CHERGIA: EXplorer's parADISE: Scholarship: Motivation and Tips

Motivation

What is your motivation trigger?

It is your D-R-E-A-M.

Everything starts with a dream and a burning desire to make it into reality.

If one of your dreams is to get a scholarship (especially abroad), get ready for abundance of benefits: Recognition, good sources of knowledge & research supports, financial incentives, personal development (e.g. more independent, open-minded), networking, traveling, new culture and language, career (make you a more attractive job candidate), international exposure (e.g. publication-international journal, opportunity to join or even publish your work at international forums), contribution to the nation (remember that each one of us is an ambassador for our nation).

How do I decide which scholarship I should pursue?

Begin with the end in mind.
Know your wish lists: career path (what do you want to be?), destination (which university, city and country?), duration (how long do you want to allocate your time to pursue your studies further?), coverage (€$£ what kind of support do you need?-tuition fee, living cost, settlement, transportation fee, research grant, preparation course, insurance, living cost for family).

Types

- Based: Merit-based, financial need, combination

- Provider / Sponsor: Local vs. international, government vs. NGO vs. public company vs. private company

- Coverage: Full vs. partial

- Mechanism: Get the LoA first, get the scholarship first

- Terms: Contract vs. free, specific rules

- Target: General vs. segmented/particular groups (for specific gender, specific career, people from a certain region)

Process

Actions to get scholarship:

1. Find the scholarship that suits your dream and conditions (relate to your strengths, match the scholarship eligibility)

2. Prepare and get all materials (e.g. take English course, make motivation letter, find suitable people to provide letters of recommendation)

3. Complete your application

4. Apply

5. Follow the selection process (next step could be interview or FGD)

6. Pray

Start earlier and prepare better!

General required attachments:
- Legal copy of certificates and transcripts of your previous education
- Letters of recommendation (academic/work)
- Language certificate (e.g. TOEFL, IELTS)
- Motivation letter (objective, related experience and achievement, future contribution)
- Curriculum Vitae (resume)
- Copy of identity card/passport
- Others

You sometimes need to provide examples of your past work/research/writing, financial aid statement, research proposal and other standardized tests certificate (e.g. GRE, GMAT)

Tips

20 Tips on winning the scholarship:

1. Start searching for scholarships as soon as possible

2. Do not miss deadlines, use reminder and checklist to get organized

3. Look for scholarships on bulletin boards

4. Use a free scholarship matching service (e.g. fastweb.com)

5. Join scholarship network (e.g. Indonesian fellows can subscribe facebook fanpage Pemburu Beasiswa Dalam dan Luar Negeri, beasiswa@yahoogroups.com)

6. Make sure scholarship information and offers you receive are legitimate

7. Be careful about scams and remember that you don't have to pay to find scholarships or other financial aid

8. Learn from previous scholarship receivers

9. Contact the Professor(s) at your targeted university

10. Invest your time and money to fulfil the requirements (e.g. take language course and recognized international English language exams if required)

11. Boost up your CV (win academic competition, participate in campus event, join organization, get certification, attend seminar, achieve high GPA, get publication, join student exchange)

12. Tailor your application to the sponsor’s goals

13. Personalize your essay and be passionate (make an outstanding application: write your interest, talk about your impact on other people, give examples, be specific, create a stand-out application)

14. Maintain a good relationship with your current Professors/Lecturers/Academic Adviser/Employer

15. Try to have a professional online profile (use a professional email address, remove inappropriate and immature material)

16. Proofread a printed copy of your essay and the application for spelling and grammar errors (ask for help from the expert if necessary)

17. Make sure everything is filled in neatly

18. If you are sending a printed application

a. Arrange the documents in order

b. Make a nice and clean application folder (impression that you are organized)

c. Make a photocopy of your application before mailing it and send the application by certified mail (return receipt requested with delivery confirmation)

d. Do not send original documents of your certificates (unless it is specifically requested, e.g. official IELTS certificate is required)

19. If you are sending an online application, send in PDF format

20. Focus

Available Scholarships (Examples)

- Government Scholarships: Indonesia (LPDP), US (Fulbright), European Union member countries (Erasmus: Erasmus Mundus, Erasmus Lifelong Learning Programme), Germany (DAAD), UK (Chevening), Australia (ADS, ALA, Endeavour Awards), France (Eiffel), Netherlands (NFP), Japan (Monbukagakusho), others (Chinese, Czech, Indian, Italian, Korean, New Zealand, Russian, Slovak, Swiss, Turkish Government Scholarships, etc)

- Scholarships from NGO, public and private companies

- Scholarships from internal university (check the webpage)

Conclusions

- Start dreaming and set up your target as soon as possible

- Prepare a stand-out application

- Follow the procedures and tips

- Apply to every scholarship for which you are eligible. Apply more = experience more & bigger chance

Millions of scholarships are available to students across the nation, do not miss your chance!

Good luck, scholarship hunters!

Cheers,

Citra Chergia