great scholarship essay questions

The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Essay and Application Questions

by Gabrielle McCormick | Nov 17, 2018 | Applying for Scholarships , Finding Scholarships , Scholarship Essays | 0 comments

Believe it or not, scholarship committees generally ask the same types of questions and have similar applications.

That’s right! The scholarships you find are going to fit into specific themes which you must be able to identify in order to save your family time, frustration, stress, and most importantly – money.

The 16 themes below are designed for you to use as a reference until you can spot them on your own. Also, make sure you check out our Scholarship Fast Track videos , specifically the Application Accelerators Module , that outlines these scholarship essay themes and questions even more!

The Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

Committee Composition
Competition
Contribution
Credentials

I’ve provided a definition as well as common scholarship question examples for each theme.

[info-box type=”success”] Real Talk: These questions are not made-up and, in fact, come from actual scholarship applications that are open to students at all levels. I hope that they serve you well in preparing for your upcoming applications. [/info-box]

Common Scholarship Questions and Essay Prompts

Scholarship essay theme: career.

The career theme is pretty self-explanatory. The committee wants to know any and everything relating to you or your student’s career goals.

Common Scholarship Questions:

What do you want to do after you graduate from college?
Why did you select this career?
How will you change the field/industry?
Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Catch-All

This is a student’s life summary or autobiography which usually includes information about the past, present, and future. Some committees refer to it as a personal statement or brief bio. (Warning: Not all personal statements will be looking for a life summary. Make sure you read the application carefully.)

Please write a short autobiography including information about your family, work experience, community involvement, hobbies, spare time activities, and what you hope to do in the future.
Please include a short summary or personal statement describing your accomplishments and goals.
List any honors and awards you’ve received.
List your extra-curricular activities.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Challenges

Everyone loves a good underdog story. An essay theme that focuses on Challenges asks the student to identify a time when they were down or faced conflict. The committee wants to hear how instead of giving up, you rose to the occasion or at least learned what was necessary to achieve success.

Write a short essay that describes areas in your life where you demonstrated leadership and overcame obstacles either through your school, social, or family life.
What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve ever faced? How did you handle it?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Champion

Why you? Out of all the available applicants, why should you or your student earn the scholarship?

Why do you need this scholarship?
Please list any additional comments you believe would be helpful in the committee’s decision.
In 100 words or less, tell why you would like to receive the XYZ scholarship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Change

This is one I’m starting to see more and more of in the scholarship world. Committees are interested in the opinions, thoughts, and ideas of applicants. With topics like legislation, population control, and the environment, committees want to see analytical and critical thinking skills.

What do you think we should do about gun control in this country?
How would you handle texting and driving?
Create an innovative solution to reduce waste.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Character

As Defined by Merriam-Webster , “Character is the way someone thinks, feels, and behaves .” Essentially, it’s what makes you who you are.

Describe a time in your life that has shaped who you are as a person.
This is what I believe in…
How do you define success?
What traits do you possess that will enhance your education or future career?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Classroom

Academics, teaching methods, assignments, and anything that pertains to student learning fall under this category.

How has technology impacted student learning?
If you could design a college curriculum, what would it be?
Do you believe that standardized testing has helped or hindered student learning?

Scholarship Essay Theme: College

This is one of the most common scholarship essay themes. The premise: Why do you want to go to college?

You’ll often see this theme attached to others as an additional question or a required component of the application.

Why do you want to go to college?
What do you expect to gain from earning a college degree?
What are your educational goals?

Is this helping you? Are you beginning to see how this can save you a lot of time? If so, let me know in the comments below, Tweet Me @ScholarshipTalk, or just share the following message and I’ll know you see the benefits of organizing your scholarships based on themes. ?

[clickToTweet tweet=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time! #OwnYourDegree” quote=”Organizing my scholarships based on the 16 core essay themes has saved me time!”]

Scholarship Essay Theme: Committee Composition

I’m sure you’ve seen some of the eccentric scholarships out there that challenge you to write about your favorite ice cream, talk about using their product, or design a logo for their company. These scholarships tend to be unique or inspired by the sponsoring organization.

Create a greeting card and be featured in our upcoming holiday card collection.
Design a mascot for our company.
Write an essay about how lights and fixtures could impact your mood.
Develop an innovative video to end smoking.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Community

This is also a popular scholarship theme. Instead of looking at a student’s GPA, test scores, or major, the community essay theme focuses on community service, community initiatives, and community improvement.

Describe a meaningful volunteer experience?
Make thank-you cards for military service members.
Share a project you developed to change your community.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Competition

A common theme for athletes, band members, dancers, or those involved in groups/organizations is the Competition scholarship essay. It highlights participation and its associated benefits.

What does it mean to be a good student on the field, in the classroom, and in the community?
Define what it means to be a good teammate?
Describe a moment of sportsmanship.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Contribution

Again, this is another scholarship essay theme that you may see added to another scholarship question or application. The committee wants to know about you or your student’s contribution to society at various levels.

How will you make a difference in our world?
How have you made a difference in your community?
What do you think our country should do to foster unity?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Control

Control , i.e. leadership, oftentimes stands alone as a scholarship theme because of the many questions that can be asked. From being a leader to follower and everything in between, the committee is seeking answers regarding group interaction, the organization of people, or participation within a group setting.

What does leadership mean to you?
Explain a family, social or school situation, in which your leadership made the difference. What was accomplished?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Creative

I’m starting to see a rise in Creativ e scholarship essays as well. You may notice some similarities with the Committee Composition theme because these scholarships are usually committee-driven and created.

The committee will provide a question, but give you freedom in depicting or representing the theme or category they’ve selected.

Write a short story of 2,000 words or less.
Create a video of 2-minutes or less to encourage young people to stop texting and driving.
Submit a photograph depicting the word “family”.

Scholarship Essay Theme: Credentials

As defined by Merriam-Webster , “Credentials are a qualification, achievement, personal quality, or aspect of a person’s background, typically when used to indicate that they are suitable for something.”

These scholarships will require specific credentials to apply or may use the credential within application questions.

To apply for this scholarship, you must be a female student majoring in a male-dominated industry. Please tell us why you selected this career?
Applicants must be a member of the LGBTQI community. Describe a volunteering activity you conducted for your community.
Students must be a dependent of an active military member or veteran. Why do you need this scholarship?
Students applying for this scholarship must be undergraduate students entering their first semester. What study habits do you think are imperative to freshmen student success?

Scholarship Essay Theme: Culture

Cultures can be comprised of many different components. From college communities to hometown traditions, the Culture theme is based on the defining characteristics of a student’s environment.

Tell the committee why you decided to attend college out-of-state?
What does your university’s tradition and pride represent?
Submit a piece of artwork that captures your town.

[info-box type=”alert”]Do you want a downloadable version of these themes and questions for your notes? Click here for a FREE copy . [/info-box]

Save a Ton of Time by Using These Themes

Scholarship applications may have one or several themes present. Focus on identifying your possible scholarship themes.

Labeling scholarships by themes and working on them at the same time allows the student to divide and conquer. If your family can get good at identifying themes, you’ll immediately save hours of time on applications .

As I start to see new themes emerge, I’ll be sure to add them to the list. For now, this should keep you pretty busy as you continue to find and apply for scholarships.

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Paying for college begins here

10 Common Scholarship Essay Questions and How to Answer Them

Scholarships & Financial Aid

Updated on June 19th, 2024

When your student applies for scholarships, writing the essay often feels like the most challenging part. Luckily, it doesn’t have to be. By learning about common scholarship essay questions and how to answer them, your student can be prepared for most of the topics they’ll need to address.

While it’s true that different scholarships may use unique questions, many of them touch on the same ideas. That’s why exploring common scholarship essay prompts is such a smart move. Your student will have a chance to brainstorm answers in advance, making it easier to complete the applications when the time arises.

Knowing how to answer common scholarship essay questions is only part of the battle. You also have to track down great scholarships to pay for college. If you and your student want to learn more about exciting scholarship opportunities, sign up for our free college scholarship webinar ! Just head to http://thescholarshipsystem.com/freewebinar and reserve your spot today .

If your student wants to get ahead of the curve and write winning scholarship essays , here’s a look at ten common scholarship essay questions and how to tackle them.

1.1 1. Tell Us About Yourself
1.2 2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?
1.3 3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?
1.4 4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community
1.5 5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?
1.6 6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader
1.7 7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?
1.8 8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?
1.9 9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?
1.10 10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?
2 Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

1. Tell Us About Yourself

This is possibly one of the trickiest college scholarship essays to write, not because it’s complicated, but because it’s so broad. Students have a lot of freedom with this prompt, so it’s easy to become overwhelmed about how to proceed.

Typically, students shouldn’t just give an overview of their life stories. Instead, they need to provide the committee with insights about their passions and drives, events that shaped their perspective, and relevant successes or academic achievements.

It’s also wise to be a bit future-focused, discussing not just where they’ve been but where they hope to go. Students can touch on valuable personality traits along the way, too, as that helps the reader gauge who they are as a person.

If you want to get ahead of the curve and write winning scholarship essays, here’s a look at ten common scholarship essay questions and how to answer them.

2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?

Generally, students have a few options for addressing this question. First, they could showcase how the scholarship money helps them overcome a relevant financial hardship. This can include being able to afford tuition, get needed equipment or supplies, or access a program at a college that may otherwise be out of reach.

Second, they could concentrate on how the scholarship will help them achieve their academic or professional goals. For example, your student might want to discuss how the award would allow them to pursue their preferred field.

Students should focus on how the scholarship eliminates roadblocks, though the exact type of obstacle can vary. Additionally, they should discuss what they’ll be able to achieve if they receive the award, both in the short- and long-term.

3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?

For many students, even figuring out how to start a scholarship essay introduction for this topic is hard, let alone writing the whole thing. It’s difficult discussing a failure with others, so many students hold back if they are given this prompt.

However, honesty is the best policy. Additionally, even when talking about a failure, it’s possible to keep the essay positive.

Students should start by outlining the scenario and giving an overview of how the failure occurred. The misstep can be academic, personal, or professional, as long as it’s clear that something went wrong along the way.

After the overview, it’s all about a quick pivot. Students should explain the lessons they learned and what they would do differently if faced with a similar situation again. That helps them demonstrate their self-awareness and personal growth, along with their ability to persevere.

how to start a scholarship essay introduction

4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community

This scholarship essay prompt is incredibly common for volunteering scholarships or awards focused on service. Students need to share insights about their community service-oriented activities, as well as the positive impact created by their participation.

Additionally, it’s smart for students to spend some time explaining how the experience impacted them. They may also want to touch on any plans they have to continue to remain active in their community, as that can help them stand out. They may also want to touch on any plans they have to continue to remain active in their academic community, as that can help them stand out.

5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?

With this common scholarship essay question, students need to clearly outline what they want to achieve, either academically or professionally, depending on exactly what they are asked. Usually, it’s best to start off with the basics. Students should explain what they want to study, such as pursuing a bachelor’s degree, or the career path they hope to have.

However, they shouldn’t stop there. It’s also wise to dig a bit deeper, diving into precisely what motivated them to head in this direction. Some students do this by sharing their epiphany moment, while others talk about how it’s the culmination of a life-long passion. As long as it paints a great picture, any approach is potentially a winner.

6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader

Leadership is a hot topic for college scholarship essays. Many committees ask questions like this one to see what applicants bring to the table. Usually, your student needs to provide a clear example of when they took on a leadership role.

There are a lot of options for approaching this. Heading up a school project counts, as well as captaining a sports team. Coordinating volunteer efforts may work, along with a wide variety of work-related activities.

Again, exactly what your student chooses is less important than how they describe it. It’s all about sharing a story, ensuring the reader can get a good gauge on what happened and how your student’s involvement helped them achieve success.

7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?

Many scholarship essay questions want students to talk about their heroes. While it may seem odd to ask students to discuss someone other than themselves, it’s actually a great way to learn more about an applicant’s passions.

As they describe why the person influenced or inspired them, they incidentally talk about how they are motivated, their priorities, and their values. It also allows the reader to learn more about what shaped your student’s goals and aspirations, which can be quite enlightening.

Ideally, students want to be story-oriented. While they can certainly discuss the person’s traits and background, the focus should largely be on moments that inspired or influenced their way of thinking and helped them define success. That makes the essay more meaningful.

8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?

For some students, this question is surprisingly tough. Many students saw college as a must from a relatively young age, essentially viewing it as anything as optional. However, students do have choices about how they move forward after high school .

Scholarship committees want to know that heading to college isn’t an afterthought or something a student is doing solely because they were pressured in that direction. Ideally, students should discuss personal motivations or goals that made college the right choice for them. That way, their passion can shine through. Additionally, students can discuss how being part of a specific scholarship program aligns with their academic and career goals.

9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?

If a scholarship is focused on financial need, your student may face questions about how they intend to fund their education. This can be a difficult topic, particularly for students who may not be able to afford school without outside support, such as scholarships or grants. It’s hard to talk about financial hardship, but this question makes it necessary.

Students should actually start their essay by giving the committee insight into their situation, particularly regarding personal or household circumstances that make affording college difficult. After the overview, students should outline all of their efforts to secure enough funding. That can include everything from applying to scholarships , exploring work-study, getting a part-time job, or anything else.

