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How to Write a Scholarship Essay on Leadership

Last Updated: February 17, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Jake Adams . Jake Adams is an academic tutor and the owner of Simplifi EDU, a Santa Monica, California based online tutoring business offering learning resources and online tutors for academic subjects K-College, SAT & ACT prep, and college admissions applications. With over 14 years of professional tutoring experience, Jake is dedicated to providing his clients the very best online tutoring experience and access to a network of excellent undergraduate and graduate-level tutors from top colleges all over the nation. Jake holds a BS in International Business and Marketing from Pepperdine University. There are 13 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 147,464 times.

A well-written scholarship essay is sometimes the most important element of an academic application. Scholarships to college or graduate school, as well as to other programs or opportunities, usually carry financial rewards and educational benefits. Many scholarship essays are on the subject of leadership. By creating an informative and persuasive essay on leadership, you may be able to win yourself a valuable scholarship that will enrich your future.

Defining Your Approach

Is it asking for your definition of leadership and how you exemplify it?
Is it asking about leadership styles you admire?
Is it asking specifically about leaders who you look up to?
Is it asking about how you will grow as a leader at their institution?

Are you applying to medical school? If so, you may want to feature leaders in the medical field in your essay.
If you’re applying to a religious institution, it would be a good idea to include at least one follower of that religion as an example of a good leader.
Similarly, if you’re writing an essay for a service academy, you will want to feature military leaders in your essay.

Step 3 Consider any themes covered in the essay question.

Understanding Leadership

Web sites such as amazon.com and goodreads.com offer lists of leading titles on leadership. [3] X Research source
Some classics in the field include The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell; Good to Great, by Jim Collins; and Strengths Based Leadership, by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie. [4] X Research source
A quick Internet search will provide you with countless articles on leadership, which will help you understand its core principles.

Step 2 Define leadership in your own terms.

Are you inspired by the ambition and risk-taking of good leaders? If so, focus on those in your essay. [5] X Research source
Maybe you are more interested in the fact that good leaders are knowledgeable of their mission and have a strong vision of how to attain it. You can highlight these traits in your essay. [6] X Research source
Don’t forget that good leaders also exhibit strong communication skills and are comfortable delegating duties to a dedicated team. Write about these characteristics in your essay as well. [7] X Research source

Step 3 Think about how you exhibit leadership in your life.

If you are not yet in the work force, think about how you may have demonstrated leadership abilities in sports and on academic or debate teams.
Volunteer work and club memberships are other possibilities to consider when reflecting on your leadership experience.
If you are in the work force, think of projects or teams you were on that gave you leadership experience.
Some specific leadership traits you may be able to find in yourself include trustworthiness, reliability, and consistency. [9] X Research source

Step 4 Think outside the box when contemplating leadership.

You may have shown leadership in your neighborhood by helping older neighbors with yard work or organizing games for kids after school.
Another way you could have shown leadership is in your own family. Maybe you helped care for a younger sibling while your parents were working or taking care of an elderly relative, or you took on more responsibilities around the house during a difficult time.
You may have demonstrated leadership at school. Did you confront a bully for a classmate? Did you help tutor a friend after school?

Writing the Essay

Step 1 Write an introduction that makes your audience want to read more.

A good way to grab interest in the introduction is to provide an anecdote from your life that shows leadership. You could write something like, “My leadership abilities were on display when I confronted a classmate who had been bullying a friend.”
Alternatively, you could mention a great leader from history who has inspired you. It could be something like, “General Eisenhower showed great leadership when he gave the order to launch the D-Day invasion.”

Step 2 Sum up your argument in one thesis statement.

Your thesis statement should appear in the introductory paragraph of your essay, usually as the last sentence. [11] X Research source
If the application asks a direct question about leadership, you will need to answer it. That will form the basis of how you craft your thesis statement.
A thesis statement should be debatable; you should take a side. An example would be, “A leader can be any individual whose characteristics and qualities people admire and try to emulate.”
Some examples of strong thesis statements are: “The most important trait for a leader is ambition;” “All strong leaders are good communicators;” and “Every great leader has overcome failure in his or her life.”
The rest of your essay should offer supporting evidence for the argument(s) you make in your thesis statement. [12] X Research source

Step 3 Write three paragraphs of body text.

Each paragraph of the body text section should contain a different argument/evidence that supports your thesis. The first body text paragraph should feature your strongest arguments.
Each paragraph of body text should be between three and five sentences long.
Throughout your body text, be sure to offer examples and anecdotes that boost your arguments. For instance, if your thesis is “ambition is the most important characteristic of leadership,” give examples of how you or strong leaders throughout history have embodied this trait.
Use the information you gathered during your research when writing your body text.
If the essay application defines different requirements for your essay, such as longer or shorter, follow those instead of the five-paragraph model.

Your conclusion should feature a re-phrasing of your thesis statement, as well as a summary of your supporting arguments.
Finish your conclusion with a final thought on the topic.
Do not introduce any new evidence in your conclusion. [14] X Research source

Finishing Touches

Does your essay answer the question(s) posed clearly and comprehensively?
Did you follow the format, style, or length requirements listed on the application?
Did you make any typos or grammar errors that need to be fixed?

Step 2 Solicit feedback from a parent, teacher, or friend.

Active voice verbs are better than passive ones. Your text will be more compelling if you focus on this simple task. [16] X Research source
Be concise. If you can say something in a sentence rather than a paragraph, write it that way. [17] X Research source
Specific examples that support your viewpoint are better than general statements. [18] X Research source
Make sure your essay really represents you and your thoughts. By maintaining your individuality throughout the writing process, you will be able to bring your own unique perspective to the essay, setting it apart from all of the others. [19] X Research source

Expert Q&A

↑ Jake Adams. Academic Tutor & Test Prep Specialist. Expert Interview. 20 May 2020.
↑ http://www.topuniversities.com/student-info/scholarship-advice/how-write-winning-scholarship-essay
↑ https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/leadership
↑ http://www.inc.com/geoffrey-james/the-12-leadership-books-every-boss-should-read.html
↑ http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/2730-leadership.html
↑ https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/204248
↑ http://www.beatthegmat.com/mba/2011/07/29/writing-about-leadership
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/545/01/
↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/engagement/2/2/60/
↑ http://www.time4writing.com/writing-resources/writing-a-good-conclusion-paragraph/
↑ https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/get-in/essays/8-tips-for-crafting-your-best-college-essay
↑ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeannie-borin/what-makes-a-great-colleg_b_4826945.html

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5 tips on writing a scholarship essay about leadership

Examples of leadership: Academic writing

Are you planning on studying abroad? Securing a scholarship will help you achieve that dream for free, but you’ll need to get through one hurdle first: the scholarship essay. Leadership skills are a common selection criteria for many scholarships, which makes it essential that you know how to provide examples of leadership that would help you clinch a coveted award.

So how can you wow the admissions committee with a winning scholarship essay? Here are some examples of leadership skills you can demonstrate in your application for a master’s level scholarship.

5 examples of leadership skills to highlight in your scholarship essay

Highlight the extent of your leadership.

Using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) method to demonstrate your leadership skills can help substantiate your ability to propel change or lead.

Here’s a TL;DR of what the STAR method entails:

Situation: Briefly describe a context
Task: Outline your task
Action: What action did you take
Result: What was the positive outcome

For instance, were you a student ambassador who worked with a wide variety of people? Are you an active volunteer who is able to solve problems and identify needs as they come along? Think of an example from your life and summarise it using the STAR method.

State the reasons for getting involved in a leadership role

Do you lead a community project? Are you a manager at the company you work for? What inspired you to get involved in a leadership role?

Have you always gravitated towards a leadership position and have consistently made an impact?

This is important to highlight to the scholarship decision-makers to assess your sincerity and passion in your desired pursuit.

State the obstacles you faced and how you overcame them

Have you participated in a community-based project or outreach programme? Have you organised or were involved in a fundraising project? Think back to a time when you got involved with trying to mitigate or alleviate issues facing your community, school or family and the ideas and actions you took to achieve your intended goals.

Ensure that you outline the measures taken to alleviate the problems you identified. For example, you may have noticed that there is underwhelming participation of female students in STEM-related courses at your local university.

