proceed to:

2. Write a topnotch scholarship essay

Now this is where many scholarship applicants goof. You're scrolling through an online scholarship page and suddenly a mouthwatering scholarship grabs your attention. Curious, you scan through and then discover: 'Oh, it's got an essay'. Disappointed, you clicked back. Page gone. And a great opportunity gone too.

Yes, you heard that right. You just let go a fantastic offer. 

Let me explain.

Scholarships that require essays are often top-quality. Why? Because you stand a higher chance of winning. This is because many are quick to click the back button when they see an essay writing scholarship. So the competition is less.

Wouldn't it be great if you tap into this reality?

Well, you wished you could but your writing sucks. In short, you're clueless as to how to come up with a good scholarship essay.

What if I told you writing a winning scholarship essay isn't as scary as it appears? What if I showed you a sneak peek into a compelling scholarship essay?

The question now is, what should a good scholarship essay contain?

Simply put, it should:

• tell the judges your coordinated thoughts on a given topic
• show how winning the scholarship will draw you to your goal
• reflect your personality, (the real you beyond the data on a form)

When you know how to write a convincing scholarship essay, you're halfway into winning one. As crucial as writing an essay is to win a scholarship, it'd be inefficient if you ignore the impact of your online reputation on your success.

So the next thing, after writing a compelling scholarship essay, is to:

3. Have a sound online representation

How's your online profile like?

Lousy? Dumb? Active?

Bad news, if your presence on Facebook does nothing but scream dirty, crappy celeb gossip. As in, you're in for trouble. Try trash them or better yet, replace them with engaging posts and positive postulations.

Or maybe yours is a dumb, nearly non-existent online presence. Not a good sign. Chances are to win anything these days, from scholarships to jobs, to... anything worthwhile, organisers are wont to peep into your online profile.

So what do you do?

Actively showcase your interest, post around it, discuss it in groups and pages you belong, at least share your thoughts. You don't necessarily have to be online 24/7 to achieve this. You just need to show up once a while.

When you're active online, you're most likely the right candidate for a scholarship.

Bottom Line

Not at all – winning a scholarship isn't rocket science. Nor is it impossible regardless of your background. And no, you don't necessarily have to be influential to win. You just have to be willing to follow what works and disregard what sucks. When you do so, you're on your way to winning a scholarship to study abroad in your favourite school.

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