3 min
“When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it,” states a famous saying by Paulo Coelho. Now you probably want a scholarship, don’t you? If not the whole universe, at least the Internet helps you achieve this goal, by providing these three amazing scholarship essay examples by Custom-writing.org to gain a better understanding of how your paper should look like.
Though your main idea (“Please, give me this scholarship”) is clear from the very beginning, you need to find the best way to express it in your paper. There are three main approaches to scholarship applications for college students:
🙋♂️ | Focus on yourself – your unique qualities, skills, and achievements. |
💸 | Focus on your financial needs – financial hardships caused by personal circumstances. |
🎯 | Focus on your career goals – the prospects after getting a scholarship. |
Below you’ll find a “tell me about yourself” scholarship essay example, as well as ones focused on career goals and financial needs. Feel free to choose any of these approaches, but beware of the potential pitfalls of each of them.
Contents
🙋♂️ Example #1 (Yourself)
(Video) How To Write Scholarship Essays (2022) | How I Won Several Scholarships Using the SAME Essay!!💸 Example #2 (Your Financial Need)
🎯 Example #3 (Your Career Goals)
See AlsoProposal Template Tips - Win 113% More Business Faster - Better ProposalsImportance Of Sociology, Sociology Importance, Scientific Study Of Sociology, Planning Of Society, Social Problems, Human Culture Of SociologyShort Story Competitions 2022, List of Writing Contests UK, USA and more14 Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Thousands✏️ FAQ
🔗 References
🙋♂️ Scholarship Essay Example Focusing on Yourself
❗ | Beware of the pitfall: avoid shameless self-promotion and memoir writing style. Mention only relevant and significant details of your biography and life views. |
Below is a scholarship essay sample that focuses on personal interests and aspirations.
Scholarship Essay Example #1
Example:
My Mom says that I decided to become a doctor when I was only five years old. Of course, I do not remember when and why this idea came to me. But as the years were passing by, my intention to become a doctor became firmer.
I had two beautiful examples before my eyes – my grandfather and my Biology teacher, who inspired me to choose nursing as a profession. My grandfather is a great doctor who saved hundreds of lives. Even today, when he is already retired, his former patients come to see him and ask him for a piece of advice. He devoted his entire life to serving people, and his effort was not in vain. Looking at his glowing eyes when the grandfather is telling me how he saved soldiers during the Second World War, I understand that there is no other profession more rewarding and inspiring than nursing.
Whereas my grandfather showed me the spiritual side of this noblest profession, my Biology teacher, Mrs. Stevens, cultivated my love for knowledge and my interest in the latest innovations in the field.
Comment: The essay is persuasive because the applicant provides specific details and shares his/her true feelings and emotions.
💸 Scholarship Essay Sample Focusing on Your Financial Need
❗ | Beware of the pitfall: do not demand sympathy, but rather focus on how you succeed in overcoming hardships. |
Here is a scholarship essay sample that discusses the applicant’s financial needs, using the appropriate tone.
Scholarship Essay Example #2
Example:
Friedrich Nietzsche said that what does not kill us makes us stronger. I learned this simple principle in my early childhood when my parents gave me all the love in the world, but could not afford any pocket money. By overcoming our financial hardships, I learned the key life values, and I hardened my willpower. I know how to save and manage money, and I will become a good economist.
Regardless of our family’s income, the expenses on my younger sister’s treatment took the most significant part of our budget. Susie has a rare genetic disease, and my parents had to consult the best doctors and buy expensive medicine to improve her condition. I started working early and know the true price of every penny. Yet, my parents gave me much more than a ticket to the cinema or a birthday party with tens of friends – they gave me a real understanding of what is valuable in life.
Friedrich Nietzsche said that what does not kill us makes us stronger. I learned this simple principle in my early childhood when my parents gave me all the love in the world, but could not afford any pocket money. By overcoming our financial hardships, I learned the key life values, and I hardened my willpower. I know how to save and manage money, and I will become a good economist.
Regardless of our family’s income, the expenses on my younger sister’s treatment took the most significant part of our budget. Susie has a rare genetic disease, and my parents had to consult the best doctors and buy expensive medicine to improve her condition. I started working early and know the true price of every penny. Yet, my parents gave me much more than a ticket to the cinema or a birthday party with tens of friends – they gave me a real understanding of what is valuable in life.