You identify that this is an issue that you can leverage to encourage female participation in the STEM fields . Your next course of action would involve writing a letter to your university’s admissions team, suggesting that you would like to start a club or organisation centred on female empowerment and participation in the STEM fields.

The obstacle lies in getting female students on campus to participate in such programmes. This can be done by advocating for present-day female engineers, scientists and those involved in the technology sector, which encourages female students to see a bright prospect in their future should they follow the footsteps of other female influencers in the STEM fields.

This is just a hypothetical example of how you can demonstrate leadership by addressing obstacles and showing examples of how you overcome them. It’s important that you demonstrate strong evidence of your leadership qualities as well as relevant examples.

Alison’s essay for the Women in Leadership MBA scholarship competition looked at parenthood and how changing men’s careers can actually help women’s careers, and she received a partial scholarship as a result! To read it visit: https://t.co/uP1qgmf3yv pic.twitter.com/D0Vw9lLRnT — Henley Business School (@HenleyBSchool) March 31, 2022

How did your leadership skills help you grow as a person and leader?

Some believe that leaders are born not made, while others think the contrary.

In your scholarship essay, it would be helpful to explain how your leadership roles have helped you grow as a person, from teaching you new lessons to presenting numerous personal growth opportunities.

Ensure that you demonstrate a true understanding of what leadership is. For instance, you lead by your actions and not by the title that has been given to you. You lead by working alongside others in creating change and not by merely barking orders at people.

Someone once asked me to give them a #leadership title so that ppl would listen to him/her. Dont u think that’s backwards thinking? Gain the trust & respect of ppl first & then you’ll be a natural leader. You don’t need a title for that #respect #credibility #trust #authenticity — Dr. Verna Yiu (@dryiu_verna) April 25, 2022

How will your leadership skills impact your future?

The admissions committee will likely be looking for a candidate who is a future leader and influencer in their respective countries.

It helps to think about the leadership roles you’ve held, and how they have, for instance, changed your outlook on life, how you interact with people, or even galvanised you to create positive change in your community, which can affect your long-term career goals.

In QS, Hayley Capp, winner of the 2013 QS Leadership Scholarship, also encourages students to tell the judges if they plan to continue being involved in their particular leadership activity in the future.

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Scholarship Essay Writing

Scholarship Essay Examples

Winning Scholarship Essay Examples for Students: Tips Included

37 min read

Published on: Mar 14, 2021

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

Scholarship Essay Examples Financial Need

As I embark on the path to higher education, I am acutely aware of the financial hurdles that stand in the way of achieving my dreams. Growing up in a single-parent household with limited resources, I have learned to navigate the complexities of financial hardship while remaining steadfast in my commitment to education. This scholarship essay serves as a testament to my resilience, resourcefulness, and unwavering determination to overcome financial barriers and pursue my educational goals.

Being raised by a single parent who struggled to make ends meet, I have experienced firsthand the financial strain that can accompany the pursuit of higher education. The prospect of exorbitant tuition fees, textbook expenses, and the rising cost of living has been a constant concern for my family. However, rather than succumbing to these challenges, I have chosen to view them as opportunities for personal growth and motivation.

One of the greatest financial challenges I face is the absence of a college savings fund. The reality of limited financial resources has forced me to adopt a proactive approach to financing my education. I have sought out part-time employment, often working long hours outside of my academic responsibilities, to contribute towards tuition fees and alleviate the burden on my family. While this has undoubtedly been a balancing act, I have learned invaluable lessons in time management, perseverance, and the importance of financial responsibility.

In addition to my part-time job, I have dedicated countless hours to researching and applying for scholarships and grants. Recognizing the critical role that financial assistance plays in realizing my educational aspirations, I have diligently scoured scholarship databases, meticulously tailored my applications, and honed my essay-writing skills. Each scholarship application represents an opportunity to secure the funding necessary to unlock doors to higher education and create a brighter future for me.

Despite the financial hurdles I face, my passion for learning and my unwavering determination remain undeterred. I have demonstrated my commitment to academic excellence, consistently maintaining a high GPA despite the challenges that financial strain brings. Moreover, I have sought opportunities to give back to my community, volunteering my time and skills to organizations that align with my values. These experiences have reinforced my belief that education not only has the power to transform my own life but also to uplift communities and effect positive change.

By awarding me this scholarship, you would not only provide critical financial support but also invest in a motivated and determined individual who is eager to make a difference. With the burden of financial constraints lifted, I would be able to devote more time and energy to my studies, extracurricular activities, and community engagement. The scholarship would enable me to fully immerse myself in the educational experience, pursue internships and research opportunities, and further develop the skills necessary to excel in my chosen field.

In conclusion, my journey as a student with financial needs has shaped me into a resilient and resourceful individual. I firmly believe that my determination, academic potential, and commitment to making a positive impact on society make me a deserving candidate for this scholarship. With your support, I can overcome the financial obstacles that stand in the way of my educational aspirations and pave the way for a brighter future not only for myself but for the communities I aim to serve

Why This Scholarship Essay Worked

This scholarship essay example effectively conveys the applicant's financial need and their determination to overcome the challenges associated with it. Here's why this essay worked:

Personal Storytelling: The essay begins with a personal anecdote that establishes a connection between the applicant's background and financial constraints. This helps create empathy and demonstrates the genuine impact of financial challenges on their educational journey.
Resilience and Resourcefulness: The applicant showcases their resilience and resourcefulness in navigating financial hardships. They highlight their proactive approach to seeking part-time employment and actively pursuing scholarships.
Academic Commitment: Despite the financial strain, the applicant emphasizes their commitment to academic excellence by maintaining a high GPA. This showcases their dedication and ability to prioritize their studies amidst challenging circumstances.
Community Involvement : The essay also highlights the applicant's involvement in community service. This demonstrates their desire to give back and make a positive impact.
Connection to Scholarship: The applicant clearly articulates how receiving the scholarship would benefit them. This demonstrates a strong alignment between their goals and the purpose of the scholarship.

Want more examples, check out these winning scholarship essay examples.

Financial Aid Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay for Financial Need

Scholarship Essay Examples About Yourself

As I reflect on my journey thus far, I am grateful for the opportunities and experiences that have shaped my character and fueled my ambition. This scholarship essay serves as a testament to the transformative power of education and the unwavering dedication I bring to achieving my goals. By delving into my personal story, passions, and commitment to making a difference, I aim to showcase why I am a deserving candidate for this scholarship.

From a young age, I have been captivated by the world of mathematics and its ability to solve complex problems. This passion has driven my academic pursuits and inspired me to pursue a career in the field of data science. Through rigorous coursework, independent research projects, and participation in maths competitions, I have honed my analytical and problem-solving skills, solidifying my commitment to making a meaningful impact through the application of mathematics.

While my academic pursuits have been a significant part of my journey, my commitment extends beyond the classroom. Recognizing the importance of community engagement, I have actively sought opportunities to give back. Volunteering at local organizations, mentoring fellow students, and initiating fundraising campaigns have allowed me to make a positive impact on those around me. These experiences have instilled in me a profound sense of empathy and a deep desire to contribute to the betterment of society.

Throughout my academic career, I have encountered challenges that have tested my resilience and determination. From juggling multiple responsibilities to overcoming setbacks, I have learned to embrace these obstacles as opportunities for growth. Rather than letting failures discourage me, I have used them as stepping stones toward success. It is through perseverance and a relentless pursuit of excellence that I have been able to achieve academic milestones and personal growth.

In addition to my passion for mathematics, I am also deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion in the STEM field. As a woman in a predominantly male-dominated field, I have witnessed firsthand the lack of representation and the barriers faced by underrepresented groups. Through involvement in diversity initiatives, organizing workshops, and serving as a mentor, I strive to create a supportive and inclusive environment that empowers individuals from diverse backgrounds to pursue their dreams in STEM.

Receiving this scholarship would be a tremendous honor and would provide the financial support necessary to continue my educational journey. With the burden of financial constraints lifted, I would be able to fully devote myself to my studies, research projects, and community involvement. This scholarship would not only contribute to my personal growth and academic achievements but also allow me to further my impact by creating opportunities for others.