Often, scholarship committees appreciate it when students are taking every chance to find ways to pay for college. It lets them know that the student is passionate enough to go the extra mile and demonstrates that they aren’t afraid of challenges if it means achieving their goals. So, students should touch on everything they are doing to make their college dream possible.

10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?

Writing an essay about why they deserve a scholarship can be hard for any student. However, it’s a topic they need to be ready to discuss. This is a common question for undergraduate students applying for scholarships.

Previously, The Scholarship System took a deep dive into how to write an essay on “Why I deserve this scholarship,” making that a great resource for any student who wants to prepare. As an overview, it’s about showcasing their perspective without coming across as arrogant and discussing achievements (academic or otherwise) that highlight why they are a standout applicant.

Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

Simply knowing what the common scholarship essay prompts are usually isn’t enough. Instead, students should take extra steps to prepare to write their essays.

First, it’s wise to spend a little time brainstorming about the topics. That way, students can develop several ideas that they may want to explore and see if one approach resonates more than another.

Second, checking out some scholarship essay examples that won money is an excellent idea. This helps students learn more about what scholarship committees connect with, as well as more about how to tackle certain topics.

Finally, it’s wise to learn more about essay writing techniques. Along with reviewing how to write scholarship essays , it doesn’t hurt to research college personal statements , as those can be very similar to scholarship (and college application) essays. Similarly, checking out scholarship essay formats is a smart move. It will help your student figure out how to start a scholarship essay introduction, how to end a scholarship essay, and everything in between.

By doing that additional research, they’ll have as much information as possible. And, in the end, that could increase the odds that their essay will be a winner.

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How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example

Published on October 11, 2021 by Kirsten Courault . Revised on May 31, 2023.

A good scholarship essay demonstrates the scholarship organization’s values while directly addressing the prompt. If you plan ahead , you can save time by writing one essay for multiple prompts with similar questions.

Apply for a wide variety of scholarships, make a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, tailor your essay to the organization and the prompt, write a focused and relevant personal story, scholarship essay example, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about college application essays.

Scholarships are a type of student financial aid that don’t require repayment. They are awarded based on various factors, including academic merit, financial need, intended major, personal background, or activities and interests.

Like college applications, scholarship applications often require students to submit their grades, standardized test scores, letters of recommendation, and an essay.

A scholarship essay shares your values and qualities in the context of a specific question, such as “How does technology affect your daily life?” or “Who has had the greatest impact on your life?”

Be wary of scholarship scams

While some applications may not require an essay, be wary of scholarship scams that do the following:

Guarantee you scholarship money for a fee
Claim scholarship information is exclusive to their company
Ask for your bank or credit card information to hold the scholarship

Some legitimate companies do charge for releasing comprehensive scholarship lists or creating a tailored list of scholarship opportunities based on your profile.

However, you can always discover scholarship opportunities for free through your school counselor, community network, or an online search.

Many students focus on well-known, large scholarship opportunities, which are usually very competitive. To maximize your chance of success, invest time in applying for a wide variety of scholarships: national and local, as well as big and small award amounts. There are also scholarships for international students .

In addition to charitable foundation and corporate scholarships, you should consider applying for institutional scholarships at your prospective universities, which can award money based on your application’s strength, your financial situation, and your demonstrated interest in the school.

Check with your guidance counselor, local organizations, community network, or prospective schools’ financial aid offices for scholarship opportunities. It’s a good idea to start applying as early as your junior year and continue throughout your senior year.

Choose the right scholarships for you

Choose scholarships with missions and essay topics that match your background, experiences, and interests. If the scholarship topic is meaningful to you, it will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay.

Don’t shy away from applying for local scholarships with small dollar amounts. Even a few hundred dollars can help you pay for books.

Local scholarships may be more tailored to your community, background, and activities, so they’re likely more relevant to you. Fewer students apply for these scholarships, so you have less competition and a higher chance of success.

Some places to look for local scholarships include

Civic organizations, such as the Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.
Your church, mosque, synagogue, or place of worship
Community groups, such as the YMCA
Ethnicity-based organizations
Your local library or local small businesses
Organizations related to your intended major
Your city or town
Your school district
Unions, such as SEIU, the Teamsters, CWA, etc.
Your employer or your parents’ employers
Banks, credit unions, and local financial institutions

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

While researching scholarship opportunities, create a scholarship tracker spreadsheet to keep track of the following:

Scholarship amounts
Required application materials

You can use our free Google Sheets template to track your scholarship applications.

Scholarship application tracker template

You can also include scholarship essay prompts in your college essay tracker sheet . By grouping or color-code overlapping essay prompts, you can plan to write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can also reuse or adapt your main college essay .

Even if you’re adapting another essay, it’s important to make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, stays within the word count limit , and demonstrates the organization’s values. The scholarship committee will be able to tell if you reuse an essay that doesn’t quite respond to the prompt, so be sure to tailor it to the questions asked.

Research each organization

Before writing, research the scholarship organization’s mission and reason for awarding the scholarship. Learning more about the organization can help you select an appropriate topic and relevant story.

While you should tailor your essay to the organization’s values, maintain your authentic voice. Never use false or exaggerated stories. If the organization’s values don’t align with yours or you can’t brainstorm a relevant story for the scholarship, continue searching for other scholarship opportunities to find a more appropriate one for you.

After researching the organization, identify a specific personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies why you will be a successful student.

Choose a story with the following criteria:

Responds to the prompt
Demonstrates the organization’s values
Includes an authentic story
Focuses on you and your experience, not someone else’s

A good scholarship essay is not

A resume of your achievements
A lengthy opinion piece about the essay topic
An essay featuring a negative tone that puts down others

If appropriate, you can briefly address how the scholarship money will help you achieve your educational goals. You should also end with a brief thank-you.

Take a look at the full essay example below. Hover over the underlined parts to read explanations of why they work.

Prompt: Describe how working for Chelsea’s Chicken restaurant has developed leadership skills that will help you succeed in college. Give specific examples of leadership characteristics that you have exhibited during your employment with us.

As a nervous 16-year-old, I walked into Chelsea’s Chicken for my first day of work determined to make enough money to put gas in my car and buy pizza on the weekends. My only previous job was mowing my neighbors’ lawns when they were on vacation, so I had no idea what to expect. I was a bit intimidated by my new responsibilities, especially handling money and helping disgruntled customers.

However, it didn’t take me long to learn my way around the cash register and successfully address customer complaints. One day, Roger, the store manager, asked me if I wanted to join Chelsea’s Chicken Leadership Training Initiative. He said he saw leadership potential in me because of my attitude with the customers and my enthusiasm for learning new job responsibilities. It surprised me because I had never thought of myself as a leader, but I quickly agreed, and Roger handed me a three-ring binder that was thicker than my math and science textbooks put together! He told me to take it home and read over it during the following week.

In that binder, I discovered that being a leader means taking the initiative, especially when the job is undesirable. One week later, I got to practice that idea when a little kid threw up in the bathroom and missed the toilet. It smelled terrible, but I stepped forward and told Roger that I would clean it up. My coworkers thought I was crazy, but I started to believe in my leadership potential.

That night as we closed the store, Roger pulled me aside in the parking lot and told me that he could tell that I had been studying the manual. He wanted to give me more responsibility, along with a dollar-per-hour pay raise. I was surprised because I had been working there for only a couple of months, but his encouragement helped me make a connection: good leadership helps other people, and it often is rewarded. I was determined to experience more of both.

Within a month, I was ready to take the Team Leader exam, which mattered because I would receive a promotion and a much bigger raise if I passed. But, when I got to work, two of the scheduled team members had called in sick. We were noticeably short-handed, and our customers weren’t happy about it.

I walked back to the lockers, put on my vest and hat, and took my place behind an open register. Customers immediately moved into my line to place their orders. Roger looked at me with surprise and asked, “Did you forget that you’re testing tonight?” I responded, “No, sir—but what’s the use of taking a leadership test if you aren’t going to lead in real life?” Roger smiled at me and nodded.

He stayed late that night after we closed so that I could leave early and still take the test. I noticed that Roger was always staying late, helping employees learn new skills. His example taught me that leaders take the initiative to develop other leaders. He gave me a clear picture of what shared leadership looks like, making room for others to grow and excel. When I asked him where he learned to do that, he said, “From the same leadership manual I gave you!”

Chelsea’s Chicken has offered me so much more than a paycheck. Because of Roger’s example, I have learned to take the initiative to care for my family and friends, such as being the first to do the dishes without my mom asking or volunteering to pick up my friend for our SAT prep course. Now, as I prepare to enter college, I have confidence in my leadership ability. I know I’m signing up for a challenging major—Biology, Pre-Med—yet I also know that Chelsea’s Chicken has helped me to develop the perseverance required to complete my studies successfully.

If you want to know more about academic writing , effective communication , or parts of speech , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Academic writing

Writing process
Transition words
Passive voice
Paraphrasing

Communication

How to end an email
Ms, mrs, miss
How to start an email
I hope this email finds you well
Hope you are doing well

Parts of speech

Personal pronouns
Conjunctions

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Courault, K. (2023, May 31). How to Write a Scholarship Essay | Template & Example. Scribbr. Retrieved August 26, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/college-essay/scholarship-essay/

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Applying For Scholarships

How To Answer Common Scholarship Essay Questions

David Dec 28, 2017

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What Are Your Long and Short Term Goals?

These questions may be phrased in several ways: “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?” “How will your current education contribute to your overall career goals?” Your answers should show that you do in fact have a plan for your future that corresponds to your degree program. The scholarship committee wants to see that their money is going to a worthy cause, not someone just testing the waters in college. Create an answer that shows realistic goals that can be achieved through continued education.

What Are Some of the Most Important Issues in Your Field of Study?

Questions like this are designed to gauge your knowledge of current events in your field. A worthy scholarship applicant will be invested in his or her future career. More importantly, the education that leads to that career will ultimately be used to address current issues. At least, that’s how they will view it. Come up with solutions for each problem, or explain how your education would allow you to develop effective solutions.

What Are Your Biggest Weaknesses?

Since this is a scholarship application, you still want to create answers that will put you above other applicants. Turn your weaknesses into opportunities. “I currently have limited knowledge in this area, but with my degree, I will be able to…” you may be sensing a trend here – scholarship committees love solutions . Coming up with a solution shows that you are forward-thinking and intuitive, and both of those qualities are worthy of being rewarded.

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Why Do You Need a Scholarship?

scholarship essay questions concept piggy bank with coins

Describe an Adult Who Had a Major Influence on Your Life

These are common scholarship essay questions because they give a glimpse into you past. While most people will say a parent, grandparent, or instructor, you could choose someone that is slightly less expected. This doesn’t take away from the value of a good parent, but think about how many scholarship applicants respond with those answers.

If you were raised by a single parent, you could discuss how the other parent was a strong influence because you had to learn how to live without him or her in your life. If you had a neighbor who had a positive work ethic, you could explain how that shaped the dedication you have to your degree. Take some time to look beyond the obvious choices, and you may be surprised by what you come up with.

What Are Your Greatest Personal Achievements?

You can choose any achievement you want for this answer as long as you relate it back to your education or career. For example, if you won a singing competition, you could explain how you learned the importance of practice and preparation. Those lessons could help you during your degree and your career. Take the opportunity to brag on yourself, but don’t forget the mission of the scholarship application.

When All Else Fails, Ask Yourself WHY

Why are they asking me this? What will my answers tell the scholarship committee about my life, my goals and my future? What can I say that will show how worthy I am to accept this award? No matter what scholarship essay questions you come across, try to identify the underlying reasons behind the prompts. This will help you create the best answers to earn their financial support.

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David Tabachnikov is the CEO of ScholarshipOwl. Formerly at Waze and Google, David is an experienced CTO/R&D manager with over 10 years of experience of leading tech teams. David fervently believes that students should have greater access to education, and is passionate about using technology to help them achieve that goal.

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Scholarship Essay Prompts

Scholarship Essay Prompts 2024 For Students

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Our Selection of College Scholarship Prompts

We've compiled a range of essay prompts commonly used by the following scholarship programs:

The Gates Scholarship Essay Prompts

Vanderbilt Scholarship Essay Prompts

Robertson scholarship essay prompts.

Bryan Cameron Scholarship Essay Prompts
Jackie Robinson Scholarship Essay Prompts

Dell Scholarship Essay Prompts

Apia Scholarship Essay Prompts

Flinn Scholarship Essay Prompts

Select any prompt and write your scholarship essay or personal statement . Show the admission committee why you deserve financial aid. Make sure you follow the proper scholarship essay format .

Common College Scholarship Essay Prompts

Here are some common scholarship essay topics and popular essay questions used by colleges, to improve your scholarship chances.

How will this scholarship benefit you?
How have you made a positive impact in your community?
Share some information about yourself.
Describe a time when you failed and what you learned from that experience.
What are your academic or professional aspirations?
How have sports influenced your life?
Why do you deserve this scholarship?
Talk about a moment when your belief or idea was challenged.
What makes you unique? (Consider your background, identity, interests, or talents)
Why are you interested in studying/pursuing [X]?