Comment: The applicant chooses the right tone, revealing his/her maturity and an active life position. Instead of complaining about hardships, s/he tells how s/he overcame them and how this hardened her will.
🎯 Scholarship Essay Example Focusing on Your Career Goals
❗ | Beware of the pitfall: avoid creating the image of a superhero. Be realistic and do not promise to save humanity or “make the difference” in the field, like thousands of students write in their papers. |
Here is an example of a scholarship essay that discusses the applicant’s plans.
Scholarship Essay Example #3
Example:
Just like a chess player, I prefer to have a long-term strategy as my plan. That’s why I have chosen law as my future profession when I was in middle school. I concentrated my effort on learning the related subjects, and I became rather knowledgeable in the field. And now, when I work on this personal statement, I already start making plans for my further professional development.
I understand that it is impossible to become a good lawyer overnight. Moreover, even a diploma does not guarantee truly valuable professional skills and knowledge. Professionalism in any field requires a substantial investment of time and effort. Due to the ever-changing laws with their numerous amendments, this field is especially demanding. Continuous self-education and communication with more experienced colleagues are critical for becoming a good lawyer…
Comment: The applicant mentions his/her current achievements, but is realistic about the need for further self-education and self-improvement.
Now, as you have these three wonderful examples of scholarship essays, you won’t have difficulties generating ideas for your own papers. Choose the most appropriate option, avoid the common pitfalls, and write a truly convincing scholarship essay sample!
✏️ Scholarship Essay FAQ
❓ How to write a scholarship letter about yourself?
To write a good application for a scholarship, make sure that your essay proves your strong motivation. Include relevant details about your education, acquired skills, practical experience (perhaps you already have work history). For a college, it’s vital that they see a responsible and motivated candidate.
❓ How to start a scholarship essay about yourself?
To begin an application, you do not necessarily need to be creative. It’s OK to introduce yourself, write about your education and work experience (if applicable). Then, say something along the lines: “I am strongly motivated to get the scholarship because…”
❓ How to describe yourself in a scholarship essay?
In that type of essay, your aim is to introduce and kind of sell yourself. Thus, write about relevant details of your educational and work background. Talk about the skills you’ve acquired. Highlight your strong motivation for further development (within the program you apply for).
❓ What is a personal hardship essay?
It is a paper that deals with your motivation to get some kind of assistance/scholarship. It explains the reasons, typically some life circumstances, that make you unable to pay for the educational program (for example). In that essay, you write about yourself and why you deserve assistance.
🔗References
About Author
This article was developed by the editorial team of Custom-Writing.org, a professional writing service with 3-hour delivery.
FAQs
How do you start a scholarship essay about yourself? ›
Start by introducing yourself and your educational status. Then jump into the main topic of the essay. You may not have room to mention how the scholarship will help your education. Instead, mention how your education can help your career.
What do you write in a personal essay for a scholarship? ›This will cover just about everything you need to say: Life experiences and circumstances that have led you to choose your educational and career goals; Reasons for choosing these goals or experiences which have influenced your decisions; What have you done and what are you doing now in your life to achieve your goals; ...
How do you introduce yourself in an essay examples? ›I can say that I am a responsible and a hard-working student. Moreover, being a sociable person, I have many friends since I like to communicate with people and get to know new interesting individuals. I enjoy my time at school: it is really nice to study, the students are very friendly and ready to help.
How do you write a 250 word scholarship essay? ›- Outline your essay in bullet points.
- Only answer the question being asked.
- Don't worry about the word count in your first draft.
- Proofread.
Tell us about yourself.
Highlight your achievements, personality traits, skills, and experiences that will make you an ideal candidate for the scholarship. You can start with a brief bio or highlight key points on your resume.
Example One – Academic Goals:
I believe I deserve this scholarship because it will help me achieve my future plans and long-term goals. By furthering my education in biology, I can work towards my career goals in the medical field.
- Use Action Verbs.
- Number-ize.
- Impact, not Responsibilities.
- Find the 'Special'
- Build your confidence.
- List your 3 greatest strengths.
- Other things you can do:
- Start on your personal statement early. ...
- Be clear. ...
- Get personal. ...
- Make it authentic. ...
- Be careful with humor and clichés. ...
- Be reflective. ...
