How to Write Winning Statement of  Purpose for Scholarship

The Statement of Purpose (often called “letter of intent” or “application essay” or “graduate statement”) is one of the most important components of your application process.

Statement of Purpose provides the admissions committee with information that allows them to become more acquainted with who you are; what you want to study at graduate school and why; your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals.

A thoughtful and well-written statement often makes the difference between admission and denial, irrespective of other qualifications. But applicants frequently fail to do justice to themselves in statements of purpose. In what follows, I offer a few tips to help you to make your best effort. You may also like to read about Writing an Impressive Academic CV for Scholarship.

How to make your Statement of Purpose for Scholarship stand out from others?

Most ‘statements of purpose’ or ‘letters of intent’ are fine. However, unless you have a funded project and a supervisor lined up, or the rest of your application is impeccable and remarkable, then put substantive efforts into this letter. It really is your only chance to present some personal insights and life beyond the dry numbers provided by your transcripts, GREs, and other such documents.

Nowhere else can you directly demonstrate personality, motivation, maturity, interest, enthusiasm, diligence, commitment, and so on. The importance of this letter and its personal attributes become amplified in an application that is in any way ‘marginal’, or that has no specific faculty supporting or justifying it. Your letter must then be even more able to stand out, and be noticed, on its own. Most reviewers are unfortunately (and perhaps understandably) not going to work hard at finding reasons to accept you.

Statements of purpose is also your opportunity to account for anything about your ‘data’ that would benefit from further explanation. You can assist reviewers in their interpretations of your ‘record’ by highlighting your strongest and most relevant points, especially any not well covered elsewhere in your application.

Similarly, you can work to prevent reviewers’ misinterpretations or oversimplifications by being candid about any minor shortcomings and by indicating how you are, or will be, addressing those. Basically, be clever in, and work at, presenting yourself favorably, but also always remain honest and never promote yourself beyond reasonable reality. Remember that there is the proverbial fine line between saying too much and not saying enough.

What is the difference between Personal Statement and Statement of Purpose?

One way to think about Personal Statement is that, in general, undergraduate programs are interested in you as a person and what you may offer to enrich their overall university community.

Statement of Purpose describes your “brain,” the scientist you have become and will grow to be. You are now the scientist and any personal information should be related to your scientific approach and how you will enrich the scientific world.

What is the difference between SOP for Doctoral and Master’s Programs?

A statement of purpose for a doctoral program is different than one for a master’s program. A master’s program is not inferior to a doctoral program; it is merely different. Therefore, it would be wrong to infer that standards for a statement of purpose in an application to a doctoral program are higher than the standards applicable to master’s applications. But the standards are certainly different.

For example, in a statement of application to master’s in the Social Sciences, an excellent statement of purpose might or might not indicate any particular research topic that the student wishes to pursue in the program. Being unclear about these matters is not inappropriate when one is applying to a broadly focused master’s program. But being unclear about them would certainly be a liability in a doctoral application.

Academic programs are more intensively specialized at the doctoral level, and a corresponding degree of specialization and precision in the way, applicants specify their academic purposes is reasonably expected. Evidence of your familiarity with the educational research currently under way at the university is probably a good thing to see in any statement of purpose, even at the master’s level.

But in a doctoral application, it is extremely important to show that your interests converge closely with the current research of faculty who work in the program to which you are applying. Therefore the doctoral applicants should certainly do this, and they don’t, they will forfeit an important competitive advantage to those who take care of the above described points.

Tips on Writing an Impressive Statement of Purpose for Scholarship:

(1)  Do your Homework:

1. Browse through the websites of the schools/departments/programs of interest to you. Obtain brochures and booklets and read through them carefully. Highlight the aspects of the programs that appeal to you.
2. Read up on the research interests and projects of the faculty in the schools/departments/programs. Read publications from a faculty of interest.
3. Browse through recent articles from the research field of interest and try to get a general understanding of how the field developed and what are its current problems and challenges.