In conclusion, this scholarship essay about myself highlights my passion for mathematics, commitment to community engagement, resilience in the face of challenges, and dedication to fostering diversity in STEM. By sharing my story and aspirations, I hope to convey the depth of my determination and the impact this scholarship would have on my educational journey. I am grateful for the opportunity to be considered as a deserving recipient, and I look forward to utilizing my skills, knowledge, and passion to make a positive difference in the world.

Why this Essay Worked

This scholarship essay worked for several reasons, such as:

It effectively showcases the applicant's passion for mathematics, community engagement, and resilience.
It compellingly conveyed the applicant's dedication, ambition, and potential for making a positive impact. This makes them a deserving candidate for the scholarship.
Clear connection to the scholarship's goals and how it would further the applicant's educational journey and impact.

Here are some scholarship essay examples about yourself; get an idea from them, and create a successful essay.

Scholarship Essay Example About Yourself

Scholarship Essay About Yourself

Scholarship Essay Examples for Nursing

As a dedicated and compassionate individual, my passion for nursing has been the driving force behind my educational pursuits and career aspirations. This scholarship essay offers a glimpse into my journey as a nursing student, highlighting my unwavering commitment to delivering exceptional patient care, advocating for health equity, and making a meaningful impact in the field of healthcare.

From a young age, I have been drawn to the healthcare field, recognizing the profound impact nurses have on patients' lives. Inspired by their compassion and ability to provide comfort during times of vulnerability, I embarked on my nursing journey with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others. This passion, coupled with my innate ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, has fueled my desire to pursue a career in nursing.

Throughout my academic journey, I have embraced opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills in nursing. My coursework and clinical experiences have provided me with a solid foundation in patient care, critical thinking, and evidence-based practice. Additionally, I have actively sought extracurricular activities such as volunteering at local hospitals and participating in healthcare outreach programs, further developing my clinical skills and reinforcing my commitment to the nursing profession.

One crucial aspect of nursing that resonates deeply with me is the importance of advocating for health equity. I firmly believe that every individual deserves access to quality healthcare, regardless of their socioeconomic status or background. To address this disparity, I have been actively involved in community initiatives aimed at promoting health education, providing healthcare services to underserved populations, and advocating for policy changes that promote equitable healthcare delivery.

Nursing, to me, is more than just a profession; it is a calling to serve and care for others selflessly. I find immense satisfaction in building trusting relationships with patients, providing emotional support, and being a source of comfort during their most vulnerable moments. The ability to make a positive impact in patients' lives motivates me to continuously strive for excellence in my nursing practice.

Receiving this scholarship would be a tremendous honor and a significant stepping stone in my nursing journey. It would alleviate the financial burden associated with pursuing my education and provide me with the resources necessary to further enhance my skills and knowledge. With this scholarship, I will be able to focus more on my studies, engage in additional professional development opportunities, and actively contribute to research initiatives that advance the field of nursing.

In conclusion, this scholarship essay about nursing encapsulates my unwavering passion, dedication to patient care, commitment to advocating for health equity, and pursuit of excellence. By sharing my journey, aspirations, and the alignment between my goals and the scholarship's mission, I hope to convey my worthiness as a scholarship recipient. I am grateful for the opportunity to be considered and look forward to utilizing my skills, knowledge, and compassion to positively impact the nursing profession and the lives of those I serve.

Why This Essay Worked

This essay worked due to its compelling portrayal of the applicant's genuine passion for nursing, coupled with their unwavering dedication to making a positive impact in patient care.

The essay effectively demonstrates the applicant's well-rounded preparation for a nursing career and their clear alignment with the goals and mission of the scholarship, making them a strong candidate for consideration.

Below are some more examples of scholarship essays for nursing.

Nursing Scholarship Essay

Scholarship Essay for Nursing

Scholarship Essay Examples About Career Goals

As I embark on my educational journey, I am filled with enthusiasm and determination to pursue my career goals with unwavering focus and dedication. This scholarship essay offers a glimpse into my aspirations, detailing the path I have chosen, the milestones I aim to achieve, and how this scholarship will play a pivotal role in realizing my dreams.

My career goal is to become a skilled and compassionate clinical psychologist, specializing in providing mental health support to individuals facing diverse challenges. This desire stems from my deep empathy for others and a burning passion to help those in need. By pursuing this career, I hope to contribute to the well-being and resilience of individuals, fostering positive change and promoting mental health awareness.

To achieve my career goal, I am committed to obtaining a comprehensive education in psychology. My academic journey has equipped me with a solid foundation in psychological theories, research methodologies, and therapeutic approaches. Furthermore, I have sought opportunities to gain practical experience through internships, volunteering at counseling centers, and participating in research projects. These experiences have nurtured my clinical skills, honed my ability to connect with individuals from diverse backgrounds, and strengthened my resolve to make a meaningful difference in their lives.

A crucial aspect of my career goal is continuous professional development. I recognize that the field of psychology is dynamic and ever-evolving, and staying abreast of the latest research, therapies, and ethical practices is essential to providing the highest standard of care. With this scholarship, I will be able to attend conferences, workshops, and advanced training programs, ensuring that I remain at the forefront of advancements in the field and can offer the best possible support to my future clients.

In addition to clinical practice, I aspire to engage in research and contribute to the growing body of knowledge in psychology. By conducting research studies and publishing findings, I aim to bridge the gap between theory and practice, advocating evidence-based interventions and enhancing the understanding of mental health issues. I believe that research and clinical practice are mutually beneficial, and both play a vital role in improving mental health outcomes.

Receiving this scholarship would be a transformative opportunity for me to pursue my career goals with unwavering focus and determination. It would alleviate the financial burden associated with my education, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my studies and professional development. This scholarship would not only enable me to achieve academic milestones but also empower me to make a lasting impact in the lives of individuals struggling with mental health challenges.

In conclusion, this scholarship essay encapsulates my career goals, aspirations, and the dedication I bring to realizing them. By pursuing a career in clinical psychology, I aim to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals facing mental health challenges. With the support of this scholarship, I will be equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and resources to contribute to the field and advocate for the well-being of others. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to be considered as a deserving recipient and eagerly look forward to the journey ahead.

This essay worked for the following reasons:

Clear and Specific Career Goals: The essay effectively outlines the applicant's career goal of becoming a clinical psychologist specializing in mental health support. The clarity and specificity of the goal demonstrate a well-defined path and a strong sense of purpose.
Demonstrated Preparation and Commitment: The essay showcases the applicant's comprehensive preparation for their career goals. It also demonstrates their readiness and dedication to excel in the field.
Alignment with Scholarship Objectives: The essay effectively highlights how the scholarship will contribute to the applicant's career aspirations. This includes attending conferences, workshops, and advanced training programs.

If you find difficulty writing the scholarship essay about career goals, get help from the below-mentioned examples, and submit a well-written essay.

Scholarship Essay Examples About Leadership

Leadership, for me, is not merely a title or a position but a mindset and a responsibility to inspire and empower others toward a common goal. Throughout my academic journey, I have actively sought opportunities to cultivate and exhibit leadership skills, both within the classroom and in extracurricular activities. This experience has ignited my passion for leadership and instilled in me the belief that effective leadership is not about commanding but about empowering others to reach their full potential.

To further develop my leadership abilities, I have sought out formal training and workshops focused on leadership development. These experiences have equipped me with essential skills such as effective communication, conflict resolution, and decision-making. Moreover, I have actively sought leadership roles in student organizations, where I have been entrusted with responsibilities such as organizing events, coordinating volunteers, and managing budgets.

As I reflect on my leadership journey, I am keenly aware of the impact I can have in various spheres of my life. My goal is not only to excel as an individual leader but also to inspire others to discover and develop their own leadership potential. I firmly believe that leadership is not confined to a specific position or setting, but rather it can be demonstrated in everyday actions and interactions. Whether it's mentoring peers, initiating positive change in my community, or advocating for causes I am passionate about, I strive to lead with integrity, empathy, and a commitment to making a difference.