The Gates Scholarship Essay Prompts

Describe the subjects in which you have excelled. What do you believe are the reasons for your success in these areas?
Identify the subjects you have found challenging. What factors contributed to these difficulties, and how have you addressed them to prevent future issues? In which areas have you seen the most improvement, and what challenges remain?
Provide a brief description of a time when you or others faced unfair treatment or were denied an opportunity you believed you deserved. Why do you think this occurred, and how did you respond? Did your response lead to any improvements in the situation?
Outline your short-term and long-term goals. Are some of these goals connected, and which ones are your top priorities?
Reflect on a leadership experience you have had in any aspect of your life, such as school, work, sports, family, church, or community. What led you to take on this leadership role, and how has this experience shaped your goals?
Discuss your participation in and contributions to a community near your home, school, or elsewhere. Choose an experience that is different from the one mentioned in the previous question, even if it also involved leadership. What did you achieve, and how has this experience influenced your goals?
Apart from school classes, in what areas have you gained knowledge or skills? How did you acquire them?
Is there anything else you would like to share that might help us in evaluating your nomination, such as personal traits or challenges you have overcome?
Describe a significant leadership experience you've had. What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
Discuss a community service project you initiated or were deeply involved in. What impact did it have on your community and on you personally?
Share an instance where you used innovative thinking to solve a problem. What was the outcome?
Reflect on a time when you experienced significant personal growth. What triggered this change, and how has it shaped who you are today?
Describe an experience that broadened your global perspective. How has this influenced your views and actions?
Discuss a subject or academic pursuit you are passionate about. How have you explored this interest, and what do you hope to achieve in this field?
Describe an ethical dilemma you faced. How did you resolve it, and what did you learn from the experience?
What are your long-term goals, and how do you plan to achieve them? How will the Robertson Scholarship help you in this journey?
How have you contributed to promoting diversity and inclusion in your school or community? Why is this important to you?
Share a story of a setback or failure you experienced. How did you recover from it, and what did you learn?

Bryan Cameron Scholarship Essay Prompts

Reflect on a time when you took a stand for social justice or equity. What motivated you, and what impact did you make?
Describe your involvement in environmental conservation efforts. How do you envision addressing environmental challenges in the future?
Discuss an interdisciplinary project or initiative you undertook that bridged different fields of study or interests. What did you learn from this experience?
Cultural Immersion: Share an experience where you immersed yourself in a different culture or community. How did this experience broaden your perspective?
Describe a project or idea where you applied technology to address a pressing issue or improve lives. What inspired this innovation?
Reflect on a mentorship experience that significantly impacted your personal or academic growth. How did this relationship shape your goals?
Discuss a problem you encountered and the creative solution you devised to solve it. What was the outcome?
Describe a situation where you had to navigate ethical dilemmas as a leader. How did you uphold your values while making difficult decisions?
Share your involvement in a civic engagement initiative or political campaign. What motivated you to participate, and what change did you hope to achieve?
Reflect on a significant challenge or obstacle you faced and how you persevered despite it. What did you learn about yourself in the process?

Jackie Robinson Scholarship Essay Prompts

Describe a time when you brought together people from different backgrounds to achieve a common goal.
Reflect on how you've worked to improve education in your community.
Share an experience where you helped young age people overcome challenges or reach their goals.
Talk about a project you started to address a social issue.
Describe a time when you communicated well across different cultures or languages.
Discuss your efforts to promote fairness and inclusion.
Share a story that shows your sportsmanship and good character.
Describe how you've encouraged diversity in science, technology, engineering, and math fields.
Reflect on how you've been involved in protecting voting rights or encouraging people to get involved in their communities.
Talk about what you've done to support equality between genders.
Describe a personal or family financial challenge you've faced and how it has affected your educational journey. How has it shaped your determination to succeed?
Imagine the most significant challenges you may face transitioning to and while in college. Explain specific strategies you'll use to overcome them, highlighting your resilience.
Explain your commitment to pursuing a college degree and how it aligns with the Dell Scholars Program's mission of empowering underserved students.
Discuss your academic achievements and future career path. How will a Dell Scholarship help you bridge the gap between your goals and financial limitations?
Share a time when you demonstrated resourcefulness and overcame obstacles with limited resources. How did this experience prepare you for the challenges of college?
Describe a situation where you identified a need in your community and took initiative to address it. How did you make a positive impact?
Reflect on the impact of a mentor or role model on your academic and personal experience. How has their guidance shaped your goals?
Imagine you receive a Dell Scholarship. Explain how you would utilize the program's resources and support network to maximize your potential.
Beyond academics, what kind of impact do you strive to make on the world after college? How does your chosen field of study contribute to your goals?
The Dell Scholars Program emphasizes giving back. Describe how you envision yourself contributing to your community or a cause you care about after graduation.

APIA Scholarship Essay Prompts

Leadership Experience: Describe a time when you assumed a leadership role. How did you feel leading, and what qualities do you believe define a good leader? Reflect on your leadership experience and identify areas for improvement in your leadership skills.
Cultural Identity Impact: Reflect on how being Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and/or Pacific Islander has shaped your life. How does this aspect of your identity intersect with other aspects of who you are? Discuss how your unique identity contributes to your personal narrative.
Defining Success: Define success in your own terms and outline your goals for the future. What are your passions, dreams, and aspirations? Don't worry if you haven't fully mapped out your path yet; focus on articulating your vision for success.
Community Significance: Explore the concept of community and its importance to you. Who comprises your community, and how have they impacted your journey? Reflect on the support you have received from your community and the ways in which you have reciprocated that support. Write authentically about the people who have played pivotal roles in your life.
Share a meaningful leadership experience and its impact on your community.
Explain your commitment to service and civic engagement and how it aligns with the mission of the Flinn Scholarship.
Discuss a project or initiative you've undertaken that exemplifies your passion for creating social change.
Describe a time when you've worked with diverse teams to address a complex issue.
Reflect on a book, research paper, or intellectual pursuit that has influenced your academic interests.
Explain your long-term career goals and how the Flinn Scholarship will enable you to achieve them.
Discuss a challenge you've encountered while pursuing your academic or extracurricular interests and how you've overcome it.
Share a global issue that concerns you and the role you envision in addressing it.
Explain how you've demonstrated a commitment to ethical leadership.
Reflect on a time when you contributed to a significant positive change in your community.
Bronson Ingram's Legacy of Innovation: Share your thoughts on the best way to innovate. How do you use this approach in your own work? How can it help create more opportunities at the crossroads of business and impactful philanthropy?
Serving the Common Good: What does it mean for people and businesses to "serve the common good"? How do these ideas influence your career goals?
Scalable Civic/Community Service Project: Describe a community service project you've been involved in that could benefit from being expanded. How would you go about scaling it?
For applicants to the School of Engineering, Peabody College of Education and Human Development, and Blair School of Music: Why are you interested in your chosen academic program? Discuss your related experiences, goals, and interests. Please keep your response to 500 words.
For applicants to the College of Arts and Science: How will you take advantage of the diverse courses and experiences at the College of Arts and Science? How will a liberal arts education fit into your academic journey or passions? Please keep your response to 500 words.
Chart of Community Building Activities: List activities that show your commitment to bridging gaps among different groups in your high school community. For each activity, include:
Responsibilities
Years Involved
Hours Spent
Chancellor’s Scholarship Values: Describe how one activity from your list above has deepened your understanding of leadership, scholarship, diversity, or citizenship. Please keep your response to 500 words.
Curb Leadership Scholarship: Tell a story using seven items that show how you've combined creativity, entrepreneurship, and leadership to make a positive impact. You may include links or images. Please limit your response to 2,500 words.
Fred Russell-Grantland Rice Scholarship: How will you use your time at Vanderbilt to develop your career in sports journalism? Include up to ten samples of your published work.

How to Address Scholarship Essay Prompts?

The way to address your scholarship essay prompt will determine how successful your application is.

Every scholarship essay question should be approached differently. Below, you can find some common scholarship essay prompts, examples, and guidelines on how to approach them.

Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

To answer this question, you need to show that you have a plan for your future that corresponds to your degree program.

The scholarship committee will make sure that their money is going to a deserving candidate. So, you need to create an answer that shows your realistic goals and how they can be achieved through education.

Let's look at the example below to get an idea about answering this question;

Why this Answer Stands Out: The answer to the question is well-structured and concise. It tells a compelling story that includes a clear vision, connects to education, and shows passion and commitment. These are all important parts of a good scholarship essay.

What Is Your Biggest Weakness?

Remember, there are thousands of students applying for the scholarship program. So make sure your answers set you above the other candidates.

To address this question, you need to turn your weaknesses into great opportunities. Starting with a problem and then coming up with a solution will show that you are forward-thinking and that quality is worth rewarding.

Let’s look at the example below;

Why this Answer Stands Out: The response strikes a balance between acknowledging a genuine weakness and demonstrating self-awareness and a proactive approach to personal growth.

It also leaves room for further discussion if the interviewer wants to explore how the candidate manages this weakness in a professional context.

What Is Your Greatest Personal Achievement?

To answer this question, you can choose any achievement in your life. You just need to make sure that you can relate it to your education.

The example below can help you get an idea of how to answer this;

Why this Answer Stands Out: This answer does a great job of relating personal achievement to their academic journey. It also shows that the person understands themselves and how this achievement connects to their future goals.

What Are Your Contributions to Your Community?

This is a very common scholarship essay question in which you need to describe your experience in community service. Share your experience and the work you have participated in.

In this prompt, you need to address what you have learned by participating in community service and how you plan to contribute to your community in the future.

Here is how you can answer this;

Why this Answer Stands Out: The answer shows the applicant's dedication to community service, their participation in various activities, and their goal of setting a good example.

It's an informative description of their community contributions, making it a strong choice for a scholarship essay.

What Makes You Unique?

Everyone has a traitor, an attribute that makes them different and unique. It could be their habit or interest.

Provide as much detail as possible to answer this prompt in the best way possible.

Sample Scholarship Essay Prompts

Unique Scholarship Essay Questions

Do not forget to check the scholarship essay examples blog to learn how to respond to each prompt in the best way from sample essays.

Wrapping it Up, It is not easy to predict every scholarship essay question. Nevertheless, knowing some of the important ones can give you an advantage in applications.

Still, if you don’t know where to start or are looking for expert help, get one-on-one help from the best essay writers at MyPerfectWords.com.

Our scholarship essay writing service is all you need to stand out from other applicants and win the scholarship.

Just say head over to our website and place your order to get paper writing help instantly!

Frequently Asked Questions

What not to include in your scholarship essay.

Here are nine things you should avoid in your scholarship essay.

Inspirational quotes
Overly general phrases and platitudes
Cliche stories or themes
“Text speak”
“Hot takes” of the day
Emojis, photos, and funky fonts
Extreme declarations
Put-downs of other applicants

What is a good hook for a scholarship essay?

A good hook for a scholarship essay could be a compelling personal anecdote or a thought-provoking question. For example:

"Standing on the stage, heart pounding, I realized that leading my school's robotics team had taught me more about resilience and teamwork than any classroom ever could."

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How to Write a Scholarship Essay

What’s covered:, why do scholarships require essays.

Types of scholarship essays

How to write a good scholarship essay

What about scholarships that don’t require an essay.

For many, scholarships are a critical part of paying for your college education. That’s why you want to make sure your scholarship applications receive nearly as much of your care and attention as your college applications do. Essays are a huge component of this.

Many scholarships are competitive, drawing highly qualified applicants with excellent grades and test scores. Essays are a way of differentiating students, learning more about their interests, and determining to whom the organization should give the award.

Scholarships are also born out of organizational missions, and the committee wants to see how your values align with theirs. Essays help illuminate these values.

Types of scholarship essays

You’ll encounter several different types of scholarship essays during your search. These are some of the most common varieties you will find.

Career and education goals

Some scholarships target people with particular career ambitions and anticipated majors. This essay prompt is common for those types of awards, as well as more general ones. To approach your essay, you should be authentic, describing your true motivations and why this professional path appeals to you. Let your passion for the industry, sector, or discipline shine through.

Life experiences/qualities/group affinity

When a scholarship targets people of particular demographics, make sure you highlight your affinity with this group in your essay. Describe how these characteristics have contributed to and in some cases shaped your journey — and will continue to do so in your future.

Connection with the institution/organization

Your connection with the institution or organization offering the scholarship often plays a large role in determining winners — so much so that they may ask you to describe why that organization is important to you in your essay. It’s important to do your homework, considering why various aspects of the institution appeal to you and why you want a scholarship from them.

Past writing sample

You may not need to write a new essay at all. The organization could ask you to submit a past writing sample instead. If this is the case, choose a piece that shows your real personality and aligns with the message and mission of the organization offering the scholarship.

1. Understand your audience.

Scholarship committees want to see essays from students who share their organization’s values. Before you apply, you need to do some research to understand what those values are. Consider how your interests and experiences align with what the organization is looking for, and make them clear throughout your essay.

2. Show your personality.

You should also use your voice in your essay. Give the scholarship committee insight into who you are as a person — what drives you, what motivates you, and what interests you. This will allow them to understand you on a deeper level and see your words as genuine.

3. Use anecdotes and examples.

As with your college essays, you’ll bring your experiences to life by using plenty of anecdotes and examples. These will help ground your essay and make it more compelling for your audience.