(2)  Reflect and Brainstorm (on paper):

1. Reflect on your intellectual development.
   • What and when were the major moments in your life that have led you to your current research interest(s) and school/department/program?
   • What or who influenced your decision or interest (i.e. role models)? What quality about them appealed to you?
   • What personal characteristics (for example, integrity, compassion, and/or persistence) do you possess that would improve your prospects for success in the field or profession? Is there a way to demonstrate or document that you have these characteristics?
2. What skills (for example, leadership, communicative, analytical) do you possess?
3. Why did you choose your research topic(s)/field/school?
4. Why did you choose your undergraduate major?
5. What are your career goals?
   • Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
   • What do you hope to accomplish?
   • What drives you? What motivates you?

(3)  Outline your Statement of Purpose:

1. From the results of Stage II, determine a central theme/topic that stands out or dominates your reflections and brainstorm.
2. Using bullet points and brief comments/statements, organize your reflections and brainstorm ideas that strengthen the central theme/topic of your statement of purpose.
   • Concentrate on your life experiences and give specific examples.
   • Put down only those things that excite you
   • Do not make things up!
3. Your outline should cover these areas and, preferably, in this order:
   • What aspects of the school/department/program appeals to you?
   • What are your research interest(s)?
   • How did you become interested in your current research topic/area?
   • How did you prepare or are preparing to address the issues in this research area/topic (i.e. research experiences, courses, etc.)?
   • What are your future goals for graduate school (i.e. Ph.D.)?
   • What are your career goals (i.e. professorship)?
   • What characteristics of the school/department/program can help you accomplish your goals?
   • What positive aspects do you bring to the school/department/program?

(4)  Write Draft of Statement of Purpose:

When writing your statement of purpose:

1. Be Yourself. Be mindful that you are seeking a program that is a good match for you. Do not disguise who you are or second-guess what the committee is looking for. Always use positive language when referring to yourself. What the admissions committee will read between the lines: self-motivation, competence, potential as a graduate student.
2. Write a Strong Opening and closing paragraph. You want to stand out from the multitude of other applicants. Write an opening that grabs the reader’s attention.
3. Use transition words, sentences and paragraphs. Your statement must read smoothly.
4. Frame the points you wish to make in a positive light. You do not want to reveal weaknesses in your personality.
5. Describe an important experience that is relevant to the program of interest. It is usually good to place this portion of the essay towards the opening. This experience may have contributed to the person that you are today. Make a point to note that in your writing.
6. Demonstrate everything by example; don’t say directly that you’re a persistent person, show it.
7. Be Specific, Concise, Honest and Unique.
8. Describe why you are a good match for their program. Tell the committee about your skills and interest in that particular program. Be specific and thoughtful.
9. Talk about your goals. Explain how a graduate degree will help you accomplish those goals.
10. Explain any shortcomings in your background. (i.e. You had a poor GPA during your freshman year in college. Put a positive spin on this explanation and illuminate how your GPA has improved as you matured.)
11. Thank the admissions committee for their time at the end of your statement of purpose.
12. Unless the specific program says otherwise, be concise; an ideal essay should say everything it needs to with brevity. Approximately 500 to 1000 well-selected words (1-2 single space pages in 12 point font) is better than more words with less clarity and poor organization.

(5)  Do not Stress:

If you find that you are still having difficulties completing your Statement of Purpose, do not stress. Take a few days and put this task aside. You will find that other activities will jog your mind and creativity, providing you with ideas and content to incorporate into your paper.

A Statement of Purpose requires time and thoughtfulness. You want to sell yourself to the committee and in order to do that you need to put your best foot forward. Be honest. Most importantly, be yourself. Keep working on the statement of purpose, even after you have already sent it to school(s) with earlier deadline(s).

(6)  Ask for Critique, Revise and Edit:

1. When you are finished with your draft statement of purpose, read it out loud to yourself and make corrections.
2. Ask friends, colleagues and professors to read your edited draft. Taking their comments into consideration, revise and edit your draft.

Things to Avoid When Writing a Statement of Purpose for Scholarship:

1. Errors, misspellings, poor English.
2. Submit a handwritten essay (unless requested).
3. “Talk down” to your audience. Your audience does not need to have basic terminology defined for them. Be mindful that they are already experts in the program that you are applying for.
4. Be too personal in your essay. Do not focus on deep personal problems or excuses for past performances or experiences.
5. Be repetitive or too general in your statements.
6. Criticize other school programs.
7. Use uncommon words that look like they came from a thesaurus.
8. Write an autobiography. You want to give the committee a sense of who you are but they do not want to hear about your entire life story. Be specific and mindful of your personal details.
9. Submit untruthful or irrelevant information in your essay.
10. You do not want to copy and submit another student’s letter of intent.
11. Be overly informal.