In conclusion, leadership is a deeply ingrained value that drives me to inspire, motivate, and empower others. Through my experiences in various leadership roles, formal training, and a strong belief in the potential of individuals, I am committed to honing my leadership skills and making a positive impact in my community and beyond. This scholarship would provide me with the necessary resources to develop further as a leader, enabling me to continue fostering collaboration, driving change, and uplifting those around me. I am grateful for the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship and look forward to utilizing my leadership abilities to contribute to a better future.

Three reasons why this essay worked are:

Demonstrated Leadership Experience : This essay effectively highlights the applicant's practical experience in leadership roles, showcasing their ability to lead teams, organize events, and coordinate volunteers.
Commitment to Personal Growth : The essay demonstrates the applicant's proactive approach to leadership development by seeking formal training and participating in workshops focused on honing their skills.
Emphasis on Collaboration and Empowerment: The essay emphasizes the applicant's belief in collaborative leadership. It promotes inclusivity and empowers team members to contribute their unique perspectives.

Here we gather some good scholarship essay examples about leadership that help in your writing.

Leadership Scholarship Essay Example

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Scholarship Essay Examples About Community Service

Community service has always been a core value in my life, serving as a catalyst for personal growth and a means to create positive change in society. This scholarship essay provides insight into my deep commitment to community service, highlighting the transformative impact it has had on my life and how I aspire to continue making a difference through service-oriented initiatives.

From a young age, I have been actively engaged in community service, recognizing its power to uplift individuals and strengthen the fabric of our society. Through volunteering at local shelters, organizing donation drives, and participating in community clean-up projects, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative effects of service on both individuals and the community as a whole. These experiences have ignited my passion for making a lasting impact and have instilled in me a profound sense of gratitude and responsibility toward serving others.

My commitment to community service extends beyond sporadic acts of kindness; it is a deeply rooted value that has guided my actions and decisions. Throughout my academic journey, I have actively sought out opportunities to merge my passion for service with my educational pursuits. By engaging in service-oriented clubs and organizations, I have been able to leverage my skills and knowledge to create sustainable solutions for the challenges faced by underserved communities. These experiences have taught me the importance of collaboration, empathy, and adaptability in addressing community needs.

Looking forward, I am determined to further expand my impact and contribute to the betterment of society through service. With this scholarship, I will have the resources and support necessary to pursue service-oriented projects and initiatives that align with my passion for social change. I aim to engage in projects that promote education, empower marginalized groups, and address pressing social issues. Through these efforts, I aspire to inspire others to join in creating a more just and equitable world, one community at a time.

In conclusion, community service has shaped my character, values, and aspirations. It has taught me the importance of empathy, collaboration, and servant leadership. With this scholarship, I will be able to further immerse myself in service-oriented initiatives, amplifying my impact and contributing to the well-being of communities. I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship, and I eagerly anticipate the chance to continue my journey of empowering and serving others, ultimately making a lasting difference in our world.

Here are the reasons:

Genuine Passion and Commitment: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's genuine passion for community service, highlighting their long-standing involvement and the transformative impact it has had on their life.
Integration of Service with Education: The essay demonstrates the applicant's proactive approach to integrating their passion for community service with their educational pursuits.
Aspiration for Social Change: The essay goes beyond personal experiences and highlights the applicant's aspirations for broader social change.

Here is an excellent community service scholarship essa y that can help you write for community college.

Scholarship Essay Example about Community Service

High School Scholarship Essay Examples

As a high school student, I have always believed in the power of education to transform lives and open doors of opportunity. However, I have also witnessed the financial constraints that many students and their families face when pursuing higher education. This scholarship essay serves as a testament to my unwavering determination to overcome these obstacles and achieve my academic goals. By awarding me this scholarship, you would not only be investing in my future but also in the potential for positive change that education can bring to individuals and communities.

Throughout my high school journey, I have consistently strived for academic excellence while actively engaging in extracurricular activities. Balancing rigorous coursework and participation in clubs, sports teams, and community service initiatives has instilled in me invaluable time management, leadership, and teamwork skills. I have embraced challenges, pushed my boundaries, and demonstrated resilience in the face of adversity. This scholarship would provide me with the financial support necessary to continue pursuing my education and nurturing my personal and leadership development, enabling me to make a meaningful impact on my future endeavors.

Beyond my personal aspirations, I am deeply committed to giving back to my community. Volunteering at local organizations and participating in service projects has given me a sense of fulfillment and a profound understanding of the importance of community engagement. I firmly believe that education is a catalyst for positive change, and with this scholarship, I will be better equipped to give back by utilizing my knowledge and skills to serve others. Whether it's tutoring fellow students, organizing educational workshops, or contributing to community initiatives, I am dedicated to being an agent of change and making a difference in the lives of those around me.

In conclusion, as a high school student driven by a passion for education and community impact, I am honored to be considered for this scholarship. I am committed to leveraging this opportunity to further my education, develop as a leader, and give back to my community. By investing in my future, you will not only support my personal growth but also contribute to the betterment of society. I am grateful for your consideration and eagerly look forward to the chance to pursue my dreams and make a lasting impact.

Clear and Convincing Goals: The essay effectively communicates the applicant's strong desire to pursue higher education despite financial constraints.
Demonstrated Leadership and Well-Roundedness: The essay showcases the applicant's involvement in extracurricular activities. It highlights their ability to balance academic responsibilities with active participation in clubs, sports teams, and community service initiatives.
Emphasis on Giving Back and Community Engagement: The essay not only focuses on the applicant's personal aspirations but also highlights their commitment to giving back to their community.

The following are the best high school scholarship essay examples, use this for your help, and write an attention-grabbing essay.

Scholarship Essay Example for High School

Scholarship Essay for High School

Scholarship Essay Examples for University

As I embark on my journey into higher education, I am filled with a sense of excitement and anticipation. However, I am also acutely aware of the financial challenges that lie ahead. This scholarship essay serves as a testament to my unwavering commitment to pursuing a university education and the transformative power it holds. By awarding me this scholarship, you would not only be investing in my future but also in the potential for positive change that higher education can bring to individuals and society as a whole.

Throughout my academic journey, I have maintained a steadfast dedication to learning and personal growth. I have consistently sought out challenging coursework and actively engaged in extracurricular activities that align with my passions and academic interests. As a result, I have developed critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills that will enable me to thrive in a university setting. However, the financial burden associated with tuition, textbooks, and living expenses presents a significant obstacle that threatens to impede my ability to fully embrace the educational opportunities that await me.

Beyond the classroom, I have actively sought out opportunities to contribute to my community and make a positive impact. Through volunteering, internships, and leadership roles in various organizations, I have developed a strong sense of social responsibility and a desire to effect change. I am deeply committed to addressing social issues and believe that higher education will equip me with the knowledge and tools necessary to make a meaningful difference. However, the financial constraints I face pose a significant barrier to pursuing my aspirations of becoming an agent of positive change.

Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden but also provide me with the resources and support necessary to fully immerse myself in the university experience. It would enable me to focus on my studies, engage in research opportunities, and actively participate in campus activities that foster personal and intellectual growth. Furthermore, it would empower me to explore my passions, contribute to my field of study, and develop the skills needed to create a better future. I am committed to maximizing this opportunity and paying it forward by using my education and experiences to uplift others and create positive change in my community and beyond.

In conclusion, as I embark on my university journey, I am humbled and honored to be considered for this scholarship. The financial support it provides would not only unlock my potential but also enable me to contribute meaningfully to society. With this scholarship, I will be able to pursue my dreams, immerse myself in the transformative power of higher education, and work towards making a positive impact in the world. I am deeply grateful for your consideration and eagerly look forward to the chance to fulfill my academic and personal aspirations.

Why This Essay Works

Three reasons why this essay works are:

Strong Personal Motivation: The essay effectively communicates the applicant's unwavering commitment and determination to pursue a university education.
Articulation of Long-Term Goals and Social Impact: The essay goes beyond highlighting the applicant's academic achievements and financial needs. It emphasizes the applicant's desire to contribute to their community and make a positive impact on society.
The connection between Scholarship and Applicant's Potential: The essay effectively illustrates how receiving the scholarship would directly address the financial burden. Plus, it will enable the applicant to fully embrace the university experience.

Here are some excellent scholarship essay examples for university students that help you in writing the essay.

