The below essay was used by an international student to apply for a scholarship to a graduate school in the UK (personal details have been changed). 

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 Scholarship Essay (500 words)

     I can still remember the day my brother walked through the door of our family home after spending the past two years studying overseas in England. It was like he was a different person. He exuded a newfound confidence and talked about his career with a new sense of clarity. He beamed as he talked about his experience living in the UK, and the benefits he received transcended the mere academic aspect of his time there. The transformation I saw in him inspired me to follow in his footsteps and pursue an education in England.

However, I also know that there is a considerable financial burden for graduate students in the UK, and accordingly, I will need considerable financial assistance in order to take advantage of such a rich and dynamic learning opportunity. As an undergraduate, I worked at a local cram school in order to finance my education, yet it often became quite difficult to manage my part-time work along with a heavy course load, especially during intensive testing periods. This is why I view the Karen Smith scholarships as vital to my further education. The University of XXX offers a wealth of extremely valuable resources, and I want to ensure that I have the time and the ability to take full advantage of them. These scholarships will enable me to do just that, which will benefit me tremendously in my future career.

After I earn my master’s degree in Finance, I plan to enroll in a CFA program and eventually pursue an MBA. This will prepare me to work as a financial analyst dealing primarily with investment funds, which is my short- to mid-term career goal. After accumulating sufficient experience, I plan to start a financial services firm in India, offering accounting, tax and consulting services. In addition to my core professional aspirations, I also hope to set up programs for high school students to help them choose the most suitable academic and career paths. My motivation in this regard is based on my own experiences as well as those of my classmates. Although, in hindsight, I am very glad to have followed my parents’ wishes and specialized in finance, many of my peers have ended up majoring in subjects in which they have little interest. On a large scale, this results in wasted talent and the loss of some of our nation’s most valuable resources.

The education offered by the University of XXX can give me the financial expertise, professional confidence, and international perspective that I will need to achieve my goals. In order to get the most out of this unique educational opportunity, I am applying for the financial assistance provided by the Karen Smith scholarships. I sincerely appreciate your consideration, and I pledge to devote all of my energy to studying and learning should I be granted a scholarship.

The below essay was used by an Asian student to apply for a scholarship to a graduate school in the UK (personal details have been changed).

If you need help writing a scholarship essay, contact us via our SOP Writing Service.

 Scholarship Essay

As someone who comes from a relatively poor background in South Korea, I view the James Smith scholarships as crucial to achieving my academic goals. Studying in the UK will give me a great advantage in my future career in terms of not only cutting-edge expertise but also the international perspective it will afford me. However, I also know that, as a graduate student, it is important to devote myself wholly to my studies, free of the stress and obstacles created by financial hardship. Studying Finance and Investment at XXX University is only one step in my continuous career development, yet I view it as perhaps the most important step due to the outstanding level of instruction and education there. The assistance provided by these scholarships will enable me to give my full attention to learning from this program, which will benefit me immensely in my professional endeavors.

After I earn my master’s degree, I hope to move on to MBA studies, as this will give me a new range of skills that I can use in my career. In the medium-term, I plan to work as a financial analyst specializing in investment funds. Eventually, I plan to return to my native South Korea, using the experience I have accumulated to start my own enterprise providing financial services and consulting services. With the training from XXX University, I will have a unique advantage as I begin working toward these goals.

In addition to my aspirations in the finance industry, I hope to set up educational training courses for local high school students so that they can begin thinking about their university majors and long-term career goals. This is motivated by my experiences growing up in South Korea, where students’ parents often determine their academic and professional paths. Although, in hindsight, I am very glad to have followed my parents’ wishes, as they are closely aligned with my own goals, many of my peers have ended up pursing career that do not interest them. On a large scale, this results in squandered talent and the loss of some of our nation’s most valuable resources.

The education offered by XXX University can give me the professional expertise, organizational skills, and the confidence that I will need to achieve my goals. However, in order to take full advantage of the education offered at XXX University, I am in dire need of financial assistance such as that provided by the James Smith scholarships. I therefore sincerely appreciate your consideration, and I will do everything I can do prove your decision a wise one, should you grant me this scholarship.