You may encounter scholarships that don’t require essays. While the applications may be less time-consuming, for the most part, you will need to ensure that your GPA, test scores, and extracurriculars are strong because they will usually play a large role in assessing applicants.

While we’re on the subject of no-essay scholarships, we encourage you to enter CollegeVine’s weekly $500+ scholarship drawings . To get started, you just need to create a free account. Increase your chances of winning by referring friends, peer-reviewing essays, and more.

Scholarship Essays: Detailed Guide & Sample Questions For Practice

Last Updated On December 19, 2022
Published In Exams 📘 , Scholarships 💰

Most scholarships have specific requirements with a majority of them including a personal statement or essay. Writing an essay can be a daunting task, let alone writing an essay for securing the required funds to pursue an education. In this blog, you will learn how to write a winning scholarship essay that is a true representation of yourself in front of the scholarship committee.

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What are scholarship essays?

Scholarships are programmes that provide financial assistance to students in need. These programmes are open to students at every level, irrespective of whether you are in high school or a college student. Most of the scholarships out there require you to write an essay.

The scholarship essay you write will be your medium to convince the scholarship board why you deserve the monetary aid. Scholarship essays require you to provide a unique perspective of yourself apart from your academic performance, GPA and merits. No matter the essay prompt, you need to exhibit your writing skills and showcase them engagingly. An essay that keeps the scholarship committee focused and interested will be the one that is rewarded with the financial gains of the scholarship.

Scholarship essay format

A scholarship essay needs to be thought out well before you get to writing it. It is always beneficial to make a draft and outline of the essay following the prompt provided. Every essay needs to be written differently with a fresh view to captivate the readers.

For most scholarship essays, you can follow this outline to make your pre-writing process easier:

Hook introduction: A hook introduction is a powerful intro that addresses the scholarship essay prompt and ‘hooks’ the readers into reading further. The hook should not be exaggerated and should instead be a true reflection of your writing skills.
Body paragraphs between one to three: This is where you convince the scholarship committee of why you are deserving of the scholarship. The body of the essay should be relevant to the essay prompt, providing your personal point of view in the manner of a story that is captivating. Another point to keep in mind while writing the essay is to highlight what the committee is looking for, including your academic and career goals, why you are the best choice for the scholarship and any other point relative to the prompt.
Conclusion: While ending the scholarship essay, circle back to your interest in the scholarship with a seamless transition and emphasize how your life story makes you a strong candidate for the scholarship.

How to write a great scholarship essay

Every scholarship essay should be unique and provide something that the reader has never seen before. A few tips and tricks to writing a scholarship-worthy essay can always come in handy. Some of them are explained below:

Use a STAR Structure

A winning scholarship essay must have all the essential elements that emphasize who you are, what you can do and what changes you can bring about with your actions. A STAR structure helps you accomplish just that by dividing your essay into four paragraphs that end up creating a powerful essay. This is what STAR means:

‘S’ – Situation – Situation provides the context, place and time of an event of your life that relates to the essay prompt. This helps in giving a personal touch to your essay and inducing authenticity.
‘T’ – Task – Task shows what was the issue that arose in front of you, what role did you take up to make your contribution and what goal did you pursue. It shows your readiness in facing situations when problems arise.
‘A’ – Action – The action paragraph explains what steps you took to resolve the issue and accomplish the goal. This paragraph exhibits your modus operandi and how you tackle problems.
‘R’ – Result – The ‘result’ paragraph is a paragraph of self-reflection. You need to explain what you learnt after facing the situation, how your actions affected the results and how you grew as a person after going through such a situation.

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Stick to the topic.

Study and research the topic given to you to familiarize yourself with it. Create an outline of how you will approach the topic and stick to it. The scholarship essay should flow smoothly to keep the reader interested. Relate the topic to yourself and your story to create a lasting and unique impression on the scholarship committee.

Research, study, and brainstorm

Writing anything, be it a blog, article or essay, closer to the deadline will result in a piece that will not be good enough for selection. After receiving your prompt, research the prompt thoroughly, study the topic and brainstorm what you will present in the scholarship essay. If the essay prompt is focused on you, decide on what story of yours relates to the topic most powerfully. Choose strong points and spin the essay around them to create a masterpiece.

Be true to yourself

Being true to yourself is a major booster in every aspect of life. Staying true to your identity in writing the essay will provide the scholarship committee with something new and fresh that stands out. The aspects that you must integrate into your scholarship essay to be original are as follows:

Acknowledge your hardships and how you overcame them
Place yourself in a good light but be humble
Be specific and to the point
Paint a picture of your story rather than simply narrating it
Be honest about yourself and do not exaggerate
Explain why you deserve the scholarship without putting down other applicants

Authenticity is key in getting your message through to the scholarship committee. They can easily understand when you’re being inauthentic and writing what you think they want to hear. Let us show you what an authentic line in your essay looks like.

Inauthentic example – “I have established myself as a sportsperson after facing a lot of hardships.”

Authentic example – “Throughout my sporting career, I’ve been through major issues like the rupture of my anterior cruciate ligament in my dominant foot. During some phases, I wanted to give up and convince myself that I was not cut out for this path. Instead, I came back stronger from my issues and injuries and learned from them. This mentality has made me who I am today.”

Types of Scholarships that require different essays

Universities provides several scholarships to international students in a bid to make education easier and achievable for the students struggling financially. There are namely three categories of scholarships provided by most institutions. They are:

Government scholarships – These scholarships are given by the government in a bid to encourage students to study in their respective countries.
Non-government scholarships – These scholarships are provided by trusts, organizations and funds to students in order to increase participation and specialization in a specific field.
Institutional scholarships – These scholarships are provided by universities and institutes to the students who are studying in said universities and institutes.

Other criteria

Merit-based – These scholarships are provided to students who have good academic scores.
Language proficiency – As most international students do not have English as their native language, good scores in IELTS/TOEFL exams are also used as a parameter in some scholarships.
Extracurricular excellence – Involvement in activities such as volunteering, social work, etc., is another criteria of scholarships. The extracurricular activity that is judged depends on the stream you are looking to apply to. Along with scholarships, these activities also act as work experience and can be a plus point on your resume.

Sample scholarship essay questions

Mentioned below are a few scholarship essay examples that you can practise in order to get an idea of the type of essay you might be asked to submit:

1. Explain something that made a significant impact in your life.

2. Describe why you or your plans for studying abroad require this scholarship.

3. A few students have an identity, background, personal interest, or talent that is so crucial and deep-rooted, they believe their application cannot be completed without it. If you are one of them, then please share your story.

4. Please explain a personal trauma or catastrophic life event that you have gone through. How did you manage to overcome your issues? What did you learn from it, and how did it influence who you are?

5. Mention three things that are important to you. How did you decide what to include in this list? Will these things have the same importance to you in ten years? Why?

6. “The secret of our success is that we never, never give up.” – Wilma Mankiller. Tell us about a period when you were unsuccessful at something. What were the circumstances at that point in time? How did you respond to failure? What did you learn from it?

7. Please explain how volunteering and participating in community service have shaped your perspective on humanity and share your experience. Elaborate on how these experiences have influenced your mindset, future ambitions, and career choice.

Scholarships can be a boon to a student who wants to study further and do something exceptional with their life. Writing a scholarship-worthy essay can help you secure the most rewarding grants.

We hope you’re able to better understand how scholarship essays are written and what methods you need to use to write an essay that makes the scholarship committee choose your essay as the winner.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should my scholarship essay be.

Your essay should be in adherence to the specified word limit. You should draft your essay before writing the one you will submit, as you need to make the most powerful impact within the limited word count.

Are scholarships necessary for admission to colleges?

No, scholarships are not necessary for admission, but a scholarship award provides financial aid that helps ease the burden that students often face.

Are scholarships available worldwide?

Yes, most of the scholarships are available for international students worldwide. You should find the ones that suit your financial situation and help you meet living expenses in the country you are planning to go to.

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Scholarship Essay Writing

Scholarship Essay Prompts

Most Popular Scholarship Essay Prompts & Questions

11 min read

Published on: May 16, 2023

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

Popular Colleges Scholarship Prompts We Cover

In this article, we provide you with the best and most commonly used essay prompts for the following colleges.

College scholarship essay prompts
Robertson scholarship essay prompts
Park scholarship essay prompts
Vanderbilt scholarship essay prompts
Easy scholarship essay prompts
UCLA alumni scholarship essay prompts
Gilman scholarship essay prompts
Johnson scholarship essay prompts

Feel free to choose any and start writing your scholarship essay or personal statement and show the admission committee why you indeed deserve the financial aid. Make sure to follow the proper scholarship essay format when you are answering these questions.

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Current Scholarship Essay Prompts - 2024

Discuss a current global issue and explain how you would propose a solution to address it.
Describe a personal experience that influenced your decision to pursue a particular field of study.
How have you overcome a significant challenge in your life, and how has it impacted your personal growth?
Share a time when you demonstrated leadership and the impact it had on those around you.
Discuss the importance of diversity and inclusion in today's society and how you have contributed to promoting these values.
Describe your career aspirations and how you plan to achieve them.
Discuss a book, movie, or other piece of media that has had a significant impact on your life and explain why.
Share a time when you had to work with someone with a different perspective or background, and how you navigated those differences.
Discuss a community service project you have participated in and the impact it had on the community.
Explain the importance of financial literacy and how you plan to manage your finances in the future.

List of Best College Scholarship Essay Prompts

Here are the most common scholarship essay question examples that you can find on most college applications in the US.

Tell us about yourself.
How will this scholarship help you?
Where do you see yourself ten years from now?
How will you make a difference in our world?
Describe a volunteer experience?
Why do you need this scholarship?
Describe a challenge you have overcome.
Who do you admire the most?
Why do you deserve this scholarship?
Briefly describe your short- and long-term goals.
What are your academic and future goals?
Tell us about a time when you had failed in something.
What makes you unique?
Does any quality or attribute distinguish you from others?
What are your most important extracurricular activities?
What is your biggest strength and weakness?
What are your greatest accomplishments?
What are your strongest personality traits?
How has your education contributed to who you are today?
What is your most prominent achievement, and how does it relate to your field of study?

Additional Scholarship Essay Prompts

Describe a time when you had to step out of your comfort zone and take a risk. What did you learn from the experience?
How have your experiences with diversity and inclusivity shaped your perspective and goals?
What motivates you to pursue your academic and career goals, and how do you stay focused on them?
Describe a moment when you faced adversity and how you overcame it.
How have your family, cultural background, or community influenced your values and beliefs?
Discuss a book, movie, or event that has impacted your life and explain why.
What is the most significant challenge facing your generation, and what solutions would you propose to address it?
Describe a time when you collaborated with others to achieve a common goal. What did you learn from the experience?
What impact do you hope to make in your chosen field or industry, and how will this scholarship help you achieve that goal?

Describe a mentor or role model who has inspired you and explain why.

General Scholarship Essay Topics

Here are some more random scholarship essay topics that you can choose from

A person who has a major influence on your life
Things you have done outside of the classroom that has demonstrated your skills
Have you struggled for something and succeeded?
What leadership qualities do you have?
Why do you want to be a ___?
How do you define leadership?
Describe the importance of a good teammate?
What do you expect to gain from a college degree?
What does success means to you?
A book that has affected you deeply

The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Questions

We have compiled a list of the 16 most popular scholarship questions and how to effectively address them. Let's take a look!

1. Career How will this scholarship help you achieve your career goals?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your future career aspirations and how the scholarship will support your academic and professional pursuits. Highlight any relevant experiences, skills, or certifications that will contribute to your success.

2. Catch-All Why do you deserve this scholarship?

This prompt allows you to discuss your overall qualifications and achievements that make you a strong candidate for the scholarship. Discuss your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, community service, and future goals.

3. Challenges Discuss a personal or academic challenge you have overcome and how it has shaped you.

When addressing this prompt, be honest and open about a challenge you have faced and how you have overcome it. Highlight any lessons or skills you have gained from overcoming this challenge.

4. Champion Who is a person that has influenced you and why?

When addressing this prompt, discuss a person who has had a significant impact on your life and why. Highlight how their influence has shaped your personal or academic pursuits.

5. Change How will you make a positive impact in your community with the help of this scholarship?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your future community service goals and how the scholarship will support these efforts. Highlight any past community service experiences that demonstrate your commitment to making a positive impact.

6. Character How have your personal values and beliefs influenced your academic pursuits?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your personal values and beliefs and how they have influenced your academic and career goals. Highlight any experiences or achievements that demonstrate your character and commitment to your values.

7. Classroom How will you contribute to the academic community at your future college or university?

When addressing this prompt, discuss how you plan to contribute to the academic community at your future college or university. Highlight any academic or leadership experiences that demonstrate your potential to make a positive impact.

8. College Why have you chosen this particular college or university and how will this scholarship support your academic goals there?

When addressing this prompt, discuss why you have chosen your particular college or university and how the scholarship will support your academic pursuits. Highlight any relevant experiences or goals that align with the college or university's mission or values.

