It is not always the case that scholarships are awarded solely based on academic grades, especially for competitive international scholarships. Scholarship committees look for candidates who are innovative, leadership-oriented, and passionate about making a difference. You can showcase these qualities by participating in extracurricular activities and internships.
Volunteering, leading a school club, participating in a startup project, or completing an internship are all powerful experiences that can enhance your scholarship application. Presentation is key to success.
Utilizing your internships and extracurricular experiences will help you create a strong, authentic, and compelling scholarship application.
1. Extracurricular activities and experiential learning
Scholarship providers invest in both your education and your potential. Recruiters want to see evidence that you are proactive, driven, and able to positively impact society.
During internships and extracurricular activities, these traits are demonstrated. Consequently, they demonstrate:
- Implement classroom knowledge in the real world.
- Take your horizons beyond the classroom.
- The ability to work in a team, lead effectively, and communicate effectively should be developed.
- Contribute to the community or profession in which you work.
- Success abroad requires a combination of responsibility and independence.
From these experiences, it’s clear that you’re more than a good student–you’re a future leader.
2. Determine your scholarship goals based on your experiences
It is important not to seem random when adding extracurricular activities and internship experiences to your application. Making a logical connection between your academic interests and your career goals is crucial.
For instance:
- Participating in a community health drive or volunteering at a local clinic is a great way to apply for a public health scholarship.
- A small-business internship or involvement in a student entrepreneurship club are good points to highlight when applying for a business scholarship.
- Please describe any environmental campaigns or sustainability projects you have been involved in if you are interested in studying environmental science.
How have these experiences shaped your interest in your chosen field and prepared you for your next academic step?
3. Utilize the STAR technique to create a STAR-worthy story
Make your experiences clear and impressive by using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result).
For instance:
- Situations: “During my internship at a local hospital, I noticed that many patients struggled to understand their treatment plans.”
- Assigned task: “I was asked to improve patient-doctor communication.”
- In action: “I prepared simplified information leaflets and organized short Q&A sessions for patients.”
- Results: “Patient satisfaction improved by 25%, and the idea was adopted throughout the hospital.”
The scholarship reviewers can take a closer look at your participation when you use this format.
4. Display leadership and teamwork skills
A scholarship committee’s success depends on collaboration and leadership. Leadership can still be demonstrated in small, but meaningful ways even if you aren’t the club’s president.
These include:
- Coordination of volunteers or managing a group project.
- Providing training or mentoring to new interns.
- An innovative approach to solving a problem.
- Taking responsibility for challenges that arise.
Alternatively, you could write:
The first mental health awareness campaign I organized with my fellow students on our student union’s outreach team reached over 300 students.”
An impactful, simple, and specific message.
5. Demonstrate growth and learning
Consider your learnings rather than your accomplishments. Scholarship reviewers look for self-awareness and growth in applicants when reviewing scholarship applications.
Consider these questions:
- Is there anything you can tell me about the challenges I faced and how I overcame them?
- What skills have I gained from this experience?
- How did it affect my outlook or goals?
For instance:
A renewable energy startup internship taught me how to combine engineering knowledge with sustainability advocacy. Therefore, I pursued further studies in environmental innovation.”
The scholarship committee values maturity and purpose in scholarship reflections.
6. Ensure that your accomplishments are quantified
Having a good memory and credibility are enhanced by numbers. Make sure you measure your results with figures if possible.
For instance:
- My marketing internship resulted in a 40% increase in social media engagement.
- The average grade of 20 underprivileged students was improved by one letter as a result of tutoring each week.”
- The workshop was attended by over 200 people on three campuses.”
You can demonstrate your effectiveness and initiative by quantifying your results.
7. Make extracurricular activities relevant to soft skills
Soft skills can be developed through extracurricular activities, such as teamwork, adaptability, communication, and leadership.
Follow these steps to link them:
- Sports: Show discipline, resilience, teamwork, and teamwork.
- It is demonstrated in a volunteer’s ability to empathize with others and be socially responsible that their character is demonstrated.
- Clubs: Demonstrates initiative and leadership.
- Self-expressive, creative, and confident: Demonstrates creativity, debate, or music.