Scholarship Essay Example for University Students

Scholarship Essay Examples for Engineering

As an aspiring engineer, I am driven by a deep passion for innovation, problem-solving, and creating solutions that can transform our world. This scholarship essay is a testament to my unwavering commitment to pursuing a career in engineering and the impact it can have on society. By awarding me this scholarship, you would invest not only in my education but also in the potential for technological advancements and positive change that engineering brings to the world.

From a young age, I have been captivated by the wonders of science and mathematics. The ability to unravel complex challenges and apply scientific principles to practical solutions has always intrigued me. Throughout my academic journey, I have excelled in physics, mathematics, and computer science, consistently seeking out opportunities to delve deeper into these subjects. I have also participated in engineering-related extracurricular activities, such as robotics competitions and STEM clubs, which have solidified my passion for engineering. However, pursuing a degree in engineering comes with financial hurdles that can hinder my ability to fully immerse myself in this field. This scholarship would provide me with the necessary support to pursue my dreams and make a lasting impact through engineering.

Engineering is not just a career path for me; it is a calling to make a positive difference in the world. I believe that engineers have the power to shape our future by developing sustainable technologies, improving infrastructure, and addressing pressing global challenges. I am particularly interested in sustainable energy solutions and environmental engineering, as I am deeply committed to mitigating the environmental impact of human activities. Through internships and research projects, I have gained hands-on experience in designing and implementing innovative solutions to promote sustainability. However, financial constraints pose a significant obstacle to fully realizing my potential as an engineer and making meaningful contributions to the field.

Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden but also empower me to seize every opportunity for growth and development in the field of engineering. With the support of this scholarship, I will be able to pursue advanced coursework, engage in research projects, and participate in engineering organizations that foster collaboration and innovation. Additionally, it will enable me to attend conferences and workshops where I can network with professionals and learn about the latest advancements in engineering. By investing in my education, you would be investing in a future engineer dedicated to improving lives, solving complex problems, and making a positive impact on our society and the world at large.

In conclusion, as an aspiring engineer with a strong passion for innovation and a commitment to making a positive impact, I am honored to be considered for this scholarship. The financial support it provides would not only alleviate the financial burden but also enable me to fully immerse myself in the world of engineering. I am eager to seize every opportunity to learn, grow, and contribute to the field, with a focus on sustainability and improving lives. With this scholarship, I will be one step closer to realizing my dreams of engineering a better future. Thank you for considering my application and for investing in the next generation of engineers who are poised to shape our world for the better.

This essay worked because of the following reasons:

Passion and Commitment: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's deep passion for engineering. It also shows their genuine commitment to making a positive impact in this field.
Alignment with Scholarship Objectives: It clearly establishes the connection between the scholarship and the applicant's goals in engineering.
Future Impact and Growth: It also communicates the applicant's aspiration to contribute to the field of engineering and make a positive difference in the world.

The following is another scholarship essay example that can help you in creating the perfect essay on your own.

Scholarship Essay Examples for Masters

Embarking on a master's degree journey is an opportunity that fills me with excitement and a deep sense of purpose. This scholarship essay serves as a testament to my unwavering commitment to pursuing a master's degree and the transformative impact it can have on both my personal and professional growth. By awarding me this scholarship, you would not only be investing in my education but also in the potential for positive change that I can bring to my field and society as a whole.

Throughout my academic and professional journey, I have constantly sought opportunities for growth and development. However, pursuing a master's degree presents significant financial challenges that threaten to hinder my ability to fully embrace this transformative experience. This scholarship would provide the much-needed financial support that would enable me to focus on my studies, engage in research, and immerse myself in the rich learning environment that a master's degree offers.

I firmly believe that a master's degree is a stepping stone toward empowering change and making a lasting impact. Through my academic and professional experiences, I have witnessed the pressing challenges that exist in my field. By pursuing a master's degree, I aim to acquire advanced knowledge, research skills, and a deeper understanding of the complex issues at hand. I am particularly passionate about [specific area of interest], and I aspire to contribute to innovative solutions that address societal needs.

Receiving this scholarship would not only benefit me as an individual but also have a broader impact on my community and society. Armed with the knowledge and skills gained from a master's degree, I envision myself playing an active role in bridging gaps, championing inclusivity, and fostering positive change. I am committed to giving back to my community by sharing my expertise, mentoring aspiring professionals, and actively participating in initiatives that promote social and economic development.

In conclusion, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to be considered for this scholarship. Pursuing a master's degree is a critical milestone in my educational and professional journey, and this scholarship would make that journey more accessible. By investing in my education, you would be investing in my potential to create positive change and contribute to my field. I am committed to utilizing the knowledge and experiences gained through a master's degree to make a lasting impact, not only in my own life but also in the lives of others.

This essay worked for several reasons:

Clear Purpose and Goal: The essay effectively conveys the applicant's clear purpose and goal of pursuing a master's degree. It highlights the transformative impact that a master's degree can have on personal and professional growth.
Financial Need and Scholarship Alignment : The essay addresses the financial challenges associated with pursuing a master's degree. It demonstrates the direct alignment between the scholarship and the applicant's needs.
Impact and Giving Back : The essay goes beyond personal aspirations and emphasizes the applicant's intention to make a broader impact on their community and society.

Here is an example that you can use as a guide and write a perfect scholarship essay.

Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Examples

Receiving this scholarship would not only be an honor but a tremendous opportunity for me to further my education and achieve my goals. In this essay, I will outline the reasons why I believe I am deserving of this scholarship and how it will significantly impact my academic journey and future prospects. I am committed to making the most of this opportunity and using it to make a positive difference in my life and the lives of others.

Throughout my academic journey, I have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence. I have maintained a high GPA, received recognition for academic achievements, and am actively engaged in challenging coursework. Receiving this scholarship would provide me with the financial support needed to continue pursuing my studies with the same level of dedication and focus. It would enable me to invest more time and energy into my coursework, research, and extracurricular activities, ultimately enhancing my academic performance and contributing to my long-term success.

As a student, I face various financial challenges that can impact my ability to fully immerse myself in my studies. Balancing the costs of tuition, textbooks, and living expenses can be a significant burden. This scholarship would alleviate some of the financial strain, allowing me to fully dedicate myself to my education without the constant worry of financial constraints. It would provide me with the freedom to explore additional learning opportunities, invest in resources and materials, and engage in experiences that enhance my learning journey. By receiving this scholarship, I would be able to focus on my academic pursuits and maximize my potential for growth and success.

I firmly believe in the power of service and leadership in creating positive change in society. Throughout my academic career, I have actively participated in various community service initiatives and taken on leadership roles in student organizations. Receiving this scholarship would enable me to further cultivate my passion for service and leadership. It would provide me with the resources to expand my community involvement, engage in impactful projects, and extend my reach to make a difference in the lives of others. By investing in my education and leadership potential, this scholarship would empower me to continue contributing to my community and inspiring others to do the same.

Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden but also fuel my determination to succeed academically and make a positive impact in society. I am committed to utilizing this opportunity to its fullest potential, leveraging my academic excellence, financial need, and dedication to service and leadership. By investing in my education and supporting my aspirations, this scholarship would contribute to the realization of my goals and provide me with the tools and resources necessary to create a brighter future for myself and others. I am immensely grateful for your consideration and sincerely hope to be granted this scholarship.

Three brief reasons why this essay worked are:

Clear and Convincing Arguments : The essay presents concise and compelling arguments to support the applicant's case for receiving the scholarship.
Personal Connection : It demonstrates how receiving the scholarship would directly impact the applicant's academic journey
Gratitude and Future Commitment : It expresses sincere gratitude for the opportunity and emphasizes the applicant's commitment to making the most of the scholarship.

Here is an example, take help from them for your scholarship essay.

Why Should You Receive this Scholarship Essay Example

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Examples

I am writing this essay to express why I strongly believe that I deserve to be awarded this scholarship. The financial assistance provided by this scholarship would have a profound impact on my educational journey and help me achieve my goals. Through this essay, I aim to showcase my dedication, achievements, and the ways in which I plan to utilize this scholarship to make a positive impact.