9. Committee Composition What unique perspective do you bring to the scholarship selection committee?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your unique experiences, skills, or background that you believe will contribute to the scholarship selection committee. Highlight any achievements or experiences that demonstrate your potential to make a positive impact.

10. Community How have you contributed to your local community and how will this scholarship support your future community service efforts?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any past community service experiences and how they have made a positive impact. Highlight any future community service goals and how the scholarship will support these efforts.

11. Competition How have you demonstrated your competitive spirit and drive for success?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any academic or extracurricular achievements that demonstrate your competitive spirit and drive for success. Highlight any leadership roles or experiences that demonstrate your potential for future success.

12. Contribution How will you contribute to your field of study through research or other academic pursuits? When addressing this prompt, discuss any research or academic goals you have for your field of study. Highlight any past academic or research experiences that demonstrate your potential to make a positive impact.

13. Control How have you taken control of your academic or personal life and achieved success?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any personal or academic challenges you have faced and how you have taken control of your life to achieve success. Highlight any skills or lessons you have gained from these experiences.

14. Creative How have you used your creativity to solve a problem or make a positive impact?

When addressing this prompt, discuss any experiences or achievements where you have used your creativity to make a positive impact. Highlight any problem-solving skills or unique approaches you have taken to achieve success.

15. Credentials How do your academic credentials and achievements make you a strong candidate for this scholarship?

When addressing this prompt, discuss your academic achievements and credentials that make you a strong candidate for the scholarship. Highlight any honors, awards, or certifications that demonstrate your academic excellence.

16. Culture How have your cultural experiences and background influenced your academic pursuits and goals?

When addressing this prompt, discuss how your cultural experiences and background have shaped your academic pursuits and goals. Highlight any experiences or achievements that demonstrate your unique perspective and potential to make a positive impact in your field of study.

How to Address Scholarship Essay Prompts?

Below you can find some of the most common scholarship questions and tips to answer them. Keep in mind these guidelines while answering the scholarship essay topic of your choice.

Your answers should show that you have a plan for your future and are serious about it. The scholarship committee wants to see that their money is going to someone who has the necessary drive, so don't be shy with what you say.

There's a competition going on - one that you can't afford to lose when your future is at stake. You need to stand out, and the best way to do it is by addressing any weakness with an answer like 'I currently have limited knowledge in this area, but I will be able to make up for my lack of experience through diligent study.' These scholarship committees look for applicants who show potential rather than people who already know everything about what they want from life.

It is very important to show the scholarship committee that you are passionate about your goals and ambitions. This will help them decide who they offer scholarships to, so it makes sense to take this question seriously.

While it is impossible to paint a complete image of your entire life in such a short time, you can give an overview of the information about your life that matters most with this scholarship.

To answer this question, show you have a serious plan for the future through education.

Maintaining a strong GPA throughout college is not enough; scholarship committees want more than just an educated student. They also want someone who will use their degree in ways that correspond with it. You'll have some tough competition when trying to prove yourself as a deserving candidate. So, make sure you are realistic about what types of goals and plans can realistically be achieved by going back to school or taking on another graduate program at one university.

This common scholarship essay question is a perfect way to share your thoughts about the importance of community service.

This prompt allows applicants to discuss what they have learned by doing this work and why more students should participate so that communities everywhere will improve.

Tips for Writing an Effective Scholarship Essay

Here are some key tips to keep in mind when writing your scholarship essay:

Address the Prompt: One of the most important things you can do when writing your scholarship essay is to address the prompt directly. Make sure you understand what the prompt is asking you to write about, and focus your essay on that topic.
Be Concise: Scholarship essays often have strict word limits, so it's important to be concise and to the point. Make sure every sentence in your essay serves a purpose and contributes to your overall argument.
Focus on Personal Experiences: Scholarship committees want to get to know you as a person. Thats why it's important to share personal experiences and stories in your essay. Use specific examples and anecdotes to illustrate your points for the scholarship.
Edit and Proofread: Once you've written your essay, take the time to edit and proofread it carefully. Look for typos, grammatical errors and make sure your essay flows smoothly and is easy to read.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should a scholarship essay be.

Scholarship essays are usually about 500 words or one page long. If you can't find the information about the word or page limit for the essay, it's usually safe to stick to 500 words or one page.

Do scholarship essays need a title?

You can also include a title for your scholarship essay if you want, but this is usually unnecessary.

Is it okay to lie on a scholarship essay?

Scholarships are a great way to save money for college, but lying about your academic achievements could result in serious consequences.

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How to Write a Scholarship Essay: Crafting a Standout Narrative

With scholarship opportunities on the rise, it's surprising to learn that a significant percentage of applicants often overlook a crucial element: the scholarship essay. Many candidates focus solely on grades and achievements, unaware that a well-crafted essay can be the game-changer in securing financial aid.

In this article, our essay writing service experts will explore the often underestimated power of the scholarship essay, offering a comprehensive guide that covers everything from defining the essence of a compelling essay to providing practical tips, tricks, and real-world examples. Join us on this journey as we unlock the secrets to transform your essay into a compelling testimony of your unique journey and aspirations, ensuring it not only stands out but leaves a lasting impression on selection committees.

What Is a Scholarship Essay?

A scholarship essay is more than an academic piece—it serves as your personal gateway to funding opportunities, shaping the trajectory of your educational journey. It's an opportunity to weave your narrative, articulating dreams and aspirations that captivate and convince scholarship committees. Picture it as your own masterpiece, where vibrant strokes illustrate who you are, where you've traversed, and the path you aim to tread.

Instead of merely presenting a laundry list of achievements, infuse vitality into your essay by narrating a pivotal moment that ignited your passion. Lead the reader through your experiences, forging a personal connection with your journey. Keep in mind that a scholarship essay isn't just about highlighting accomplishments; it's about unveiling the person behind those achievements. It's the distinction between perusing a resume and immersing oneself in a compelling story that leaves an indelible mark.

Let's buckle up as our scholarship essay writing service explores the art of crafting essays that go beyond grades and accolades.

Who Said Essays Can't Be an Adventurous Quest for Financial Aid?

Let's craft an essay that doesn't just open doors but kicks them wide open!

Scholarship Essay Format

When it comes to the scholarship essay writing process, paying meticulous attention to specific formatting requirements is crucial. Here's a breakdown of essential elements to consider:

1. Word Count and Page Limit:

Before you start writing, carefully review the scholarship guidelines for page and word limit. Adhering to these limits demonstrates your ability to follow instructions and ensures that your essay is concise and focused.

2. Font and Font Size:

Use a readable font that is commonly accepted, such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri. Ensure that the font size is within the specified range. Typically, a 12-point font is standard, but check the guidelines to confirm.

3. Margins and Spacing:

Maintain consistent margins on all sides of the document, usually one inch. Follow the specified spacing guidelines, whether it's double-spacing or a different requirement. Consistent spacing enhances readability and gives your essay a polished appearance.

4. Title or Heading:

Check if the scholarship application requires a title or heading. If not specified, you can opt for a straightforward title centered at the top of the page, using a larger font size than the body of the essay. Alternatively, you may choose to omit a title and start directly with your essay.

5. File Format and Submission Instructions:

Confirm the preferred file format for submission, whether it's a PDF, Word document, or another format. Adhering to the specified file format ensures that your essay is easily accessible and viewable by the scholarship committee.

6. Headers and Footers:

If required, include a header with your name, page number, and any other specified information. Be consistent in formatting these details throughout the document. Headers and footers add a professional touch to your essay.

7. Citations and References:

If you need to include citations or references, follow a standard citation style (such as APA format example , MLA, or Chicago) as per the scholarship guidelines. Ensure that your citations are accurate and formatted correctly.

8. Language and Tone:

While not directly related to formatting, it's crucial to maintain a professional and respectful tone. Tailor your language to suit the formality expected by the scholarship committee. Avoid slang or overly casual language unless explicitly allowed or encouraged.

9. File Naming Conventions:

If you are submitting your essay electronically, adhere to any specific file naming conventions outlined in the scholarship guidelines. This ensures that your document is easily identifiable and organized within the application system.

10. Proofreading and Formatting Check:

Before submission, thoroughly proofread your scholarship essay format to catch any errors, typos, or inconsistencies. Ensure that your essay looks polished and adheres to all specified formatting requirements.

How to Write a Scholarship Essay Step-By-Step

Here is a detailed and example-rich breakdown of how to approach and execute each section of the scholarship essay from our dissertation service experts. Remember, the key is to weave a narrative that is not only unique to you but also aligns seamlessly with the scholarship's values and expectations.

Introduction

To better understand how to start a scholarship essay, consider beginning with a vivid scene or a personal anecdote that relates to your journey. For example, if you're applying for a scholarship in environmental science, start with a moment of realization about the impact of climate change during a particular experience. Additionally, refer to our article on strategies for writing an essay hook for valuable tips.

Thesis Statement

Craft a powerful thesis that not only outlines your career goals but also hints at the unique perspective you bring. For instance, 'Through my journey in community service, I have discovered a passion for social entrepreneurship, and this scholarship will be the catalyst for implementing sustainable solutions.'

Body Paragraphs

Example of Achievements : Provide specific examples of your achievements within the same essay. Instead of stating, 'I was the captain of the debate team,' share a defining moment like, 'Leading the debate team to victory in the regional competition not only honed my public speaking skills but also instilled in me the importance of collaboration and effective communication.'

Experiences and Impact : Elaborate on the impact of your experiences. For instance, 'My volunteer work at the local animal shelter not only taught me compassion but also sparked an interest in animal welfare. This experience, coupled with my academic achievements, drives my pursuit of a degree in veterinary medicine.'

Express Your Goals and Aspirations

Specificity in Goals : Instead of a generic statement, be specific. For example, 'I aspire to bridge the gap between technology and healthcare by specializing in medical informatics. This scholarship will enable me to pioneer innovations that enhance patient care and streamline medical processes.'

Link to Scholarship Values : Showcase a connection between your goals and the scholarship values. If the scholarship emphasizes community impact, explain how your ambitions align: 'My goal of establishing sustainable community health programs aligns seamlessly with the scholarship's commitment to fostering positive change.'

Address Any Challenges

Share a personal challenge and highlight your resilience. 'Overcoming financial hardships, I learned the value of resourcefulness. This scholarship represents more than financial aid; it symbolizes the triumph of perseverance and the pursuit of academic excellence against all odds.'

Revisit your thesis and express optimism about the future. 'As I embark on this academic journey, fueled by my experiences and aspirations, I am confident that the skills and insights gained will not only contribute to my personal growth but also bring positive change to the communities I aim to serve.'

Proofreading and Editing

Seek specific feedback from peers, asking questions like, 'Does the opening anecdote draw you in?' or 'Are my goals and aspirations clear throughout the essay?' Addressing these specifics enhances the quality of your essay. If your scholarship essay ideas revolve around history, consider utilizing the assistance of our history essay writer .

Formatting Guidelines

Pay meticulous attention to formatting details. If the scholarship application specifies a font size or page limit, adhere to it. This showcases your ability to follow instructions, an essential skill in academic and professional settings.

Personalization

Adjust your essay to align with the values of each scholarship provider. If a scholarship emphasizes leadership, emphasize leadership experiences and their impact on your goals. This customization demonstrates your commitment to the specific scholarship's mission.

Scholarship Essay Examples

Below are scholarship essay examples that follow the outlined format and incorporate elements of a compelling narrative. Meanwhile, if you're feeling stuck with your own narrative, hit that ' write a paper for me ' button. Let's bring your unique story to life.

Using our tips sets you on the right track. Still, having a good sample essay at hand is vital for success. So, to make the writing process for your scholarship essay even more smooth and amazing, enter the dissertation service to look at the following samples:

Scholarship Essay Prompts

Scholarship essay prompts are more than questions; they are gateways to showcasing your unique story and aspirations. Here are some distinctive and thought-provoking prompts to spark your creativity:

The Unwritten Chapter : Describe a pivotal moment in your life that feels like the beginning of an unwritten chapter. How has this moment shaped your goals and inspired your pursuit of a scholarship?
The Legacy of Words : If you could have a conversation with any historical figure, author, or fictional character, who would it be? How would this conversation influence your academic and career aspirations?
The Dream Project : Imagine receiving unlimited funding for a project that addresses a global challenge. What would your project be, and how would it impact the world?
The Personal Lexicon : If you had to choose five words that define your journey, what would they be, and why? How do these words encapsulate your aspirations and experiences?
The Alternative Universe : Transport yourself to an alternate universe where you pursue a completely different field of study. How has this imaginary journey influenced your perspective on your current academic path?
The Cultural Odyssey : Reflect on an aspect of your cultural background that has significantly shaped your identity. How does this influence your academic and career goals, and how will it contribute to a diverse academic community?
The Innovation Blueprint : If you were given the chance to revolutionize an industry through innovation, which field would you choose, and what groundbreaking idea would you bring to the table?
The Unexpected Mentor : Describe an unexpected mentor or role model in your life. How have their guidance and insights influenced your personal and academic growth?
The Traveler's Tale : Imagine embarking on a journey to three different countries. Share how each country's culture, values, or experiences would contribute to your personal and academic development.
The Legacy of Service: Discuss a community service project you initiated or participated in. How has this experience shaped your understanding of social responsibility and influenced your educational aspirations?