The below essay was used to apply for a scholarship to a postgraduate film school (personal details have been changed).

If you need help writing a scholarship essay, contact us via our SOP Writing Service.

 Scholarship Essay

Ever since I was very young, I have been captivated by motion pictures. As I learned more about the art of writing and directing a movie, my passive joy turned into more active critiques of how I might do things differently. When it came time to choose a major in the university, I chose Communication Arts in Smith University, and the curriculum there gave me a more sophisticated knowledge of all aspects of filmmaking including directing, screenwriting, producing and editing. I found that I have a particular talent for directing and screenwriting, and I collaborated with friends to join several filmmaking competitions and festivals outside of class, winning multiple awards in the process.

As a director, I have learned the complexities of managing the crew and leading the entire process while also discussing storylines with the whole group. As a screenwriter, I have learned to write imaginative stories that can be adapted to film. Now, as I look to postgraduate studies of filmmaking, I am confident in my planning, leadership, writing and directing skills, and I believe that I have the passion and the practicality needed to contribute a unique voice to the film world. I thus hope that you will find that I am a suitable candidate for your scholarship, as I am committed to not only producing great work but also being a productive part of a collaborative, creative community.

This scholarship will help me immensely in achieving my goals and my vision as a filmmaker. I intend to use the support from this scholarship to support my shooting program, and I look forward to creating several creative short films in order to explore my horizons as a filmmaker. One of my ideas involves representing the world of social media in a real-world way, creating a world in which people interact in real life through each other’s homepages and view their past lives without needing to speak a word. I am inspired by futuristic, often dystopian shows like Black Mirror, and I see endless opportunity for developing this vision and creating new storylines that are shocking yet relatable.

The scholarship you offer can help me turn my dreams into reality. Given my family’s scarce financial resources, the money that I have saved from part-time work is simply insufficient for covering the costs of study in your school. If granted this scholarship, I have confidence that I can prove your decision a wise one, and I thank you sincerely for considering my request.

The below essay was used to apply for a scholarship at a university in the UK (personal details have been changed).

If you need help writing a scholarship essay, contact us via our SOP Writing Service.

 Scholarship Essay

I am writing to ask for consideration for the scholarship offered by XXX University. Receiving this scholarship would enable me to take full advantage of the resources you offer, while also transcending the limitations of my impoverished upbringing.

Growing up in a poor community in Jordan, the prospects for a better life were bleak. Poverty was inter-generational, and the only career opportunities were the kind of farming and merchant jobs that have existed for centuries. Fortunately, my parents refused to accept limitations, especially when considering their children’s future.

When it came to school, anything short of excellence was not accepted. My parents had a keen understanding that education was the key to a better life, to new horizons. The pressured me to ace every test, yet they also gave me the support and encouragement I needed. This continued throughout elementary school, junior high, and high school. When it came time to begin considering university, they only ramped up their efforts.

Rather than applying to local schools, as nearly all of my peers were doing, my parents urged me to look abroad. I applied to schools in Europe and even the USA, crafting my application documents carefully and applying for every scholarship that I could find. Due to my past record of academic excellence, I received a full scholarship to the University of Southern California, where I planned to study mechanical engineering.

Our efforts had paid off. This was the ticket. Studying mechanical engineering in the USA would open up a whole new life for me, with endless possibilities and a level of success that families back home could only dream of. I continued working as hard as I could, ranking at the top of my class at USC while also contributing to mentor and tutoring programs, in an effort to repay the generous scholarship that the university had given me.

A scholarship, to me, is more than a financial gift. It is a key to a door that could otherwise remain forever locked. It is the chance to fulfill my potential and race at full speed toward my goals. It is the possibility to receive an education, which, as my parents have always insisted, is the most important thing you can have.

If offered a scholarship from your university, I will be endlessly grateful, yet I will also work hard to give back to the school in the form of volunteering and mentorship. I hope to serve as an ambassador to the school, as I recognize the importance of opening doors and creating opportunities for those who come after me. I appreciate the tremendous range of academic resources available at XXX University, and your scholarship would enable me to take full advantage of these.