Apply
Application process for any scholarship
This section gives a clear and simple guide to scholarships, explaining key terms, types of scholarships, what they cover, and who can apply.
How to apply
The application process is a necessary part of applying for any scholarship programme. Most often, the application process consists of the following activities, all of which have a deadline:
- Collecting the necessary educational documents
- Filling out the application form
- Filling out and collecting other application documents
- Standardised test-taking (most often language tests)
- Submitting the necessary documents to the scholarship administration centre within the given deadline
- An interview, which is a common part of the application process (usually scheduled after one or two pre-selections)
The period to perform these activities is the given period between the announcement of the call for scholarship applications and the final deadline for submitting the applications. In most cases, the period lasts for about two or three months.
It is important to find out the month or at least part of the year when the calls for scholarship applications of your interest are announced. That way you will spot the calls in time and make sure that you have enough time to prepare a good application.
Application materials
After finding a call for scholarship applications that you would like to apply for, you need to study the terms of the application carefully to establish whether your qualifications, education and experience fit the candidate profile.
If the call for scholarship applications is not clear enough, you will need to contact the administration centre personally and check if you qualify as a candidate for that scholarship. Only after establishing that you meet all the necessary criteria should you begin to prepare your application and collect the application documents.
The list of the application documents that you need to fill out and/or collect is stated in the call or the application form. Most often it includes the following:
- Application form
- Letter of motivation (personal essay, statement of purpose, etc.)
- Academic essay
- Educational documents
- Curriculum vitae (CV, résumé)
- Letter(s) of recommendation
Some of the forms you will have to fill out (application form), some you will have to collect (educational documents), some you will have to write yourself in line with specific instructions or formats (CV, statement of purpose, academic essay etc.), and some of them will have to be written by other people for you (letters of recommendation).
It is always good to make a copy of the entire application for your own archive.
Application form
The application form is the basic and compulsory document of any scholarship application. Most often it is attached to the scholarship announcement itself. Depending on the call, the application form can be filled out on-line or in printed form. The application form contains the candidate’s personal information (name, surname, contact information), as well as information on the candidate’s academic and extracurricular or professional achievements (education, awards, etc.).
Useful advice:
- Study the application form carefully before filling it out
- Write your name the same way throughout the application form
- All data that you state in the application form must be clear and accurate
- When in doubt on how to fill out a section or answer a question in the application form, contact the administration centre (you will find their contacts either in the call announcement or the application form itself)
Application form samples:
- Scholarship application template | Cognito Forms (Source: https://www.cognitoforms.com/; English)
- 50 Scholarship Application Templates and Forms (Source: https://templatelab.com/; English)
Additional information:
- Useful application tool Apply to college with Common App
Letter of motivation
A letter of motivation (also called a “statement of purpose” or “personal essay”) is a brief essay in which you explain what you hope to achieve during your studies or the scholarship program for which you are applying, as well as what qualifies you as a top candidate for the scholarship. The letter of motivation is an extremely important part of the application documents because it provides the selection committee with a description of your personality, as well as in what way you plan to contribute to and benefit from the scholarship program for which you are applying.
Useful advice:
- Make sure you know the exact format of the letter of motivation required by the competition before you start writing (required number of words/pages, spaces, etc.)
- Make sure your text is clear and readable.
Examples of letters of motivation:
- Statement of purpose #1 (Source: http://owl.english.purdue.edu; English)
- Statement of purpose #3 (Source: http://www.accepted.com; English)
- Statement of purpose #4 (Source: http://www.uni-mainz.de/; English)
Additional helpful information:
- How to write a motivational letter (Source: Resume Genius; English)
- Statement of purpose #3 (Source: http://www.accepted.com; English)
- Statement of purpose #4 (Source: http://www.uni-mainz.de/; English)
Additional helpful information:
- How to write a motivational letter (Source: Resume Genius; English)
- Useful phrases that make a good essay (Source: oxford-royale.com; English)
Academic essay
The academic essay is your chance to provide the selection committee with an insight into the quality of your writing skills. Depending on the call, you will need to write one or more academic essays (or submit abstracts of formerly written texts). The topics given are usually connected with the area of study for which you are applying. Like any other essay-writing, academic essay-writing has certain rules (structure: introduction, body, conclusion) that need to be followed.
