Scholarships can vary greatly depending on the country, requirements, and eligibility criteria. But don't worry! One simple strategy can help you approach all scholarships: the "Crave to Eat" strategy
Step 1: Motivation
The very 1st step in the "Crave to Eat" strategy is finding your motivation. Just like you crave good food, you need to crave the scholarship you want. It's important to have a strong motivation to start working on your application. Ask yourself why you want the scholarship. Is it to live an independent life? To support your family? While these may be perks of the scholarship, they won't motivate you to complete a graduate degree. The key is to find your passion, the area of research you want to work on, and visualize the impact you can create. That will be your motivation.
Step 2: Shopping aka Checklist
Once you've established your motivation, the next step is to gather more information about the scholarship. Just like you check what's in your fridge before going shopping for ingredients, you should visit the scholarship's website and check the eligibility criteria, deadline, and required materials. Make a checklist of everything you need, including any aptitude tests, language proficiency tests, and required documents. Be sure to also note the last date to apply, any required letters from others, and any work experience requirements.
Step 3: Ingredients/Spices
In this step, you'll want to think about what makes your application stand out from the rest. Read through the scholarship brochure and look for any preferences for experienced professionals, cultural exchange opportunities, or leadership qualities. Think about your unique contributions, such as additional courses or workshops you've taken, social work, or volunteer leadership activities. Write these down on your checklist as "spices" to add to your application.
Step 4: Planning
Visualize your final outcome – the scholarship – and imagine how you'll feel when you receive it. But don't just focus on the outcome; also imagine the hard work you'll need to put in. Use your checklist to schedule your milestones, starting with the deadline for submitting your application and working backward to today. Be realistic in scheduling your tasks and give yourself enough time for writing essays, contacting professors, and other tasks.
By following these four steps, the "Crave to Eat" strategy will help you approach scholarship applications with motivation and a clear plan. Start craving that scholarship today!
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