How to organize Statement of Purpose for Scholarship?

1. A “hook” that demonstrates your passion for the field
2. Segue to your background in the field
3. Description of your academic background in the field
   • Specific classes you have taken, given by name
   • Specific professors you have had, especially if well-known in that field
4. Extracurricular activities in the field
5. Publications or other professional accomplishments in the field (perhaps conference presentations or public readings)
6. Explanations about problems in background (if needed)
7. Explanation of why you have chosen the specific grad school
   • Mention one or two professors in that school and what you know of and appreciate about their work.
   • Specific features of the grad program which attract you.

 

How to Write Scholarship Recommendation Letter

Academic and professional letters of recommendation are decisive in many admission processes for international study programs and several scholarship calls. That is why I will give you the best advice that has helped me and my clients study and win scholarships abroad.

What is a letter of recommendation for Scholarship?

The letters of recommendation or references in academic processes and scholarships are a document in which a third party describes who he is, explains how he knows you and gives the reasons why he recommends you for the respective study or scholarship program.

In this way, the institution or the scholarship provider seeks a second opinion on what you propose, and thus verify your character and your performance. In other words, the main function of the recommendation letter is to corroborate the information you have given in other documents (such as the CV and the Motivation Letter ) and obtain additional information about your profile.

Who should write Recommendation Letter for Scholarship?

Unlike what is generally believed, letters of recommendation need not be written by “important people” such as the dean of the faculty or the general manager of the company with whom you have worked.

Institutions want letters from people who have had direct contact with you and know your personality and performance firsthand. Therefore, when choosing a reference, it is best to opt for professors, thesis supervisors, bosses or in some cases co-workers.

NOTE: These people may not know how to write a letter, want to make sure they give you what you need and / or don’t have the time to write it. Therefore you will be asked to give them guidance and even in some cases that you write recommendation letter and make them read and sign later. Therefore, you can share and / or take into account the following tips:

Header Tips for Recommendation Letter

Recent date: Avoid delivering letters that you have previously requested for other calls and that are generic.

Title or motive: “Letter of Recommendation” or “Reference”

Targeted specifically to the program / scholarship provider: The letter of recommendation must explicitly state for whom it is demonstrating personalization and importance. That is why it is important to avoid things like: “To whom it may concern.” Some good examples are:

• “Colleagues of the Faculty of Economic Sciences …”
• “Members of the admissions committee….”
• “University of ….”

Content Tips for Recommendation Letter

Your letter of recommendation should contain the following elements:

Reason: The person who recommends you explains the reasons why you are going and explicitly mentions the program to which he is recommending you.

Who he is and how he knows you: The person who recommends you should mention his position, the institution he works with and the relationship he has with you. For example:

• “As a teacher of the course of International Relations of the National University …”
• “David was my student for the class of…”

Description of the program or work: It is important that the reference contextualizes the reader about the nature of the program or the work performed by the person whom he recommends. And in this way give it the importance it deserves. For example:

• “The Mechanical Engineering program requires about 20 hours of study …”
• “Teamwork is essential to develop these activities …”
• “It’s a position with a lot of responsibility since …”

The reasons why he recommends you: Very related to the previous one, here the person who recommends you describes your personality, academic and / or professional skills that make you the ideal candidate for the program to which you are applying. For example:

• “Pepe showed … and good handling of… .. ”
• “During the time that Juana worked with me, she stood out for her…. Y ….”
• “I recognize Pepe as a person….,…. Y …..”
• “Joan managed …”

Recommendation reinforcement: In the final part of the letter the person who recommends you should emphasize that you are the right person for the program you are applying with things like:

• “I’m sure Pepe will bring great value to the program of … … and university x”
• “I strongly believe that Juana… ..”
• “He is also … and …”

For more information and dismissal:  It is a good idea that the person who recommends you is open to answer questions by the selection committee and therefore must demonstrate it at the end of the letter with things like:

• “For more questions, do not hesitate to contact me”
• “I will be willing to solve the questions you may have”

Tips to get very good letters of recommendation for scholarship

Ask for them in time: The people who are going to write your letter of recommendation will most likely have several responsibilities and therefore will need at least 1 month to write your letter of motivation. Keep that time in mind and the application deadline so you can send all the complete documentation on time.

