Are you thinking of applying for an IDS Graduate Scholarship? IDS MA in Governance, Development and Public Policy alum Smriti RDN Neupane and winner of our 2021 IDS Graduate Scholarship Award shares her top tips for how to get started.
If you have already received an offer letter for the course, congratulations! If you are researching to apply to IDS for a master’s course and a scholarship, what a great decision you have already made. I hope the following tips will help you get started with writing the scholarship application and that you will soon receive a scholarship, too!
Get set
Now that you have decided to apply for a scholarship, it is a good idea to find out and note the deadline along with the required instructions written on the website regarding the scholarship. Noting the important information and date will help you plan ahead and start thinking about what you want to put in your application.
Start writing right now!
You have given it a thought. Now, write it. There is no other way out. Whatever has inspired you to do a postgraduate degree course at IDS, write that on paper or your screen. The longer you wait, the more stressful it gets and the more disorganised you feel. It doesn’t have to be the best writing or grammatically perfect straight away. Just pour your thoughts out of your head and heart. It will give you a head start to review and rewrite. Try your best not to copy and paste from earlier applications.
Show your passion – in simple words
Show yourself and your passions in very simple writing. Be honest. Be you. Sometimes, we include all the complex vocabulary we know in one application. Although it is a scholarship application for an academic course, you do not need to show academic writing in your application. Use your writing style to show your passion for how the course and scholarship matter to you and your intentions after the course. Having said this, like in any writing you do, divide your writing into an introduction, body, and conclusion – simple! Do not beat around the bush or start a rant. Be precise, personal, and passionate about it.
Review and rewrite – get feedback
The best advice I received during my application writing process was to write and rewrite. Sometimes, the first draft you write turns out to be the best, but sometimes it does not. There is a risk of your points appearing redundant in the application if there is too much dwelling on it. So, keep a balance here so that you do not burn yourself out with too much editing and adding points.
After your draft is ready, share it with your mentor or with a peer for feedback. Their feedback will help you understand how it appears to a reader and how readable and honest it seems. Ask for their advice on making it precise and convincing enough to reach the readers. A review and rewrite also includes proofreading. A scholarship application with bad grammar is not palatable to the readers.
No use of AI, please!
The application must have your own words, writing style, and passion. IDS isn’t enrolling Artificial Intelligence (AI) yet!
Send it and relax!
When you are ready with your final draft, do not wait until the last hour to send in the application. Acknowledge your imposter syndrome and let it know that you have given it your best and it could not be better than that. Submit your application and RELAX. Give yourself a good pat on the back for finishing the task, and have a treat; you deserve it!
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