Examples include:
I developed my public speaking skills and my ability to analyze issues critically through debate competitions, skills that will be valuable in my studies of international relations.
8. Give priority to quality over quantity
There’s no point in having a dozen minor experiences when you can have a few meaningful ones. Scholarship committees are more impressed by deep involvement than surface involvement.
Take into account experiences where you:
- Long-term commitment
- Impact or result that can be clearly seen
- Roles in leadership or personal development
Volunteering for three years at a local NGO is more valuable than attending multiple short-term workshops.
9. Make the connection between your experience and the scholarship’s mission
Every scholarship has a purpose. Some promote leadership, while others emphasize development, sustainability, and innovation. Align your experiences with these values.
For instance:
- Contributions to the community should be emphasized when applying for scholarships that focus on development, such as Chevening or DAAD.
- Describe your contributions to knowledge and academic curiosity in order to qualify for a Fulbright scholarship.
- Consider highlighting your entrepreneurial activities or social impact projects when applying for leadership scholarships like those offered by the Mastercard Foundation.
The closer your experience aligns with the scholarship’s goals, the stronger your application will be.
10. Take advantage of extracurricular activities to showcase your personality
Scholarship committees look for more than just grades. Extracurricular activities are a great way to demonstrate your personality, values, and creativity.
Experiences can be used to express qualities such as resilience, compassion, or innovation. For instance:
As a member of a campus environmental club, I was introduced to climate activism for the first time. As a result of the campaigns and discussions I have led over the years, 500 trees have been planted in my community.”
The more stories you tell, the more memorable and relatable your application will be.
11. Make sure your resume and essays include relevant achievements
When applying for scholarships, include internships and extracurricular activities in your CV, personal statement, and essays. It is important to make sure they are in line with the scholarship theme.
CV format:
- Indicate clearly what is involved, who is involved, and what is accomplished.
- Organize, develop, improve, lead, or create using action verbs.
Your essay should include the following information:
- From each experience, identify a lesson learned or a goal for the future.
- Repetition should be avoided-each example should reveal something new about you.
12. Prepare for interview questions about them
Scholarships usually involve an interview stage. Speak confidently about your experiences.
Tips for interviews:
- Review your application before the interview so you can elaborate naturally.
- It is important to provide specific examples of teamwork, challenges, and leadership.
- Your academic goals were achieved in part due to what you learned. Describe how you learned what you learned.
For instance:
Is there an experience or project that best represents your leadership style? ”
Here are the answers:
As a volunteer coordinator for a community reading program, I worked for a youth NGO during my internship. Three neighborhoods were included in the project due to the involvement of local teachers and parents. As a result of my experience, I realized that effective leadership involves teamwork and empathy.”
13. Maintain academic excellence while making a difference in the real world
Scholarship programs look for applicants who combine academic excellence with practical experience. Show that you can apply theory to real-world settings through internships and extracurricular activities.
For instance:
The coursework I took in economics gave me a theoretical understanding of poverty reduction, but volunteering with a microfinance organization gave me hands-on experience.”
With your combination of academic knowledge and practical experience, you are one of the strongest candidates.
14. Retain documentation and references
Keep official documentation of your internships, certificates, recommendation letters, and project reports. Your application is more authentic when these elements are included.
Your supervisors or mentors should provide you with reference letters that highlight your contributions and growth. Strong recommendations can greatly enhance your application.
15. Continue to build your experience before applying
Regardless of whether you’ve started your application, you can start building your portfolio:
- Volunteer with an NGO or online community program in your area.
- Become involved in internships related to your field of study.
- Participate in student organizations or take on small projects.
- Participate in webinars, workshops, and competitions.
Through these experiences, your scholarship profile will continue to grow.
In conclusion
You can demonstrate who you are beyond the classroom through internships and extracurricular activities as well as your academics. There is evidence of their initiative, maturity, and readiness to take advantage of global opportunities.
The key is to connect your experiences to your goals and present them as evidence of your growth and leadership. All experiences have value when presented strategically, regardless of whether you organized a small event, worked on a local project, or interned at a large company.
Scholarship committees should look for people who are passionate and real, not perfect. By telling your story honestly, highlighting your impact, and showing how it has prepared you for your next academic challenge abroad, your journey can prepare you for the next academic challenge abroad.