Useful advice for academic essays:
- Make sure your writing is clear and structured.
- Be careful with citations and plagiarism.
- Academic writing usually involves using different resources (reference literature, Internet resources etc.) and citing other people’s works. Your sources must always be clearly stated, and citation rules strictly applied (using quotation marks, inserting footnotes or end-text notes, etc.).
- Avoid long citations and paraphrasing.
Examples of academic essays:
- 14 college essay examples from top 25 universities (2024-2025)
(Source: Shemmassian academic consulting; English) - 27 Outstanding college essay examples from top universities 2024.
(Source: College Essay Guy | College Application and Essay Help; English) - Example of a Great Essay: explanations, tips&tricks
(Source: Scribbr – Your path to academic success; English)
Additional advice on how to draft a successful essay:
- Oxford students essay and dissertation writing skills
- Harvard students Strategies for essay writing
- Scribendi How to write an academic essay in 6 simple steps
- Monash university How to build an essay
Educational documents
Educational documents comprise official grade transcripts and certificates of accomplished education degrees (diplomas, certificates etc.). Educational documents are usually a compulsory part of the application.
Official grade transcripts and certificates are issued by the relevant institution of secondary/post-secondary education where the degree was earned.
If the educational documents are issued in a language other than that required by the scholarship call, they need to be translated and certified. Court interpreters translate and certify educational documents for the purposes of applying for study or scholarship programs abroad.
If the call requires that only the originals of the documents be submitted, but you are not able to part with your original documents (like your diploma, for instance), you can make certified copies at a public notary’s office. A copy certified by a public notary has the value equal to that of an original. A certified copy of a document can also be translated and certified by a court interpreter.
Curriculum vitae (CV, résumé)
A résumé or curriculum vitae (CV) is a chronological description of your academic, extracurricular, and professional achievements. Writing a CV is a crucial step when applying for a scholarship or a job. The aim of any CV is to present a candidate’s qualifications, skills, and abilities in such a way that will interest the selection committee into inviting the candidate for an interview.
Apart from personal information (first and last name, contacts), a CV usually contains the following information:
- Formal and informal education
- Work experience (if applicable and relevant for the application)
- Language and digital skills
- Awards and recognitions
- Published works and papers
- Community work
- Previous scholarships
- Other relevant experience and achievements
The usual length of a CV is 1-3 pages for undergraduate and (post)graduate applications, 2-5 pages for doctoral studies applications, 5 or more pages for a research application and 1-2 pages for a job application.
Useful advice:
- Make sure your qualifications, skills and abilities are presented in a clear and logical manner
- Check your text for spelling and grammar mistakes
- Concentrate on the critical issues: leave out details that you do not consider relevant in your application
- Do not make your CV too long: it needs to be clear and concise
- Tailor your CV to the application/program/job for which you are applying
- Ask someone to read your CV after it is finished.
Additional useful advice on how to write a good CV:
- How to make a resume
- How to make a CV (Source: Zety; English)
- How to write a CV (Source: Resume Builder novoresume.com; English)
Europass CV
Europass CV is a résumé format used in academic and job applications. The Europass CV is officially recommended by the European Commission. It is simple to use because it consists of several logical sections.
Here you will find Instructions for using the Europass CV and one Example of a Europass CV
The Europass CV is one of the five documents that make up the Europass. The Europass is a set of documents that can help you present your skills and qualifications in a way that is easily comparable and recognisable in all of Europe, that is if Europe is the destination of your educational program, job search or work experience.
Letters of recommendation
A letter of recommendation is a letter written by a professor (academic letter of recommendation) or employer (professional letter of recommendation), which describes your qualifications and personal traits that make you a suitable candidate for the scholarship, study program or job that you are applying for. The aim of the recommendation is to provide the selection committee with a better insight into your strong points, to make a more informed decision on whether you fit the candidate profile. Depending on the competition, you may be required to submit one or more letters of recommendation.