Share your CV and motivation letter to these people: Ideally, the people who are going to write your letter of recommendation know what you have done and your motivation to be part of the program to which you apply. Therefore it is highly recommended that you meet with them to share your experience and plans, or to share documents such as your curriculum vitae and motivation letter.

For academic recommendation letters: If you graduated more than 2 years ago and have not kept in touch with your professors, you must be very careful in the person you choose to serve as a reference and the way you approach him to ask for it.

You can think of teachers with whom you stood out or with whom you had the greatest contact so that when you contact them and tell them that it is you, they can remember you more easily.  

I recommend that before asking anything you make some initial contacts to resume the relationship . You can achieve this through an email, a phone call or even a personal visit to update the person in what you have done during the time that has passed, tell them your plans to continue your studies and ask about their opinion.

Formatting Tips for Scholarship Recommendation Letter

It complies with the guidelines that you are asked for: For example, in some cases the institution may ask you that the letter of recommendation be in a previously defined format, that it be written by specific people and / or that it be sent in a sealed envelope. If so, follow those instructions because they are application requirements that, if not met, can mean your immediate disqualification. 

Language: If it is for an English program, it is ideal that it be written in that language and that the person serving as a reference can answer questions in that language. However, it is not mandatory that it be handled in this way because you can attach an official translation to your letter of recommendation.

Size: It is recommended that the letter of recommendation be between 1 and maximum 1.5 pages in Times New Roman , Arial or Calibri , size 12 and with normal spacing and margins. This way you make sure it is concrete but descriptive enough.  

Letterhead: Ideally, the letter should be written on a letterhead of the institution to which the teacher belongs or the organization where your boss works. This gives the document more formality and therefore more confidence.

Contact information: The letter must clearly include the telephone, postal address and email of the person who recommends you. In this way, the evaluating institution is given the opportunity to contact the person who recommends you to verify the information.

 

How to write a Motivation Letter for Scholarship (5 Examples)

The motivation letter is what sets you apart from the rest when applying for a scholarship. A winning motivation letter has not only helped us win scholarships (academic and professional practice) but also to find employment with large companies. Now we want to tell you everything you have to keep in mind while writing a motivation letter for scholarship. Here we will teach you to develop your own template so that you can apply to multiple calls and increasing your chances of winning scholarships abroad.

Motivation letter for scholarship should include your academic achievements. It should explain: Why are you the ideal candidate? How do your skills and abilities contribute to the university or country? You should show the desire that you want to learn and contribute new knowledge.

Note: This does not mean that academic performance, experience and recognition do not matter and that just having an attractive and clear motivation letter will be enough to get the scholarship. Your achievements and skills make you the right candidate for the scholarship and the motivation letter helps you excel as indicated.

Before Writing your Motivation Letter for Scholarship:

Investigate the institution and the country you want to travel to and study. What profile does the institution or the scholarship provider looking for? Browse its official page, review the sections: About, Our Culture, Philosophy, among others, and analyze the institution. Do they value leadership more or the ability to work as a team? Are they socially responsible and concerned about the environment? What is the role of ethics? Or are they more focused on numbers and concrete results?

This research will not only help you shape your motivation letter according to the interests of the institution but also to find out if this opportunity suits your interests.

Strategy 1: Review the Mission and Vision of the institutions and analyze profiles of faculty members. Use synonyms of the words they use in the motivation letter.

Strategy 2: Check the section of testimonies of students (scholars or not) or employees of the institution. Sometimes they have official videos and what they say also helps you to analyze and find out if you like the program and then address your motivation letter accordingly.

How to write a winning motivation letter for Scholarship?

Now that you have made the respective analysis, it is time to write a winning motivation letter for scholarship. The letter of motivation must have the following points:

(1)  Title and header:

Title: “Letter of motivation for [scholarship to which you are applying]”

Header:

• Full name
• Address + postal code
• Phone
• e-mail
• Optional: Skype and social networks
• Header position : I recommend upper right but upper left can also be.

