How to write a scholarship essay without begging for the money

Why don’t they just give me the money anyway? I’m a total catch. Well, if things were that easy with getting money, the world would be a totally different place today.

The path to fulfilling your dreams is a rocky one; way too many hurdles that will have you crawling up into a ball in the corner of a room. If you aspire to go abroad for further studies, among many hurdles includes a statement of purpose, letter of recommendation, a visa and more. Sometimes, the main hurdle could be (for lack of better words) – being strapped for cash.

Yes, those green notes that get you anywhere and anything that you need.

In this case, the only solution to ensure that this dream comes true, the university suggests that you apply for a scholarship. Among the many documents to be submitted in the process is a scholarship essay. It is a declaration of why you’re deserving of the money that they would invest in you.

But, I don’t know how to write one! I suck at writing!

Fortunately, we know the things that you need to write in the essay without making it sound like you’re actually begging for the money.

 

Capture them in the intro

The introductory paragraph is your partial ride or die. This is where you give a captivating teaser of what they’re headed for in the essay. It includes a summary of you and your future goals. The people who evaluate your essay have read tons of other applicant essays who are in need of financial help and you need to make sure that your scholarship essay sticks. In other words, give them something that will make them remember you.

 

Go back in time

The body of the essay would require you to remember all your accomplishments and duties in the past. This part has slightly more weight than anything else that you cover in the essay. Based on the university and course that you apply for, you need to specify related projects, internships, work experience, and the like that made an impact in real life or can be quantified. It shows that you possess the basic, if not advanced, skills necessary for the field.

 

‘I want to make the world a better place’

This is the part where you amalgamate your past, present, and future. You’ve covered a major part of your accomplishments, but where do you see yourself after graduating from the university? It could be something as simple as, ‘the university will serve as the platform for enhancing my soft skills and help make the corporate world a better place.’ This would give them clarity about your purpose behind enrolling in the university.

 

Time to pitch

This is where you prove your case. You’ve mentioned everything that they need to know about you from your family background to your academic or professional prowess. Now it’s time to mention the ‘why’ – the reason behind your need for financial help. This section should elaborate on how you are the right candidate and the ways you could contribute to the university by sharing your experience in the student club and the like.

 

‘This university is the golden ticket’

Having proven yourself as being the best student they would ever have, now it’s time to mention why you want this university specifically. Talk about the faculty, the alumni, the clubs and how it would be a major learning curve towards you fulfilling your goals. Make it sound like their financial assistance along with the curriculum and everything else would literally be the ‘golden ticket’ for you to excel in life.

 

Bonus point:

Above all, writing a scholarship essay will take a significant amount of time. There will be multiple drafts; one may sound worse than the other. That’s why, it is necessary to begin with your scholarship essay at least three weeks ahead of the submission date. You need the time to think everything through, jot all the points that would matter, omit the ones that don’t.

“Time will be your only companion on your journey to success.”

Once you have compiled everything, go through it thoroughly to ensure there aren’t any grammatical errors or typos. Let your close ones read the essay for useful feedback so that you don’t miss out on anything.

We understand that writing a scholarship-winning essay could change the trajectory of your future, and now you can accomplish it too with these helpful points. However, if it seems like too much work and you fail to put it in words, we are here to help you. We’re only a call or email away.

Till then, try writing the essay on your own.