Throughout my academic career, I have consistently demonstrated a strong commitment to excellence. I have maintained a high GPA and have actively sought out opportunities to challenge myself academically. This scholarship would recognize and support my academic achievements, providing me with the necessary resources to continue pursuing my education with the same level of dedication. With the scholarship's assistance, I will be able to focus more on my studies, engage in research projects, and explore additional learning opportunities, which will ultimately contribute to my personal growth and success.

As a student, I face various financial challenges that can hinder my educational progress. The financial burden of tuition fees, textbooks, and living expenses often weighs heavily on my shoulders. This scholarship would alleviate a significant portion of the financial strain, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my studies without the constant worry of financial constraints. It would provide me with the peace of mind and stability needed to excel academically, focus on my personal growth, and actively participate in extracurricular activities that enhance my overall learning experience.

I strongly believe in the power of education to bring about positive change in society. With this scholarship, I would be able to further invest in my passion for community service and make a tangible impact. By dedicating my time and energy to service initiatives, I aim to contribute to the betterment of my community and those in need. The scholarship would not only support my academic pursuits but also enable me to actively engage in volunteering activities, mentorship programs, and initiatives that promote social welfare. This scholarship would serve as a catalyst for me to create a lasting impact and inspire others to do the same.

In conclusion, I firmly believe that I deserve to receive this scholarship based on my academic excellence, financial need, and commitment to making a positive impact. With this scholarship, I would have the opportunity to focus on my studies, actively contribute to my community, and develop the skills necessary to become a future leader and change-maker. I am sincerely grateful for the consideration and support of the scholarship committee. If awarded this scholarship, I am determined to utilize it to the fullest extent and seize every opportunity to achieve my goals and make a meaningful difference in the world.

Compelling Personal Story: The essay effectively presents the applicant's personal story and highlights their dedication and commitment to their education
Addressing Academic Excellence and Financial Need : The essay successfully addresses both academic excellence and financial need, which are two crucial aspects considered by scholarship committees.
Commitment to Making an Impact: The essay goes beyond the applicant's personal goals and emphasizes their dedication to making a positive impact in their community.

Hereâs another example for this scholarship essay below:

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay Example

Tips for Writing the Effective Scholarship Essay

When it comes to writing an effective scholarship essay, there are several key tips to keep in mind.

By following these guidelines, you can maximize your chances of standing out and impressing scholarship selection committees.

Here are some essential tips to help you craft a compelling scholarship essay:

Understand the Prompt

Take the time to thoroughly understand the essay prompt or topic provided by the scholarship provider. Pay attention to any specific instructions or guidelines given.

Research the Scholarship

Familiarize yourself with the organization or institution offering the scholarship. Understand their values, mission, and objectives. This knowledge will help you align your essay with their goals and demonstrate your fit for the scholarship.

Tell Your Unique Story

Use the essay as an opportunity to showcase your personal experiences, like obstacles you might encounter, achievements, and aspirations. Highlight what sets you apart from other applicants. Be authentic and genuine in conveying your story, like overcoming personal failures.

Start with a Compelling Introduction

Grab the reader's attention from the beginning with a strong and captivating introduction. Consider starting with a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a powerful statement.

Structure Your Essay

Organize your essay into a clear and logical structure. Start with an introduction, followed by body paragraphs that support your main points, and end with a concise and impactful conclusion.

Be Concise and Specific

Scholarship essays often have a word or character limits, so make every word count. Be concise in your writing and avoid unnecessary fluff. Focus on providing specific examples and details that support your claims.

Showcase Your Achievements

Highlight your academic accomplishments, extracurricular involvements, community service, leadership roles, or any other relevant achievements. Link them to the values and goals of the scholarship.

Address the Selection Criteria

Ensure that your essay addresses the selection criteria specified by the scholarship provider. If they are looking for specific qualities or skills, tailor your essay to showcase how you possess those attributes.

In conclusion, writing an effective scholarship essay is a crucial step in securing the financial aid you need for your education.

By following the tips outlined here, you can enhance your essay-writing skills and create a compelling narrative that captivates scholarship selection committees.

Be authentic, concise, and specific in your writing. Tailor your essay to align with the values and objectives of the scholarship provider. And above all, believe in yourself and your potential to make a difference through education.

If you're seeking further guidance and support in your scholarship essay writing journey, consider partnering with our AI essay writing tools !

We also have a team of experienced and professional essay writers who can provide personal essay writing service with valuable insights.

Hire our college paper writing service today and take the next step towards securing the financial aid you deserve.

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Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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Scholarship Essay Examples

Top Scholarship Essay Examples: Winning Essays for 2024

20 min read

Scholarship Essay about Why I Deserve the Scholarship

Let’s start with the most written scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship;

Alarm set for 5:00 AM? Check. Running shoes laced up? Check. Ready to tackle another day balancing school, work, and family responsibilities? Absolutely. My journey has been far from easy, but every challenge has only fueled my determination to succeed.

Three years ago, my family faced an unexpected crisis when my father lost his job. Overnight, our comfortable life turned upside down, and we struggled to make ends meet. As the oldest of four siblings, I knew I had to step up. Juggling schoolwork and a part-time job at a local grocery store was exhausting, but the gratitude and encouragement from my family made every late-night shift worthwhile.

Our situation forced me to grow up quickly and take on responsibilities beyond my years. I became a tutor for my younger siblings, a support system for my parents, and a diligent student, determined to keep my grades up despite the long hours at work. Through this experience, I learned the true meaning of resilience and the importance of family unity.

Despite our financial struggles, I excelled academically and took on leadership roles in various extracurricular activities. As the captain of the debate team, I honed my public speaking skills and learned to advocate passionately for what I believe in. Volunteering at the local food bank opened my eyes to the broader issues of poverty and hunger, inspiring me to make a difference in my community.

My passion for helping others led me to pursue a career in social work. I want to empower individuals and families facing hardships, just as my family did. This scholarship would allow me to focus on my studies and gain the knowledge and skills necessary to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others.

Balancing work and school has taught me invaluable time management and problem-solving skills. I have learned to prioritize my responsibilities, stay organized, and remain focused on my goals, no matter the obstacles. These experiences have prepared me to tackle the rigorous demands of college and excel in my chosen field.

Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden on my family but also enable me to dedicate more time to my studies and community service. It would be an investment in my future, allowing me to pursue my dreams of making a positive difference in the world.

In conclusion, I believe I deserve this scholarship because of my unwavering determination to overcome adversity, my commitment to academic excellence, and my passion for helping others. This scholarship would provide me with the opportunity to further my education and continue making a difference in my community. Thank you for considering my application.

Why This Scholarship Essay Succeeded

This scholarship essay effectively demonstrates the applicant's financial need while highlighting their resilience and commitment to helping others. Here are some key elements that contributed to its success:

Personal Story: Starts with a vivid personal story about the applicant's routine and family's financial crisis, making it engaging and relatable.
Personal Commitment: Highlights the applicant’s dedication to supporting their family and balancing responsibilities, showcasing their determination.
Specific Financial Challenges: Details specific financial struggles, adding credibility to their financial need.
Skill Development and Impact: Discusses skills gained through experiences like tutoring and volunteering, illustrating personal growth and community impact.
Significance of the Scholarship for Education: Explains how the scholarship would help the applicant focus on their studies and pursue a career in social work, showing its direct benefit.

Financial Need Scholarship Essay Example for College

Students often apply for financial assistance scholarships for their college education. Such scholarships require you to provide compelling reasons as to why you deserve financial aid.

Here is an example that successfully caters to this question:

Education is a powerful tool that can transform lives and open doors to opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach. As I entered high school, I became acutely aware of the financial challenges that lie ahead. It is with a profound sense of determination and a sincere desire for self-improvement that I apply for this scholarship, as I believe it is essential to address the financial obstacles that stand between me and my dreams.

My passion for learning has always been unwavering, but my path to education has not been without hurdles. Growing up in a single-parent household, my mother worked tirelessly to provide for my younger siblings and me. Despite her dedication and sacrifices, there were times when making ends meet was a constant struggle. The financial instability at home created a sense of urgency within me to excel academically and secure my future through education.