(2)  Introduction:

Start with formal greeting and to the point, mention the reason for this letter. “Through this I want … apply to the scholarship … published in …. “. Also answer briefly: why are you applying to this scholarship, what motivated you from the program? In this way, you can write concisely about what you like about the institution and / or country to which you are applying for scholarship. And finally, do not forget to mention your objective and how it relates to the objectives of the program to which you are applying. Example: “… I’ve been looking for an international experience for … And I trust that the study program X in the institution can help me …. ”

(3)  Who are you? 

This is the second paragraph of the motivation letter where you should write:

• Your academic achievements.
• Why are you the ideal candidate?

Tip: No matter what kind of achievements you have had, write them down in a way that demonstrates the value they bring to the institution or country to which you apply.

(4)  How do you contribute?

Just as you really want to learn and travel, how do your skills and abilities contribute to the university or country? You can place things like “increase the knowledge of my colleagues about my country, participate in sports or art activities etc”

(5)  Demonstrate in advance that you know who you are addressing (institution and / or country):

You mentioned it in the introduction but here you must give more details of your motivation. According to the previous research: Why does the program mean so much to you? How the research projects and facilities of the institution and country will help you to achieve your goals?

(6)  Final words:

You and I know that you really want to do this, prove it! Show the desire that you want to learn and contribute new knowledge. Here are words like “I am very motivated by …” “it would be an honor and the beginning of a road full of …” etc

(7)  Acknowledgments and dismissal:

Again, time is supremely valuable, so we must thank the reader for giving attention and make it clear that you are looking forward to work with them. Finish with “Cordially” or “Cordial Greetings” is more than good.

 

How to Write Academic CV for Scholarship (10 Examples)

Academic CV for scholarship should be short and specific. It is recommended to use Times New Roman font and bullets, bold and capital letters to show relevant information to the reader. The information must be in chronological order. Don’t fall a prey to clichés rather portray something unique about yourself.

The role of academic CV is to capture the attention of the scholarship provider so that it continues with the Motivation Letter, which aims to finish convincing him that your candidacy is the most indicated above all others. An ill-planned academic CV may rope in scholarship denial.

This makes the CV one of the most important documents in the evaluation process. We want to tell you some tips based on our experience of winning scholarships and successfully advising other people in their application processes.

Reflect and Brainstorm your Academic CV

Before starting to write your resume, you must make an assessment of yourself and determine the elements of your professional, academic and personal experience which you will place on paper.

Initially you should gather as much information as possible to have a broader view of what you have to offer, and then you should choose which ones to show and how to do it. Remember that the scholarship provider has the final word, so research about him and the profile he seeks . Based on this, select and highlight the most relevant skills and experiences in your Curriculum Vitae (CV).

You can start the research by reading the description of the scholarship and its requirements very well. You can also check the profiles of other fellows studying on that scholarship. Many times the scholarship providers publish articles or institutional videos in which other scholars share their experience and that is your opportunity to analyze their profile.

When you do your research identify key words and write them down in a list, so you know how to address your CV (resume). For example, you will know if you should focus more on the academic, professional or personal skills and experiences. It can also help you for example, to know if you should show more as a researcher, leader, creative or socially aware.

How to Organize Academic CV for Scholarship?

All CVs must have three parts: contact information, education and professional experience. However, I recommend that you add other sections that make it easier for the reader to identify relevant characteristics such as: Certificates and acknowledgments, Volunteering and other experiences, Software Skills and Languages.

Contact:

At the top of the page or in the header you must show your full name and your contact information such as address, phone and email. Avoid placing words such as “CV”, “Curriculum Vitae” or “Resume” which do not make it look professional.

Education:

Normally it goes first because it is what will allow you to show that you meet the basic entry requirements. For example, if you are applying to a PhD , you have already completed a Master’s degree; or if you apply to a master’s degree, you have already completed your undergraduate degree.

Write only the title obtained, the institution, the year of graduation, along with the city and country where you studied. Add special recognition or your qualifications, if they were outstanding

Work Experience:

Do not limit yourself to describing the tasks that you carried out, but include your achievements and measurable results. With this you are demonstrating to the reader that you leave a trace where you work and that you are aware of the impact of your work. Also write it as the first person, but avoids the use of “I”. Remember that it is about what you have done and, therefore, you are the main character of what you present.