6 Scholarship Essay Tips

Here are a few more tips from our service to allow you to create a winning scholarship essay:

Uncover Your Unique Angle : Identify what makes your story distinct while writing scholarship essays. Whether it's an unusual experience, a personal passion, or an innovative approach to problem-solving, emphasize the elements that set you apart from other applicants.
Create a Compelling Hook : Engage the reader immediately by starting with a compelling hook. This could be a thought-provoking question, a surprising fact, or a powerful quote that sets the tone for your narrative.
Quantify Your Impact : When discussing achievements, quantify your impact whenever possible. Instead of merely stating leadership roles, highlight specific results or improvements achieved under your guidance.
Highlight Transformative Moments : Share moments of personal growth or transformation. These could be challenges you've overcome, realizations that shaped your perspective, or experiences that fueled your passion for your chosen field.
Demonstrate Proactive Solutions : Showcase instances where you took the initiative or implemented solutions. Whether it's a community project, academic challenge, or personal goal, emphasize your proactive approach and problem-solving skills.
Balance Confidence with Humility : Project confidence in your abilities as a college student without overshadowing humility. Acknowledge areas for growth, expressing a willingness to learn and a commitment to continuous improvement.

Creating scholarship essays can be challenging, particularly when time and skills are limited. Yet, a compelling essay plays a crucial role in securing the desired scholarship. If you're short on time or uncertain about your abilities, explore the option of seeking help from professional essay writers. Submit a ' help me with my homework ' request to receive a high-quality scholarship essay or even a Pride and Prejudice short summary , enhancing your chances of success!

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Scholarship Essay Prompts and Topics - Best Questions and Answers

Preparing a scholarship essay is always a significant step for a high school or college student. Your task is to impress the admissions committee and make your case stand out. To attain that goal, you must know what message to convey and the right way to do it. How to decipher scholarship essay questions and answer them? The action plan for this paper isn't that different from your average college essay.

Study the given scholarship essay prompts and pick the one you like the most.
Think about the experience you can use to make the writing interesting.
Provide supporting evidence pertaining to your common scholarship essay topic.
Create an outline to ensure a logical flow and a balanced structure.
Write an essay example or two to avoid mistakes and come up with a top-notch paper.

An application scholarship committee needs much more than a simple essay to grant you a fund for education abroad or reward you for succeeding in the academic field. Hence, in this guide, we are going to focus on the most important element of your preparation. We offer you a collection of common scholarship writing prompts - here, we've gathered the most general aspects you can dwell on while writing. For each essay prompt, we've picked several ideas that may inspire you or help to formulate your own subject matter (if such an option is available).

Scholarship Essay Prompts for College

When working on this essay, you have a chance to express yourself and show that you deserve a scholarship - for your academic accomplishments, sports performance, artistic skills, etc. That is possible if you:

Have well-developed writing skills and can apply them appropriately
Prove your academic competence as well as critical and analytical skills
Make your writing to be more than words - provide reliable facts and examples
Know how to show your best qualities and prepare a distinctive work

Try to pick a topic in which you can combine all these aspects well. Keep in mind that this essay should resonate with your own beliefs and attitudes toward different issues. That will let the scholarship committee to assess your writing better and decide whether you deserve to be awarded.

Leadership Prompts

Your thoughts are focused on one particular question "how to win?". Therefore, the whole process reminds a competition, and you want to be the leader by any means. This essay question is good for demonstrating your perception of this phenomenon and presenting your skills as a leader. On the other hand, after reading your work, the committee members can see you like a really self-motivated and diligent student. Here are some questions and statements that may help.

What is leadership for you? Do you consider yourself a leader?
The time when I learned that being a leader isn't an easy task
What are the leader's main objectives? What aim did I have as a "boss"?
What makes a respected leader? How can they facilitate a team spirit?
How to distinguish leadership and lording over?
What kind of person can become a leader easily? Is it easy for me?
How to raise a leader in oneself? Did my family raise me as one who leads?

The meaning of leadership may vary depending on your personality, and here, the including of your own experience in an essay plays a pivotal role.

Challenges as Scholarship Prompt

It would also be effective to include your responsible attitude to problems in the scholarship essay. Any education process is usually filled with various pitfalls, and it would be a good decision to prove that you can deal with all of them easily. Or, at least, you understand how to approach them reasonably. When writing an essay on challenges, you have a wide range of aspects to emphasize and consider. Therefore, here is a list of good scholarship prompts that guarantee you a triumph:

My biggest challenge when I was a child.
What is your absolutely winning strategy? Have you tried it?
How the positive/negative challenge you've encountered affected you?
Is there a "compulsory" challenge everyone should face? Have you faced it?
Is it true that the hardest challenge is the one you create yourself?
Is there a challenge you would like to face again?
Do you agree with the idea that the only way to development is going through challenges?

When you want to write about something difficult you've faced and dealt with, emphasize your personal achievements, show an attitude to wins and failures, and prove your ability to think strategically. A good set of features for a scholarship applicant!

Prompts about Social Issues Around the Globe

There are scholarships where you can show your competence and interest in current events and social issues that are highly discussed. Here, you can describe particular aspects of life through the prisms of various societies or highlight certain problems looming over us. But, you can write not only about impactful or hazardous phenomena but emphasize the bright and positive sides of this topic. By adding facts from your experience and describing your own attitude towards different phenomena, you may express concerns about particular problems or highlight the joy of every day. Below, you will find some ideas that can be covered during your writing.

Gender discrimination and domestic violence in developed countries
Bullying and abuse in educational institutions and ways to prevent them
Challenges of same-sex marriage and the role of the LGBTQ in social development
Social issues we should solve now. Your actions toward its prevention.
Racism and cultural appropriation as stumbling-blocks for social progress.

When preparing an essay on social issues, you can come up with different thoughts or efficient solutions. If your topic mentions a certain problem, just ask yourself, "Is there something I can do to solve it?" Such thoughts may inspire you to write.

Happiness and Sadness Prompts for Scholarship Essay

These two phenomena and their meaning will remain the biggest secret for humans. Everyone has their own interpretation of sadness and happiness that help to make life more fulfilled. You can be asked to write a scholarship paper on one of these matters since such a task will show your original way of thinking, imagination, and life priorities. That's what a scholarship committee needs to know about you. Here are some ideas:

What do happiness and sadness mean to you?
Should we be grateful for every day of your life?
Does being a realist mean you will always be sad?
Can money buy happiness or ease sadness?
How do good people around make us happy?
Do we create our happiness ourselves?
Are the optimists luckier?

Now, a strong scholarship essay is what can make you happy, but is there any secret of a winning paper? Confidence, attention to detail, and persuasion. We hope our scholarship essay prompts for 2020 will be helpful, and your paper will impress anyone. Good luck with reaching your goals!

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13 Tips to Bring Your Scholarship Essay to the Next Level

Applying for scholarships would be a piece of cake if it wasn’t for the essay, which often forces us to reflect on ourselves, who we are as people, and what we’ve accomplished so far in life. While it can be the most difficult part of the application, it’s also the most important part.

The Planning Phase

1. plan far in advance, 2. know your audience, 3. follow the instructions & answer the prompt, 4. choose a topic that you’re interested in and passionate about, 5. consider reusing an existing essay., the writing phase, 6. create a strong introduction, 7. keep a good structure, 8. show emotions, 9. use real life examples (“show, don’t tell”), 10. keep the tone inspirational & positive, 11. stay away from dreary & boring conclusions, the editing phase, 12. proofread and ask for help, 13. take advantages of resources, but where you do apply.

The scholarship essay is your chance to make a case for yourself and to show the committee why you deserve to win. It gives you the chance to show your personality and what you’re most proud of in life. Your scholarship application should inform, but your scholarship essay should persuade. Scholarship committees read hundreds, or even thousands, of essays, so making your application stand out from the rest is crucial.

Luckily, you don’t need perfect writing skills to make it happen. With a few scholarship essay tips and tricks in mind, you can easily bring your scholarship application to the next level.

Here are our 13 scholarship essay tips to help you succeed:

If you wait until the last minute to write your scholarship essay, the quality will likely suffer. To make sure that you have enough time for the planning phase, create a calendar ( like this one ) with the deadlines and requirements for all the scholarships you want to apply for. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time for brainstorming and proofreading!

Hot tip : If you use Going Merry to find and apply for scholarships , you can save your favorite scholarships, and then our dashboard will keep track of all your upcoming deadlines for you. We’ll even email you reminders so you don’t miss out! Learn more about how Going Merry works here .

The best way to give the scholarship committee what they’re looking for is to actually know what they’re looking for. Figure out who their ideal candidate is and how you fit into that picture. But be careful not to cater to their expectations too much.

Don’t sacrifice your voice and personality to fit the bill. Rather, take a look at your strengths and then determine how you can spin them to become the ideal candidate.

Hot tip : Not sure how to do this? Check out the “Financial Literacy for Hispanic Women” and “Life Happens” scholarship essays here , for examples of past winners who’ve clearly taken the scholarship provider’s missions into account.

It might seem like one of the more obvious scholarship essay tips, but many applicants make their first mistake before they even begin – they don’t read the directions. Exceeding (or not meeting) the word count can hurt your chances since it shows that you didn’t prepare your essay as well as other applicants. Also, double check to make sure you’re responding thoroughly to all parts of the prompt and that you’re following the correct scholarship essay format.

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Your topic can have a heavy impact on how well your essay turns out. If you choose a topic that bores you, you’ll likely bore your reader too! Try to choose a topic that you’re passionate about or that interests you in some way, rather than a topic that you feel you should write about – that way, your personality and excitement can shine through in your writing!

Many scholarship essays use the same essay prompt. Some scholarship providers even use the ones from the Common App or allow you to choose your own topic. This means you can literally copy and paste your essay to submit to multiple applications (yay!).

Other times, scholarships use similar essay prompts, or ask questions that can be answered in the same way. You might be able to slightly change an existing essay, rather than writing a new one altogether. For example, these two prompts can often be answered the same way:

Discuss a moment or experience that caused significant personal growth.
Discuss a time when you had to overcome an obstacle.

Since overcoming an obstacle often results in personal growth, if you have an essay for one of these prompts, you can usually tweak it to make it work for the other prompt.

Hot tip : Going Merry makes it easy for you by combining scholarships with similar essay prompts into application bundles . This way, you can apply for multiple scholarships with just one essay. Sign up today .

Since the introduction is what draws the reader into your essay and convinces them to keep going, it should be one of the strongest parts of your essay . Instead of starting off with a general overview, why not hook your reader with a surprising first line?

For example, which of these two opening lines pulls you into the story more? Which one makes you want to keep going?

My first time traveling abroad was during a family vacation to Mexico in 2010.

It was 2010; I had just crossed the border into Mexico and my life was about to change.

The second sentence gives the reader something to look for; it makes them curious about not only how your life changed during your trip but also why it changed. It gives the readers unanswered questions and they have to keep reading to find the answers.

Overall, you’ll want to give your reader a quick preview of what they can expect from your essay – think of it like the written version of a movie trailer. Why should they keep reading?

After the introduction, it’s important to make sure that your reader can follow along with your essay without too much effort. Creating a basic outline is a great way to make sure this happens!

To create an outline, first organize your thoughts. Write down the main points that you definitely want to cover in your essay. Next, organize those thoughts into various sections: introduction, body, and conclusion. Your ideas can either be in sentence form, short phrases, or simple words – whatever you prefer! Lastly, make sure your ideas flow in a logical order and, if necessary, add more detail under each point. Check out this source for more information .

Also, try to avoid going off on a tangent by taking the time to determine which information is relevant and which isn’t . Similarly, consider just how much detail you should include. Providing some detail can make your point clearer or more compelling, but too much detail can bog down your essay.

Hot tip : Check out Joseph Lee’s “What makes a good doctor?” essay here , for an example of a well-structured scholarship essay.

Connecting with an audience through writing can be challenging but, when done right, it can create a very powerful connection between the reader and the author. Showing your emotions is a great way to do that and to get the reader personally invested in your essay. Showing emotion can help the reader see you as a person, rather than a faceless author. Even though it’s crucial, it’s one of the scholarship essay tips that people tend to ignore the most.

We all have vulnerabilities, so don’t be afraid to show them. Scholarship committees don’t expect you to be perfect and want to see how you’ve grown as a person and handled the obstacles that life has thrown your way. In fact, opening up about times where you felt nervous or scared demonstrates maturity and self-awareness – two great qualities for a scholarship applicant to have.

Hot tip : Check out Jesus’ winning scholarship essay here, which discusses a really tough moment in his life. It’s a great example of showing vulnerability.

Instead of telling your reader about your experiences, show them. Don’t be afraid to provide real-world examples of your experiences and/or how you’ve changed as a person. Nearly every applicant will have a somewhat similar response to the essay prompt and your personal examples are your chance to transform your essay from generic to unique.

Consider the difference between these two passages explaining why the scholarship applicant wants to pursue a career in science:

VERSION 1: I have always been interested in science, even from a young age. Since my family supported my interest enthusiastically, I continued to pursue it throughout school. As I’ve gotten older, though, my scientific endeavors have become increasingly complex.

