Funding and scholarships (2024)

FAQs

How should you answer scholarship questions? ›

A good answer is concise, provides a brief bio, and highlights why you're the right person for the scholarship. Use your answer as an opportunity to spotlight the achievements, personality traits, skills, and experiences that make you an ideal candidate for the scholarship.

How will this scholarship help you? You should answer this scholarship essay prompt by explaining how the award money will help you in at least one of the following ways: financially, professionally, and/or academically.

Briefly Describe your Financial Need for this Scholarship

I am in need of financial assistance in order to attend college because I am a low-income student. I am the 1st child to attend the college. Although my parents gave me many supports, I received a limited financial assistance due to low family income.

Receiving this scholarship will boost my self-confidence, knowing that I not only completed a very important task, but also took the responsibility of creating a foundation for getting me closer to my career goals.

Financial need is the difference between the cost of attendance (COA) at a school and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

This scholarship means more to me than just obtaining money; it also means that I am viewed as having potential for the future of our society. I will continuously have individuals to thank for my accomplishments, and I greatly appreciate the generous financial support I have been given to pursue my education.

I am planning to work during my undergraduate degree, but I do wish to focus a lot of my time on my studies. This scholarship will help by lowering the costs of college and the amount of hours I'll need to work throughout my studies. This way, I'll be able to continue with my academic achievements.

Mention hobbies, experiences and goals that match what the review committee is looking for. Something unique that sets you apart from other applicants. This may be volunteer experience, career specialties, situational differences (growing up in an area that didn't encourage education), etc.

How do you respond to winning a scholarship? ›

Talk about your Passion and Persistence. Letting your passion show through in your answer allows the committee to see your dedication. You deserve this scholarship based on your love of learning, your enjoyment of your field, or your passion for growth.

Generally this will include some sort of statement saying how much money your family makes, such as pay stubs or a bank statement. Proof of need can also include the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which essentially means how much you and your family will actually be able to contribute towards your tuition.

Thank you for enabling me to pursue my dreams. Dear [Donor Name], I am sincerely honored to have been selected as a recipient of the [Name of Scholarship]. Thanks to your generosity, it has been possible for me to [explain how receiving this scholarship has impacted your college experience].

Make your intro short and sweet. Don't simply restate the question or say how you'll be answering it. Get right into it. Whatever the overall tone of your writing — whether scholarly, casual or something else — you can engage the reader with either a pertinent story or a personal anecdote.

SUGGESTED ANSWER: “I am a very positive and happy person who has the mindset that you only get out of life what you are prepared to put in. Although I am young, I have big ambitions for my future and I know the only way I will achieve those is if I work hard, I persevere, and I am prepared to listen and learn.