Throughout my high school years, I maintained a rigorous academic schedule while also taking on part-time employment to alleviate the financial burden on my family. However, balancing work and school was not without its challenges. There were nights when I had to choose between studying for a crucial exam and working a late shift to help pay the bills. These experiences instilled in me a strong work ethic, time management skills, and a deep appreciation for the value of education.

As I transition to college, the financial demands have grown exponentially. College costs, textbooks, and living expenses have become increasingly burdensome. Despite working tirelessly during the summer and taking on a part-time job during the academic year, I still find it challenging to cover all my expenses. The fear of accumulating significant student loan debt weighs heavily on my mind, threatening to overshadow my educational pursuits.

Receiving this scholarship would be a lifeline that not only eases my financial burden but also reaffirms my belief in the power of education. With this support, I would be able to focus more on my studies and extracurricular activities, contributing to a more enriching college experience. Additionally, it would alleviate the financial strain on my family, allowing my mother to breathe easier knowing that her child's education is secured.

In conclusion, my financial need is not just a reflection of my economic circumstances, but a testament to my unwavering commitment to education. I am determined to make the most of this scholarship opportunity and use it to drive positive change in my life and in the lives of those around me. With your support, I can overcome the financial obstacles that stand in my way and achieve the academic excellence I strive for.

Why this Scholarship Essay Succeeded

This scholarship essay effectively conveys the applicant's financial need while also highlighting their determination and commitment to education. Here are some key elements that contributed to its success:

Personal Story: The essay starts with a personal story about growing up in a single-parent household, providing context for the financial need. This makes the essay relatable and emotionally engaging.
Specific Financial Challenges: The essay details the specific financial challenges the applicant faces, such as tuition, textbooks, and living expenses. Specificity adds credibility to the financial need.
Explains the Significance of the Scholarship for Education: The essay explains how receiving the scholarship would positively impact the applicant's education, allowing them to focus more on studies and extracurricular activities.

Leadership Scholarship Essay Examples

When applying to programs for training young leaders, they often require you to write an essay. Here is a leadership scholarship essay sample:

Leadership is not merely a title or a position; it's a journey of self-discovery, growth, and service to others. Throughout my high school years, I embarked on this journey, taking on leadership roles that transformed me in ways I could never have imagined. As I apply for this leadership scholarship, I reflect on these experiences, the lessons learned, and how they have shaped me into a suitable candidate to further my leadership journey.

One of my most significant leadership experiences occurred during my junior year when I was elected as the President of the Student Council. At the onset, I believed leadership was synonymous with authority and control, but I soon realized it was about inspiring others to achieve a common goal. I learned that effective leadership requires not only a strong vision but also the ability to listen, collaborate, and adapt.

In my role as Student Council President, I encountered challenges that tested my leadership abilities. There were disagreements among council members, and it was my responsibility to facilitate productive discussions and find common ground. Through these challenges, I honed my conflict resolution skills and learned the importance of fostering a supportive team environment.

Furthermore, I initiated several community service projects, such as organizing food drives and volunteering at local shelters. These experiences reinforced the significance of servant leadership, reminding me that true leaders prioritize the well-being of those they lead.

Additionally, I attended leadership seminars and workshops, gaining valuable insights into effective communication, time management, and goal setting. These resources helped me improve my leadership skills and provided a broader perspective on what it means to be an impactful leader.

The culmination of my leadership journey was organizing a school-wide event that raised funds for a local charity. Through careful planning, delegation, and collaboration with my fellow council members, we exceeded our fundraising goal. This achievement not only showcased my growth as a leader but also highlighted my ability to mobilize others for a common cause.

My leadership experiences have equipped me with invaluable skills, such as communication, teamwork, adaptability, and empathy. I have come to understand that leadership is not about personal glory but about uplifting and empowering those around me.

As I apply for this leadership scholarship, I recognize the profound impact it can have on my future goals. This scholarship will enable me to pursue higher education and continue developing my leadership abilities. I am committed to using this opportunity to make a positive difference in my community and beyond.

In conclusion, my leadership journey has been a transformative one. I have evolved from a student with aspirations to a leader with a deep sense of responsibility. I am eager to continue my growth as a leader, and I believe that this scholarship will provide me with the resources and support to do so.

Why This Scholarship Essay Worked

This leadership scholarship essay effectively showcases the applicant's leadership journey, growth, and suitability for the scholarship. Here are some key elements that contributed to its success:

Personal Growth: The essay highlights the applicant's personal growth and development through their leadership experiences, demonstrating a clear understanding of what leadership entails.
Specific Examples: The applicant provides specific examples of challenges faced and initiatives undertaken as a leader, adding credibility to their claims.
Lessons Learned: The essay discusses the lessons learned, emphasizing qualities such as communication, teamwork, and empathy, which are essential for effective leadership.
Alignment with Scholarship: The essay explains how the scholarship will support the applicant's continued leadership growth and their commitment to making a positive impact.

Scholarship Essay Example for Engineering

Engineering schools have a strong vetting process to ensure that they only let in serious students. Writing a scholarship essay is their way of judging a student’s interests and capabilities.

Check out this catchy sample:

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by the marvels of engineering that shape our world. From the towering skyscrapers that scrape the heavens to the intricate systems that power our daily lives, engineering is the driving force behind human progress. As I set out on my educational journey to become an engineer, I am deeply honored to apply for this scholarship, as it represents not just financial support but a vote of confidence in my passion and commitment to the field of engineering.

My journey into engineering began with a love for problem-solving and an insatiable curiosity about how things work. In high school, I excelled in math and science, consistently seeking out challenging projects that allowed me to apply my skills. These experiences solidified my decision to pursue engineering as a career.

During my undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering, I had the privilege of working on several impactful projects. One of the most memorable was designing a more efficient cooling system for a local manufacturing plant. I collaborated with a team of engineers, and together we developed a solution that not only reduced energy consumption but also saved the company thousands of dollars annually. This project reinforced my belief in the transformative power of engineering to solve real-world problems.

While pursuing my degree, I also participated in extracurricular activities that allowed me to apply engineering principles to make a positive impact on society. I volunteered with a student-led organization that designed and built sustainable housing solutions for underserved communities. These experiences taught me that engineering is not just about technical knowledge but also about creativity, collaboration, and empathy.

As I progressed in my studies, I faced the financial realities of pursuing an engineering degree. Tuition, textbooks, and laboratory fees added up quickly, and I often found myself working part-time jobs to make ends meet. These challenges, however, only fueled my determination to excel in my studies and contribute meaningfully to the field of engineering.

Receiving this scholarship would not only alleviate the financial burden of my education but also provide me with the opportunity to focus more on my studies and research projects. It would enable me to pursue my passion for engineering with unwavering dedication and enthusiasm.

In conclusion, engineering is more than just a career path for me; it is a calling, a lifelong pursuit of innovation and problem-solving. This scholarship represents not just financial support but also recognition of my commitment to engineering excellence. With your support, I am eager to continue my journey as an aspiring engineer, contributing to the advancement of the field and making a positive impact on the world.

Why this Engineering Scholarship Essay Worked

Here are some key elements that contributed to the essay’s success:

Passion and Dedication: The essay clearly communicates the applicant's deep passion for engineering, emphasizing their lifelong commitment to the field.
Specific Examples: The applicant provides specific examples of their experiences in engineering, such as the cooling system project and the sustainable housing initiative, demonstrating their practical application of engineering skills.
Financial Need: The essay briefly touches upon the financial challenges faced by the applicant, which adds context to their need for financial support.
Impact and Contribution: The essay discusses how receiving the scholarship will enable the applicant to focus more on their studies and research projects, emphasizing their desire to contribute meaningfully to the field of engineering.

Scholarship Essay Examples Nursing

Nursing institutions require hard-working and committed pupils. That’s why the scholarship essay is an essential part of their application process.

So how does a good nursing scholarship essay looks like? Here’s an example:

Since my early years, a profound sense of purpose has driven me towards the field of nursing. The desire to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families, coupled with an unwavering commitment to learning and growth, has fueled my journey towards becoming a nurse. As I embark on this path, I am both humbled and honored to apply for this nursing scholarship, recognizing it as an opportunity to not only alleviate financial stress but also as a testament to my passion and dedication to the nursing profession.