For example, instead of writing “sales and event organization” you better write “I increased sales by 20% over the same period last year and organized events with budgets of more than 500,000 USD.” Always clearly refer to true facts.

Languages:

Show the languages ​​you speak with the respective level: native, basic, intermediate or advanced. Avoid getting entangled with numerical scales that make it difficult for the reader to understand.

Personal Skills:

As you mention your technical skills, also mention your personal skills. This section is vital so that the reader can quickly recognize that you have the profile that interests him. In addition, with this you can also demonstrate self-knowledge and balance.

Other Key Sections:

If you have written publications or have been awarded prizes or certificates that complement your formal academic training, you can organize them in a section to highlight your achievements. Also provide links (DOI numbers) to your publications if available. Similarly, if you have experience in extracurricular activities or volunteering , I recommend that you organize them in another section to quickly demonstrate your pro-activity and social awareness.

Do I have to include Professional Profile in Academic CV for Scholarship?

The professional profile is a section with which some people decide to start their CV in the form of presentation. However, it can become a repetition of what you will surely write in your motivation letter. For this reason and also because CV is about being as concise as possible, I would avoid to include it in the CV . But if you want to use it, do not write more than one paragraph or five lines of text.

Do I have to include my picture in Academic CV for Scholarship?

Regarding the photo, it depends a lot on the call, the institution and the country to which you are applying. But in general terms, I recommend you to place a professional photo in your CV which will help the reader to have an idea of ​​who is speaking. The photo should be one in which you appear with a friendly and happy gesture. Avoid forced smiles and serious gestures.

How to write a winning CV for Scholarships?

An ill-planned academic CV may rope in scholarship denial. We have elucidated 8 ways of making your academic CV (resume) sound very effective and powerful.

1. Short and specific: Depending on the number of applications, the reader of your CV can spend only 30 seconds to read it. That is why you should try to place all the content in maximum 2 pages.
2. Simple format, but NOT flat. Use bullets, bold and capital letters to show relevant information to the reader. It is also recommended that you use more than one column and that you separate the sections clearly to facilitate reading. Avoid unconventional designs and the mix of colors, unless you are applying to an arts program.
3. Be specific with the information you submit. Indicates institutions, titles and dates. The information must be in chronological order from the most recent to the oldest.
4. Use the correct time. The activities that you are not already doing must be in the past and those that you are still doing in the present. It seems silly but it happens.
5. Check the spelling. Whether you write in English, your spelling says a lot about how you communicate and the level of language proficiency. Since self-correcting is not always successful, ask your friends and professors to review each word and phrase.
6. Don’t fall a prey to clichés: For example you should not write the sentences like, “If given a chance, I will prove my mettle” or “I am passionate about”. Rather portray something unique about yourself.
7. Do not display fancy emails on your Resume: Many of us these days have an email id by the time we were at the age of 12-13. Those days of life were really funny we tried emails with such peppy, funky ids. Many of us retain those funny sounding emails like showerofpetals@gmail.com, tigerforyou@hotmail.com etc. These sound utterly unprofessional. Create an email id that simply states your name. Use that in your resume.
8. Let your resume look consistent: Use a common font for all the points mentioned in your resume. Times New Roman size 12 looks decent. Go for this. You may have a slightly bigger font (Say Times New Roman 14) for the subtitles

Academic CV Samples:

ScholarshipRoar.com has compiled a list of CV samples for scholarship from world top university websites. These includes sample sample CV for master scholarship and sample CV for PhD scholarship. These can also be modified for sample CV for undergraduate scholarship with slight tweaking. We hope this list will help you in writing effective and winning academic CV for scholarship.

• Michigan State University Academic CV Guide and Samples
• London School of Economics and Political Science CV Examples
• University of Toronto Academic CV Tips and Samples
• The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign CV Guide and Samples
• University of Kent UK Academic CV Sample for Postgraduate Studies
• McGill University Academic CV Guide and Samples
• PennState College of Earth and Mineral Sciences Academic CV Samples
• Griffith University Australia Academic CV Template
• University of Birmingham CVs for Postgraduate Study