Tuition can be a costly expense regardless of the educational level or the school you chose to attend. To help alleviate some or even all of the costs involved in attendance, you can apply for one or more scholarships. Application processes vary, but most require at least a cover letter and a completed form. Since the application is generally your only chance to make a good impression on the scholarship committee offering the scholarship, it's of vital importance that you fill out the application correctly and completely. Following a few general steps ensures you provide the necessary information for consideration.
Instructions
1. Use a word processor to type out any letter you need to write to accompany the form. Use a standard font when writing your letter, such as Times New Roman or Calibri with a font size of 11 or 12 for easy readability.
2. Open the letter with the date placed on the first line, followed by a blank line and then the name and address of the person to whom you're sending the application. Leave another blank space then place a salutation, such as "Dear," followed by the recipient's name, or "To whom it may concern" if the name is unknown.
3. Write about yourself, your educational accomplishments and your reasoning behind making the application within the body of the letter. Keep the information brief and concise as the details are meant to go into the scholarship form itself. Place a blank line at the end of the letter body.
4. End the accompanying letter by thanking the recipient. Leave a blank line after the thank you, and then place your contact information, including name, address, telephone number and email address. Sign the letter.
5. Fill out the actual application form using black or blue ink and printing for legibility. Pay close attention to any instructions provided to ensure that you include all information requested.
6. Place your identifying and contact information in the biographical section of the form. Fill out the secondary identifying information such as present academic year, and race if the scholarship is minority-based.
7. Complete the section of the form asking for information concerning your personal and professional goals. Be positive in your response, narrowing down broad areas into specifics related towards the scholarship when possible. This is the appropriate section to use for describing how your intended education will help achieve those goals.
8. Fill out the section on your educational information. You may need your school records to complete this section accurately as they'll likely ask about past schools, as well as your current one. Include any awards or other scholarships received in this section as well.
9. Complete the programs and activities section with a list of your extracurricular activities. Start the list with those related to the scholarship program. Include a brief description of the activity or program, as well as any leadership positions held and the length of your participation. You may also need to include work history in this section, including any internships held or public service/volunteer work done.
10. Write any essays the application requires. Make certain you closely follow any essay restrictions as to length or subject matter. Proofread before moving on or have someone else proofread your work to catch any mistakes.
11. Attach any accompanying information, such as supporting documents, references or essays where space was unavailable on the application form, neatly to the application form.