- Use specific examples to illustrate your ideas.
Don't use words like “finally”, “in sum” or “in conclusion”. Don't repeat or sum up in any way. Don't start too many sentences with the word “I”. Don't tell the reader explicitly, “I am a unique and interesting person.” Instead, let the reader glean this from your unique and interesting essay.
How can I start my self introduction? ›Start with a present-tense statement to introduce yourself: Hi, I'm Ashley and I'm a software engineer. My current focus is optimizing customer experience. Nice to meet you all.
What is the best self introduction? ›
Greet your interviewers and tell your name to start the formal introduction. It is always a good idea to prepare for this most expected question beforehand. Do not hesitate to include some informal, personal information, such as your hobbies, or what you do on weekends.
What is a good sentence for scholarship? ›Example Sentences
She got a scholarship to Yale University. The organization is offering five $5,000 scholarships. The essay is a work of serious scholarship. The book is about his life and scholarship.
- Create an accomplishments resume. ...
- Don't miss deadlines. ...
- Complete the scholarship matching profile thoroughly. ...
- Apply to as many scholarships as possible. ...
- Look for scholarship listing books. ...
- Find local scholarships on bulletin boards. ...
- Tap into family connections.
Introduce yourself
They have seen only your scholarship application. When introducing yourself in this interview, you should focus mostly on two things: Your dream to study at the particular college. Your financial situation which does not allow you to follow your dream.
- Remember this is often your first impression, and it matters. ...
- Tailor your answer to the role and company. ...
- Know your audience. ...
- Keep it professional. ...
- But speak with passion. ...
- Don't ramble. ...
- Practice, practice, practice—but stop short of memorizing. ...
- Keep it positive.
Your answer to the "tell me about yourself" question should describe your current situation, your past job experience, the reason you're a good fit for the role, and how you align with the company values. Tell the interviewer about your current position and a recent big accomplishment or positive feedback you received.
What are 3 reasons why applying for scholarships is a good idea? ›- They make education easier to access. ...
- They come with extensive support. ...
- They help you expand your network. ...
- Scholarships allow you to focus on your studies. ...
- They help you boost your CV. ...
- They encourage philanthropy. ...
- They provide access to more colleges. ...
- They provide additional experience.
College essays are not a forum to brag. While many students choose to brag, our students don't because, ultimately, you want to come across as likable to college admissions counselors. Nobody likes braggarts.
How do I make my personal statement unique? ›...
- Add your transferable skills to your personal statement. ...
- Include some anecdotes. ...
- Don't leave out your difficulties. ...
- Vary your language.
Lying on scholarship applications could result in serious academic consequences, as well as damage to your reputation. Most likely, you would have to return the scholarship funds and possibly face suspension or expulsion.
What words should you avoid in a personal statement? ›
- Passionate. Possibly the most overused word when it comes to personal statements. ...
- Team player. You're a team player and can also work well individually? ...
- Watching TV. ...
- Extensive. ...
- Also. ...
- Jokes and puns. ...
- Expert. ...
- Overly long words.
- Read the instructions carefully. ...
- Focus on yourself. ...
- Demonstrate your genuine interest and enthusiasm. ...
- Start early. ...
- Explain any discrepancies in your application in your personal statement. ...
- Review good sentence and paragraph structure. ...
- Use the active voice.
Avoid starting your essay with quotes; those are somebody else's words, not your own. Instead, use your own words and let your personality shine in the essay. Avoid obvious statements such as “I am interested in this scholarship.” Avoid introducing yourself.
What are two things you should never do when applying for a scholarship? ›- Don't Wing It.
- Don't Let Others Do the Work.
- Don't Simply Reuse Essays.
- Don't Submit Before Checking the Details.
- Don't Spend Money to Make Money.
- Don't Wait Until the Last Minute.
- 1) Contractions. ...
- 2) Idioms. ...
- 3-5) “So on,” “etc,” “and so forth“ ...
- 6) Clichés. ...
- 7-11) “Thing,” “stuff,” “good,” “bad,” “big“ ...
- 12) Slang, jargon, teen speak. ...
- 13) Rhetorical questions. ...
- 14-17) “In terms of,” “needless to say,” “in conclusion,” “it goes without saying“
- I am passionate about my work. ...
- I am ambitious and driven. ...
- I am highly organised. ...