VERSION 2: Too young to enter the school science fairs, I took to my family. Force-feeding different animal food to my siblings and parents, I graphed their favorite types. While I was only six, my family has never forgiven me; my “experiments” remain the family joke. Nevertheless, I have progressed from my dog food days, leaving taste tests for DNA gel electrophoresis experiments. [ essay from Lauren Croda ]

Which is more engaging? While Version 1 explains things and may be well-written, it’s a bit boring, right? Version 2 makes the subject come alive and showcases the author’s quirky personality. While anyone (and probably many applicants) could write Version 1, only Lauren could write Version 2. It helps her stand out. That ‘s the power of examples and “show, don’t tell.”

One of the most important scholarship essay tips is based entirely on your perspective and tone. Nobody wants to read a depressing and self-pitying story. Even if you’re writing about difficult or sad events in your life, try and keep the tone positive and inspirational. Rather than just writing about how you were negatively affected by an event, focus on how you grew from the experience and overcame the obstacle.

Most people use the conclusion to simply paraphrase their entire essay…but don’t be afraid to think outside of the box! Do something surprising and innovative. Make your essay interesting and attention-grabbing from the first letter until the last period.

One great way to bring your conclusion to the next level is to leave your readers with an interesting question for them to think about. For more ideas, check out these helpful tips .

Scholarship Essay Tips - Student on computer

As much as we like to believe that we’re perfect, we all make mistakes…which is why it’s so important to take the time to proofread your essay. One great way to find mistakes is to read your essay out loud. For more ideas, check out these helpful tips .

Once you’ve taken the time to proofread your own essay a few times, have someone else do it for you. Asking a family member or friend for help can provide you with a different perspective on your writing and a second set of eyes might catch a mistake that you didn’t.

When it comes to writing, you don’t have to do it completely on your own. Check out some of our resources including scholarship essay examples from Going Merry winners ,; a breakdown of why these 5 scholarship essays worked; and our guides to writing personal statements , academic goals essays , or career goals essays .

If you’re in college, most schools have a writing center that offers free feedback and guidance to students. They might even have some insightful scholarship essay tips that you (or we!) didn’t think about. Some high schools, communities, or libraries might also have similar services.

Now that you’re writing stellar essays, start applying for scholarships! Here’s a list of 10 scholarship search sites , but we’d just recommend you go straight for the best one: Sign up for free with Going Merry , and then upload your essays to your documents section. Get started with your scholarship applications today.

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10 reasons why I deserve a scholarship [model answers and prompt]

Scholarships are an essential aid for many students, but what does it take to secure one? Answering “why do I deserve a scholarship” can feel challenging, yet it’s the key to opening many educational opportunities.

In this article, we break down the top 10 reasons why you might be a deserving candidate, alongside advice on what scholarship committees are seeking.

From displaying academic excellence to overcoming adversity, we provide model answers to help you articulate your story convincingly.

We’ll also guide you on aligning your essay with the funders’ mission, offering tips on crafting a tailored, impactful application.

Read on to equip yourself with the insights and confidence to assert “why I deserve a scholarship”.

Why Do I Deserve A Scholarship? Here are some awesome prompts for your response:

Reason	Explanation
1.	High GPA, honors, and other signs of academic excellence indicate a commitment to learning and knowledge. The student has demonstrated the ability to perform at a high level, and the scholarship will help them continue this success.
2.	Some students have the potential to excel but lack the necessary resources to pursue higher education. In such cases, a scholarship would offer them the much-needed financial aid to further their studies.
3.	Demonstrated commitment to serving one’s community can be a strong reason for earning a scholarship. It shows the ability to work for the betterment of others and implies the student will continue this service in the future, which can be highlighted in a scholarship essay sample.
4.	Leadership roles in clubs, sports teams, or community organizations show that the student has the potential to influence others and drive positive change.
5.	Scholarships may be awarded to individuals who have unique skills or talents (like music, arts, or athletics), recognizing their exceptional capabilities and encouraging them to further develop their talents.
6.	If a student has undertaken significant research or led a unique project, they may be eligible for a scholarship. This signals an entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to advancing their field of interest.
7.	Students who have overcome personal hardships or adversities demonstrate resilience and perseverance. Scholarships may be awarded to support these students as they continue their academic journey.
8.	Demonstrated passion and commitment to a specific area of study may make a student deserving of a scholarship, especially if they intend to contribute significantly to their field.
9.	Scholarships can help break the cycle of low educational attainment in some families. First-generation college students might be particularly deserving, recognizing the additional hurdles they’ve overcome.
10.	Scholarships can help support students from diverse backgrounds or underrepresented groups. These students bring unique perspectives to the academic environment, enhancing campus diversity and fostering inclusivity, which are critical points to emphasize in a scholarship essay sample.

Use the essay prompts below to help beat writer’s block for your essay, especially when crafting a scholarship essay sample.

Essay Prompts and Questions to Answer for your Essay on Why I Deserve a Scholarship:

“One of my proudest academic achievements is…”
“I have consistently maintained a GPA of… because…”
“Due to my family’s financial situation, I have faced challenges such as…”
“A scholarship would significantly alleviate financial stress by…”
“I have been actively involved in community service by…”
“Through my volunteer work with… I have learned…”
“I demonstrated leadership as the president of…”
“In my role as captain of the… team, I was responsible for…”
“I have a unique talent for… which I have developed by…”
“My skills in… have led me to achieve…”
“I conducted a research project on… which resulted in…”
“Leading the project on… taught me…”
“One significant challenge I have overcome is…”
“Despite facing… I have managed to…”
“My passion for… began when…”
“I am committed to… because I believe…”
“As the first person in my family to attend college, I have…”
“This scholarship will help me overcome the challenges of being a first-generation student by…”
“I contribute to diversity in my community by…”
“My background in… has allowed me to…”
“My long-term career goal is to…”
“Achieving this goal is important to me because…”
“I have been involved in… which has helped me…”
“Participating in… has taught me the importance of…”
“One innovative idea I have is…”
“In the future, I plan to work on projects that…”
“My academic plan includes…”
“My career plan is to…”
“The values that drive me include…”
“I am motivated by… because…”

Sentence Starters:

“I believe I deserve this scholarship because…”
“My academic record shows…”
“Financial support is crucial for me as…”
“Volunteering at… has shaped my…”
“As a leader, I have…”
“My unique talent in… has…”
“Despite facing…, I have…”
“My commitment to studying… is evident through…”
“Being a first-generation college student means…”
“Diversity is important to me because…”
“My career aspirations include…”
“Participating in… has allowed me to…”
“I have a vision for… that involves…”
“My educational journey includes plans to…”
“The core values that guide me are…”

Check out my YouTube video on crafting the best personal statement to support your scholarship application!

Why Do Scholarship Organizers Ask This Question?

According to the US Department of Education in Trends From 1995–96 to 2007–08 show us that:

Total grant aid: $116 billion
Average grant aid per student: $4900

And the source of the funding is mainly from Universities:

10 reasons why I deserve a scholarship - funding sources.

Scholarship organizers ask applicants to answer specific questions to gain a deeper understanding of their motivations and aspirations and give out quite a limited amount of money.

By posing these questions, they are able to assess whether the candidates truly deserve the scholarship opportunity.

The scholarship committee wants to identify individuals who not only have financial need but also display a genuine passion for their field of study or have a compelling personal story.

Moreover, these questions serve as a way to distinguish applicants from one another. It allows the committee to recognize those who stand out and have the potential to make a significant impact in their chosen field.

Scholarship organizers often inquire about how the applicant plans to utilize the funds.

This helps ensure that the scholarship money is going towards a worthy cause and will be used in a productive and beneficial manner.

Therefore, it is crucial for applicants to carefully consider their way to answer these questions, as a well-thought-out response can greatly increase their chances of receiving the scholarship and ultimately, achieving their educational goals.

What’s the scholarship committee looking for?

The scholarship committee seeks applicants who align with their mission and priorities.

To impress them, adhere strictly to guidelines, including word counts. You may even be called in to a meeting and interview. Check out this link for the best scholarship interview tips!

Research the organization thoroughly, understanding its vision, goals, and objectives.

Reflect these in your essay to show shared values. If no formatting instructions are given, stick to a standard 12-point Times New Roman font with double spacing.

Think from the reviewer’s perspective and ensure your essay resonates with the funders’ priorities.

Tailor your content to the organization’s focus areas.

For example, if you’re a biology major interested in microbiology, emphasize this if it’s relevant to the scholarship. Use the scholarship as a platform to showcase your specific interests. Make your application specific, personal, and focused on the scholarship provider’s interests.

The application isn’t just about you ; it’s about how well you fit with the scholarship’s purpose.

Tips to consider for writing a “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” essay – sample answers

Writing a “Why do you deserve this scholarship?” essay can be challenging.

Begin by sharing your story, focusing on your accomplishments, demonstrating how you’re a hard worker, your leadership or volunteer experiences make you a deserving candidate for the scholarship.

Here are some elements that you should consider including in your application.

Express Aspirations for Community Service : Make sure to express your desire to create a positive impact on the community through something like a scholarship fund, nonprofit, charity, or other forms of community service in your scholarship essay. This shows relatability to the scholarship committee.
Personalize Your Application : Try to personalize your application by addressing the scholarship board directly, or including a heartfelt message in your thank you note.
Elaborate on Your Financial Situation : If there are significant financial circumstances that weren’t covered in your FAFSA application, mention them. Highlight special circumstances like extensive medical bills, family situations, etc., that necessitate additional financial support.
Narrate Your Growth Journey : Include a story of personal growth or overcoming a challenge in your essay. This can be a narrative of triumphing over hardships in a particular class or a life event.
State Your Career Goals : Clearly state your major or career goals, and what inspired you to pursue them. Use simple, understandable language especially when applying for scholarships not directly related to your field of study.
Mention Relevant Experiences : Include the activities, community service, clubs, associations, and coursework that relate to your major or career goals. Don’t just list them, narrate how these experiences have shaped you and prepared you for your career.
Demonstrate How the Scholarship Will Help : Without sounding entitled, explain how receiving the scholarship will aid in your academic journey. Try to be humble and indirect, stating your need without sounding too desperate.
Detail Your Life Goals : Including your long-term life goals in your essay gives the scholarship committee a clear vision of your future plans.
Show Your Community Involvement : Indicate any community involvement that relates to your career or life goals. This shows that you’re proactive and already engaged in activities aligned with your objectives.
Highlight Leadership Positions : If you’ve held leadership roles, elaborate on the duties and responsibilities associated with those positions. This demonstrates initiative, management skills, and responsibility.
Name Your Role Models : Mention who has motivated you or had a significant impact on your life. You could quote them if their words tie into the overall theme of your essay.

The scholarship committee is seeking a worthy cause, so illustrate how supporting your dreams aligns with their values.

Proofread attentively, ensuring your scholarship essay is clear, persuasive, and free of errors.

By following these tips, your answer to “why you deserve this scholarship” may compel the committee to acknowledge you as a deserving scholarship recipient.

Tips on Answering “Why Do I Deserve a Scholarship?”

It’s essential to frame your achievements on a scholarship application not as bragging, but showcasing your capability and motivation. This approach can turn your essay into a compelling scholarship opportunity.

Acknowledge that your need, while genuine, isn’t to beg but to highlight how the scholarship helps you overcome your challenges.

Here are the best ways to do this!

1. Understanding the Scholarship Essay Question

Understanding the essay question, “Why do I deserve this scholarship?” is crucial for drafting a compelling response. Don’t see it as a mere requirement but as an opportunity to make your case convincingly and uniquely.

2. Focusing on the Future: How Scholarships Support Career Goals

Scholarships aren’t just about avoiding student debt, they’re stepping stones towards your future career. Discuss how this scholarship will facilitate your long-term educational goals and broader contributions to society.

3. Aligning Your Interests: Tailoring Your Answer to the Scholarship’s Purpose

Research the organization offering the scholarship. If it’s associated with a specific field or honors a certain individual, tailor your response to reflect alignment with the scholarship’s purpose or values.

4. Crafting a Story: The Importance of Using Specific Examples

Generalizations rarely make an impact. Instead, use specific examples from your life that highlight your attributes. Show the judges your qualities rather than just telling them.

5. Showcasing Kindness: Illustrating Personal Attributes with Real-Life Instances

Demonstrate your kindness, selflessness, or commitment to community service through real experiences. A story that shows your empathy and care can set you apart from the crowd.

6. Overcoming Challenges: The Art of Displaying Resilience in Scholarship Essays

Sharing how you’ve overcome obstacles shows your resilience and problem-solving skills, characteristics highly valued by scholarship committees. Highlight your ability to turn challenges into opportunities.

7. Striking a Balance: Sharing Past Struggles without Dwelling on Them

While it’s important to share past struggles, the focus should be on your resilience and how you’ve overcome these challenges. It’s not about evoking sympathy, but about demonstrating your strength and determination.

8. Ensuring Success: Proving Your Potential through Past Experiences

Showcase your potential for success by drawing on past experiences that demonstrate your commitment and determination. The more convincingly you can argue this, the more likely you are to secure the scholarship.

9. Utilizing the Word Count: Maximizing Your Space for Maximum Impact

Using the maximum word limit allows you to provide a detailed and compelling response. Don’t write less than the limit and don’t exceed it. Every word is an opportunity to persuade the committee.