Letters of recommendation need to follow a certain structure. Most often the competition will provide a required form of the letter of recommendation you need to submit. If the letter of recommendation form is not provided by the competition, we suggest you contact the administration centre.
Who can write a letter of recommendation?
- teachers/professors
- academic advisors
- current or former employers
- business associates
- anyone who is well acquainted with your academic and/or professional work and achievements.
Unless the call specifies otherwise, it is recommended that you submit both academic and professional letters of recommendation.
It is important to notify the person who will write the letter of recommendation about the format, purpose, and final deadline for submitting the letter, and leave them enough time to write it.
In order to make sure you receive a good letter of recommendation, make sure that the person who is writing it gets an insight into additional information on your achievements (provide them with your CV, grade transcript, a list of your work/volunteering/internship experiences, a list or abstracts of your research papers, presentations, awards, programs and workshops, papers graded by the letter-writer, etc.). You may also want to make sure to save a digital copy of your letters of recommendation (as they might get lost in the mail).
Depending on the call, you can either email the letters of recommendation yourself, together with the rest of your application documents, or they can be sent in by the person who wrote them.
Samples of letters of recommendation:
- Sample letters of recommendation (for employment)
(Source: http://jobsearchtech.about.com; English) - Sample Recommendation Letter Examples for Students
(Source: Rigorous Themes – WordPress, Productivity, Technology, Gadgets)
Additional helpful information:
Standardised tests
Depending on the call, standardized test-taking can also be part of the application process. There are different kinds of standardized tests: language tests, tests of skills or abilities, entrance exams etc. When it comes to applying for a scholarship program abroad, the most common standardized tests are language tests.
In most cases, standardized tests’ results are submitted with the rest of the application documents before the competition deadline. In some cases, standardized tests can be taken after the final deadline or even after the first round of selection.
Useful advice
- You need to register for a standardised test before taking it. Some standardised tests have registration deadlines.
- Taking a preparation course and/or using preparation books can help you achieve better results
Interview
Depending on the call, an interview can also be part of the selection process. All the necessary information about the interview is stated in the call. If you have been invited for an interview, this means that you have submitted all the required application documents and that your application was successful in passing the first round of selection.
The interview also means that you have another opportunity to present your worth to the selection committee. If you do not perform well at the interview, your application will most likely be eliminated from further selection. Therefore, it is in your best interest to prepare for the interview as best as you can.
How to prepare for an interview?
- Study the competition and the program carefully, find out as much as you can about the program and the institution providing it
- Research the institution’s web page and try to get in touch with people who may have already gone through the same application process
- Note down any interesting facts about the program or institution, including aspects you do not understand or would like to know more about. These questions will come in useful when it is your turn to ask questions at the interview
- Go through the documents you submitted in the application, as well as your CV and motivation letter, paying special attention to the competition requirements/criteria that you must meet
- Try to find out how long the interview will last, who the interviewers will be, and the questions they are more likely to ask. One of the most common questions is: “What makes you a top candidate for this program?”
The aim of the interview is to provide the selection committee with a more detailed picture of aspects they were not able to assess from your application documents: your personality, accessibility, the way you think and answer questions, etc. Therefore, you should expect the interview to be held in a formal atmosphere, with yourself doing most of the talking.
The day of the interview
- Do not be late! Plan ahead: find out the location of the interview and plan the time of your arrival. Make sure you know exactly where the interview is being held. Keep note that the interviews might be held online.
- Bring copies of all your application documents (except the letters of recommendation, of course)
After the interview
- Send a thank-you note after the interview (preferably on the same day).
Additional information
- Essential tips for completing a successful interview (Source: Job Search | Indeed; English)
- 10 common job interview questions and how to answer them (Source: hbr.org; English)
- Selection interviews: easy tips to get selected (Source: Career Tips | Job Majestic; English)