- I am a people person. ...
- I am a natural leader. ...
- I am result oriented. ...
- I am an excellent communicator.
- I am lovable.
- I am a good person.
- I deserve to be.
- I am responsible for my own happiness.
- I profoundly and deeply accept myself.
- I have realistic expectations of myself.
- My opinion of me is more important than others' opinion of me.
- Morning! I don't think we've met before, I'm Aryan.
- Hey there! I'm Surya. I'm new—I just moved to the building a couple of days ago. ...
- Hi Amy. I heard it's your first day so I thought I could reach out and introduce myself. We haven't officially met but I'll be working with you on this project.
Students must first introduce themselves by giving their names, the location they are now in, and the place they belong. If required, provide a little summary on the topic that you will be speaking about. Tell the audience a little bit about yourself; mention your interests, preferences, and so on.
How can I make my introduction attractive? ›- Keep your first sentence short. ...
- Say something unusual. ...
- Don't repeat the title. ...
- Keep the introduction brief. ...
- Use the word “you” at least once. ...
- Dedicate 1-2 sentences to articulating what the article covers. ...
- Dedicate 1-2 sentences to explaining why the article is important.
How can I introduce myself in 500 words? ›
- My Family and My Childhood. I'm from a middle-class family of Bihar, I am Naresh Shukla. ...
- My Education. I am studying at the best school in my city. ...
- My Strengths. In compare to studies, I am good at sports. ...
- My Weaknesses. As every man have weaknesses, so have also. ...
- My Ambitions in Life. ...
- Conclusion.
The best choice is to write an attention-grabbing sentence. It should be something persuading or intriguing that will make a person continue reading your essay with great interest. Avoid long explanations or introductions. Instead, this sentence should be short and clear.
What to say when you won a scholarship? ›I am writing to thank you for your generous $500 [Name of scholarship] scholarship. I was very happy and appreciative to learn that I was selected as the recipient of your scholarship. Second paragraph: Share a little about yourself and indicate why the scholarship is important.
What are 3 possible scholarships? ›What are the three most common types of scholarships? Common types of scholarships for college are merit-based scholarships, need-based scholarships, and athletic scholarships.
Why do you want to win a scholarship? ›Explain how the scholarship money would contribute to your long-term goals. You're asking the scholarship committee to invest in your future. They want to ensure their investment goes to a worthy cause. Explain how your education will play a role in your career and overall goals after graduation.
What is the easiest scholarship to win? ›- The ScholarshipPoints $2,500 Monthly Scholarship. ...
- ScholarshipOwl No Essay $50,000 Scholarships. ...
- Nitro $2,000 Scholarship – No Essay! ...
- $10,000 Scholarship Contest. ...
- $25,000 “Be Bold” Scholarship. ...
- $2,500 Christian Connector Scholarship. ...
- Ascent Monthly $1,000 Scholarship.
- Start the essay writing process early. ...
- Understand the scholarship provider's overall mission and purpose. ...
- Follow the scholarship essay instructions. ...
- Steer clear from essay topics that focus on negativity or pessimism. ...
- Don't be afraid to get personal. ...
- Seek out writing advice and feedback.
Start your cover letter by drafting the introductory paragraph, stating your name and why you want the scholarship grant. State how the grant could improve your prospects and educational opportunities or how the sponsoring organization relates to your professional or academic interests.
How should I end my scholarship essay? ›- Recall your introduction.
- Build on past points, don't repeat them.
- Discuss your plans for the future.
- Thank your reader for their time.
- Remember to proofread!
- Plan ahead. Don't procrastinate! ...
- Talk about your accomplishments. Be clear and to the point. ...
- State your need. What is your financial situation? ...
- Keep it simple. Don't use unnecessary words (i.e., don't use three words when one will do) ...
- Make it easy on your reader.
How do you introduce yourself in a unique way? ›
- I don't think we've met (before).
- I think we've already met.
- My name is ...
- I'm ...
- Nice to meet you; I'm ...
- Pleased to meet you; I'm ...
- Let me introduce myself; I'm ...
- I'd like to introduce myself; I'm ...
Students must first introduce themselves by giving their names, the location they are now in, and the place they belong. If required, provide a little summary on the topic that you will be speaking about. Tell the audience a little bit about yourself; mention your interests, preferences, and so on.