10. Conclusion: Effectively Conveying Why You Deserve the Scholarship

Wrap up your essay by summarizing your key points. Reiterate your passion, commitment, and potential, leaving a lasting impression of why you indeed deserve the scholarship.

Wrapping up – applying for a scholarship so you are awarded a scholarship

Applying for a scholarship involves more than just financial need or exceptional grades.

It’s about convincing the selection committee that you not only align with their mission and values but that you also bring unique qualities that set you apart from other candidates.

It’s about sharing your life’s journey, demonstrating your resilience, and illustrating how the scholarship will help you in furthering your education, achieving your career goals, and making a difference in your community.

Your scholarship essay should be a blend of your aspirations, achievements, personal struggles, and the difference you aspire to make. It should give a compelling answer to the question, “Why do I deserve this scholarship?”

Your response should showcase your commitment, determination, and the potential for success you’ve demonstrated through your academic or career experiences so far.

Applying for scholarships can seem daunting, but with a bit of time, effort, and using the tips provided in this blog, you can craft a winning scholarship essay that resonantly answers “Why I deserve this scholarship?”.

Always remember, it’s not just about whether you think you’re deserving but being able to effectively communicate this to the scholarship committee.

So, take the leap, believe you deserve to win, and put forth your best self in your application.

Best of luck with your journey!

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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10 Winning Scholarship Essay Examples From Real Students

Make your application shine.

Only at the ice rink could I be myself; the feeling of the cold rink breeze embracing me, the ripping sound of blades touching the ice, even the occasional ice burning my skin as I fell—these were my few constants.

Writing a scholarship essay can be intimidating. The competition is fierce and the stakes are high, so students are bound to feel the pressure. It may be helpful, therefore, to look at essays that were successful. What did those students do to impress the committee? These scholarship essay examples will give you a better idea of how to make an application shine!

Tips for Writing a Scholarship Essay

We’ve put together a whole guide for how to write a scholarship essay , so if you haven’t read it already, definitely give it a look! In addition, here are some quick tips to help students get started.

Carefully read the rules

The last thing you need is to be disqualified from winning a scholarship because you didn’t do the right thing.

Start early

Don’t wait until the last minute to start researching and applying for scholarships. Give yourself plenty of time to work through the process.

Get to know the provider

Think of the scholarship provider as your target audience. You want to tailor your essay to impress them, so do your research. What kinds of candidates are they looking for? What causes do they support? Dig deep for the information you need!

Think about who you are, what you want to say, and how to appeal to the scholarship committee. Write everything down and then choose the best ideas.

The scholarship committee will be reviewing many applications. How can you make yours unforgettable? Highlight your strongest assets, share hard lessons if they showcase your growth as a person and/or student, and be honest. Never lie in a scholarship essay!

Be professional

Consider this the most important academic paper you’ve ever written. Don’t use slang or casual language. Submit a properly formatted essay that’s been well-edited and proofread by multiple people.

One last tip

Don’t reuse scholarship essays! Yes, it’s time-consuming, but students need to put the same effort into every application. Use the same process and it will get faster and easier every time!

Scholarship Essay Examples

Afc visionary scholarship essay by nicole kuznetsov.

Award Amount: $5,000

Essay prompt: Why do you want to go to college? Why is it important to you?

Why it was successful: The beauty of this essay is that it’s well-organized and simple. Nicole Kuznetsov chose to outline her story by using chronology and provided a clean, concise story following a linear path.

As a child, my life had structure. Coloring books had lines, letters took on very specific shapes, and a system of rules governed everything from board games to the classroom.

North Coast Section Foundation Scholarship Essay by Christine Fung

Award Amount: $1,000

Why it was successful: Christine Fung masterfully shared how her upbringing instilled strong values, a love for education, and a passion for medicine .

The more involved I became, the more I learned as a leader and as a person.

The Bill Browning Scholarship Essay by Gabby DeMott

Award Amount: $10,000

Essay prompt: Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and a new understanding of yourself or others.

Why it was successful: Gabby DeMott shared her experiences with personal growth and overcoming fears in Germany. She also appealed to the very human feeling of wanting to belong in a way that was inspiring.

Never have I felt so accepted while being an outsider, so proud of a country that isn’t even mine, so part of something I didn’t really belong to.

Life Happens Scholarship Essay by Emily Trader

Award Amount: $15,000

Essay prompt: How has the death of a parent or guardian impacted your life financially and emotionally? Be sure to describe how the loss of your parent/guardian impacted your college plans, and explain how the lack of adequate (or any) life insurance coverage has impacted your family’s financial situation.

Why it was successful: Emily Trader fully addressed the prompt in honest, beautiful detail. She knew her audience and tailored her essay to appeal to them while telling her compelling story.

If this devastating experience has taught me anything, it is this: financial planning for these situations is absolutely invaluable.

Change a Life Foundation Scholarship Essay by Isabella Mendez-Figueroa

Essay prompt: Please explain how your experience volunteering and participating in community service has shaped your perspective on humanity. Elaborate on how these experiences have influenced your future ambitions and career choice.

Why it was successful: Isabella Mendez-Figueroa shared an empowering story about her parents overcoming financial adversity so that she and her sister could be the first in their family to go to college.

As I’ve grown I’ve learned to fight my own monsters but I now also battle the ones that frighten my parents, the monsters of a world that they weren’t born into.

Giva Scholarship Essay by Joseph Lee

Essay prompt: Who is (or what makes) a good doctor?

Why it was successful: Joseph Lee offered a captivating , personal story that was essentially a list of things that make someone a good doctor without it feeling boring or calculated.

I learned such lessons in the purest manner possible, by being a patient myself, and will use them to guide me in all future patient encounters, as I strive to be a

New York University College of Arts and Science Scholarship by Ana

Award amount: $39,500

Essay prompt: Explain something that made a big impact in your life.

Why it was successful: Ana discussed how early experiences w ith learning difficult things has contributed to her passion for teaching and supporting students.

The Fund for Education Abroad Rainbow Scholarship Essay by Steven Fisher

Award amount: $7,500

Essay prompt: The Fund for Education Abroad is committed to diversifying education abroad by providing funding to students who are typically under-represented in study abroad. Please describe how you and/or your plans for study abroad could be viewed as under-represented.

Why it was successful: Steven Fisher’s powerful essay connected his realizations about his own sexual identity with embracing the beautiful diversity found all around the world.

My growth as a person was exponential. I rewrote so many areas of my life where I didn’t do things I wanted because of social conditioning.

Women’s World Banking Founder’s Scholarship Essay by Rosaisha Ozoria

Essay prompt: Write about your hopes for the future of women and girls worldwide.

Why it was successful: Rosaisha Ozoria focused on a very specific topic , financial literacy for Hispanic women, and emphasized its importance and relevance to her own life.

This is a tremendous goal, but for me, it is an opportunity to make a difference – in my neighborhood and for my Spanish community.

The Millennium Gates Last Dollar Scholarship Essay by Famyrah Lafortune

Award amount: $3,500

Essay prompt: Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” —Nelson Mandela Describe a change you would like to make in the world. Tell us about how you would plan to make that change, and what obstacles you might encounter along the way.

Why it was successful: Famyrah Lafortune starts with a strong statement about ending racial inequality and then details the steps she’ll take to make it happen.

By raising awareness of racial disparities that occur everywhere, I might encourage a new wave of change in our country ...

Do you have any great scholarship essay examples? Share them below!

Plus, check out the ultimate guide to college scholarships, want more suggestions be sure to subscribe to our newsletters ..

Need money for college? These scholarship essay examples will help your application stand out over the competition!

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29 Great Scholarship Essay Topics & Popular Questions

Going through each scholarship application’s essay topics and questions can get cumbersome. However, it gets easier if you can access common essay topics and popular scholarship questions. Then, you can reuse them repeatedly as you apply for more scholarships.

This article will supply common scholarship essay questions that you can start with. You can prepare an essay already on any one of these prompts and use them across multiple scholarships.

Scholarship Application Questions

There are diverse questions a scholarship committee can ask applicants. It would help if you brainstormed several subject ideas; you might come across one you did not consider before.

Sometimes, a scholarship board gives you scholarship essay questions; how you answer those questions matters. You should know what answers they expect and what information they don’t need from you.

6 College Scholarship Essay Questions:

How do you believe this scholarship will help you achieve your goals?
Have you contributed anything to your community: How?
What are the innate or developed qualities that make you unique?
What field of study are you going into?
What are your career or academic goals?
Why should we award you this scholarship position?

5 Other Scholarship Questions Examples:

Have you ever had a moment of revelation where you’ve had your eyes opened to things you were otherwise blind to?
If your friends were to write an essay about you, how would they characterize you?
What dreams do you have; if you look back in 30 years, what do you hope to have achieved?
How did you develop the attribute, quality, or skill that distinguishes you from everybody else?
Do you typically have unwavering beliefs or philosophy: What are they?

Scholarship Essay Prompts

These are questions scholarship providers ask to decide whether an applicant deserves the scholarship or not. The way you answer scholarship essay prompts is important because you are selling yourself to the board. When answering scholarship essay prompts, you want to establish that you are high-achieving and well-deserving of the scholarship.

6 Scholarship Essay Prompt Examples:

Write a short autobiography of yourself telling us about your work experience, family, hobbies, and future plans.
Talk to us about a time you failed and the lessons you took from it.
Tell us ways sports have impacted your life, positively or negatively.
Tell us why we should award you this scholarship out of thousands of others.
Tell us about a time a belief or idea of yours was challenged, how you reacted, and the result.
Write a short essay telling us areas in your life, school, social, or family, where you demonstrated a leadership skill that helped you overcome an obstacle.

Scholarship Essay Topics

The scholarship application process also involves essay topics being given to the applicant. This is where an applicant gets to showcase his strength, personality, and abilities in a way that’ll compel the board. This part of the application process can be the most persuasive; therefore, you should put your all into it. Applicants are advised to have 5 to 7 pre-written essays, which can be used across different scholarship applications.

6 Popular Scholarship Essay Topics:

Traits That Will Enhance My Education and Future Employments
Innate/Developed Leadership Qualities That Make Me Unique
A Book That Inspired Me Greatly
10 Things I have Accomplished in Life
Why I Believe I Deserve This Scholarship Award
Awards and Honorable Titles I Have Received

Scholarship Essay Titles

Scholarship essay prompts may require that applicants come up with titles. However, applicants sometimes find it hard to come with scholarship essay titles. Below are some ideas on scholarship essay titles that you can use to land that scholarship award.

6 Scholarship Essay Titles:

The Person Who Challenged and Changed My Beliefs
Goals I Plan to Achieve in 10 Years
My Dreams and Aspirations
Issues I Have Resolved in My Family With My Innate Leadership Skills
What I Consider to Be My Biggest Success Yet
Things And People That Inspire Me

In conclusion, you shouldn’t wait until you land a scholarship award before writing a scholarship topic. There are many suggestions on scholarship essay questions online, including those listed here. You should choose at least five and write on them and have professionals vet and correct them for you. As such, when the scholarship opportunity arrives, you are ready – and your chance of getting it is high!

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The 16 Most Popular Scholarship Essay and Application Questions

The Top 16 Scholarship Essay Themes

Common Scholarship Questions and Essay Prompts

Scholarship Essay Theme: Catch-All

Scholarship Essay Theme: Challenges

Scholarship Essay Theme: Champion

Scholarship Essay Theme: Change

Scholarship Essay Theme: Character

Scholarship Essay Theme: Classroom

Scholarship Essay Theme: College

Scholarship Essay Theme: Committee Composition

Scholarship Essay Theme: Community

Scholarship Essay Theme: Competition

Scholarship Essay Theme: Contribution

Scholarship Essay Theme: Control

Scholarship Essay Theme: Creative

Scholarship Essay Theme: Credentials

Scholarship Essay Theme: Culture

Save a Ton of Time by Using These Themes

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10 Common Scholarship Essay Questions and How to Answer Them

1. Tell Us About Yourself

2. How Will This Scholarship Make a Difference for You?

3. Can You Tell Us About a Time You Failed? What Did You Learn from That Experience?

4. Tell Us About a Contribution You’ve Made to Your Community

5. What Are Your Academic (or Professional) Goals?

6. Tell Us About a Time Where You Stepped Up as a Leader

7. Who Has Been Your Biggest Influence (or Inspiration)?

8. Why Do You Want to Go to College?

9. How Are You Planning on Financing Your College Education?

10. Why Do You Deserve This Scholarship?

Using Common Scholarship Essay Questions to Prepare

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How To Answer Common Scholarship Essay Questions

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What Are Your Long and Short Term Goals?

What Are Some of the Most Important Issues in Your Field of Study?

What Are Your Biggest Weaknesses?

The fastest path to earning scholarships

Why Do You Need a Scholarship?

Describe an Adult Who Had a Major Influence on Your Life

What Are Your Greatest Personal Achievements?

When All Else Fails, Ask Yourself WHY

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Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

What Is Your Biggest Weakness?

What Is Your Greatest Personal Achievement?

What Are Your Contributions to Your Community?

What Makes You Unique?

Sample Scholarship Essay Prompts