My fascination with nursing was ignited by personal experiences that exposed me to the extraordinary care and compassion that nurses provide. These experiences made me realize that nursing is not merely a profession; it is a vocation driven by empathy and the profound desire to alleviate human suffering.

Throughout my nursing education, I have consistently sought opportunities to broaden my knowledge and skills. Beyond the classroom, I have actively engaged in community health initiatives, including volunteering at local clinics and participating in health awareness campaigns. These experiences have deepened my understanding of the holistic nature of nursing and the role of nurses as advocates for the well-being of individuals and communities.

One transformative experience during my clinical rotations was working in a palliative care unit. It was here that I learned the immeasurable value of providing compassionate end-of-life care. I witnessed the profound impact of a caring presence, active listening, and the ability to offer solace to patients and their families during their most vulnerable moments. This experience reinforced my commitment to patient-centered care and strengthened my resolve to become a nurse who not only treats medical conditions but also provides comfort, dignity, and support.

In addition to my clinical experiences, I have also taken on leadership roles within my nursing program. Serving as the president of the Student Nurses' Association, I have learned the importance of effective communication, collaboration, and advocacy. These leadership experiences have broadened my perspective on the role of nurses as leaders in healthcare, capable of driving positive change and influencing policies to improve patient outcomes.

Receiving this scholarship would not only ease the financial burden associated with pursuing my nursing education but also provide me with the resources to further my professional growth. I am committed to using this scholarship to pursue advanced certifications and training that will enable me to excel in specialized nursing areas, such as critical care or pediatric nursing.

In conclusion, nursing is more than a profession; it is a lifelong commitment to serving others with compassion, empathy, and a dedication to continuous learning. This scholarship represents not just financial assistance but also recognition of my dedication to the nursing profession and the impact I aspire to make in the lives of my future patients.

Why this Nursing Scholarship Essay Succeeded

This nursing scholarship essay effectively conveys the applicant's passion for nursing and their commitment to patient-centered care. Here are some key elements that contributed to its success:

Passion for Nursing: The essay clearly communicates the applicant's passion for nursing, emphasizing personal experiences that ignited this passion.
Continuous Learning: The essay highlights the applicant's commitment to ongoing learning and professional growth, which is essential in the nursing field.
Community Engagement: The applicant showcases their involvement in community health initiatives and volunteering, demonstrating a dedication to improving healthcare beyond the clinical setting.
Leadership Experience: The essay discusses leadership roles within the nursing program, emphasizing the applicant's understanding of nursing as a leadership role in healthcare.
Impactful Clinical Experience: The inclusion of the palliative care unit experience adds a unique perspective. It also adds an emotionally resonant dimension to the essay, highlighting the applicant's dedication to patient-centered care.

Scholarship Essay About Yourself

Some scholarship essays require a more personal touch. Scholarship committees are interested to learn about your experiences and how you express them.

Here is an example of a 300-word scholarship essay focusing on the applicant’s life experiences.

Growing up in a close-knit community, I was taught the values of perseverance, empathy, and the power of education from a young age. My journey to this point has been one of self-discovery and growth, marked by a series of experiences that have shaped me into the person I am today. As I apply for this scholarship, I reflect on these experiences, recognizing that they have not only fueled my passion for learning but have also equipped me with qualities and perspectives that make me a suitable candidate for this opportunity.

From an early age, my parents instilled in me the importance of education as a means to create a better future. As first-generation immigrants, they worked tirelessly to provide our family with opportunities they never had.

During my high school years, I took it upon myself to make the most of these opportunities. I maintained a rigorous academic schedule, seeking out challenging courses and pushing myself to excel.

Beyond academics, I engaged in extracurriculars that allowed me to give back. Volunteering at a local food bank was transformative and led me to organize a successful food drive.

In college, pursuing a psychology degree has deepened my understanding of human behavior. Interning at a counseling center enhanced my empathy and skills in supporting individuals with mental health challenges.

Financial challenges have tested my resolve, but they’ve only strengthened my determination. This scholarship would reduce my financial stress and allow me to focus more on my studies and community service.

In summary, my experiences have shaped my character and goals. This scholarship represents not just financial aid but recognition of my potential to create positive change. With your support, I’m confident I can impact my future and those around me.

This scholarship essay effectively highlights the applicant's personal experiences and qualities that make them a suitable candidate for the scholarship. Here are some key elements that contributed to its success:

Values and Background: The essay begins by establishing the applicant's background and values, emphasizing the importance of education and family sacrifices.
Academic Excellence: The applicant showcases their commitment to academic excellence, including being named valedictorian, which adds credibility to their dedication to learning.
Passion and Career Goals: The essay highlights the applicant's interest in psychology and mental health, revealing their career aspirations and a deep sense of purpose.
Courage to Grow: The essay concludes with a strong commitment to education and the desire to use it as a tool for positive change in their community.

Winning Scholarship Essay Examples PDF

You have read six scholarship essay examples with a complete analysis of why they were successful. Sometimes, scholarship essays require a limited word-count. You should always read the instructions and the proper scholarship essay format required by the institute.

Here are short scholarship essay examples with different word-limits.

500-Words Scholarship Essay Example About Career Goals

250 Words Scholarship Essay Example

Scholarship Essay Examples for Different Academic Levels

Scholarship essay example middle school

Scholarship essay example elementary school

Scholarship Essay Example For High School Students

Scholarship Essay Example For College Application

Masters Scholarship Essay Example For Students

There are many different prompts you can be assigned for your scholarship essay, so better be prepared. Check out this list of scholarship essay prompts to get a better idea!

Tips to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay

The following are some useful tips and suggestions for writing a successful scholarship essay:

Understand the Prompt: Carefully read and understand the essay prompt. Ensure that your response directly addresses the specific questions or topics provided. Tailor your essay to the scholarship's requirements.
Plan and Organize: Start with an essay outline . Identify key points you want to cover and the structure of your essay. A well-organized essay with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion is more engaging and easier to follow.
Start Early with Your College Plans: Begin brainstorming and drafting your essay well before deadlines. This gives you ample time to refine your ideas and align your essay with your college plans and goals.
Focus on a Strong College Essay Theme: Choose a compelling theme that reflects your personal journey or challenges. A well-defined theme will make your essay stand out and provide a clear narrative for the scholarship committee.
Tailor Your Essay for School Students: Understand the audience and tailor your language and examples to resonate with them. For essays targeting school students, use language that is relatable and demonstrates your growth and achievements.
Reflect on Your Sophomore Year Experiences: Incorporate significant experiences from your sophomore year, such as overcoming challenges or achieving academic milestones. Highlight how these experiences have shaped your goals and aspirations.

To conclude,

These essay examples were a good way to start. You’ve read and learnt the qualities that made them successful. Now, it’s your time to apply what you’ve learnt to your own scholarship essays.

Remember, crafting a winning scholarship essay takes time and effort. Be authentic and convey your aspirations, achievements, and the impact you hope to make. With dedication and these valuable tips, you can create a compelling scholarship essay that helps you achieve your education goals.

In addition, we understand that writing a scholarship essay can be incredibly difficult due to the high stakes. But don’t let the stress takeover, let our professional scholarship essay writing service handle it.

Our expert writers have written hundreds of successful scholarship essays with a high rate of success. Don't wait any longer, get in touch with our paper writer service today and let us help you achieve your academic goals!

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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 .

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Scholarship Essay Guide

Scholarship Essay Examples

Last updated on: Feb 9, 2023

Amazing Scholarship Essay Examples for Your Help

By: Dorothy M.

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: Sep 1, 2020

When it comes to paying for college fees, a scholarship is the best option you can get to finance your studies. Scholarships offer you money that you never have to repay. But, here is a twist; you need to compete with several candidates.

Hundreds of students go to college every year, and not everyone can afford the expenses required for completing the degree. The need-based scholarships help students by providing free money to complete their studies. However, getting financial aid is not that simple; you need to convince the committee members to grant you the scholarship.

When you apply for the scholarship, the first thing you need to do is write a winning scholarship essay . The whole process of a scholarship application is daunting, and students can feel overwhelming. However, the most important part of the application is writing an essay that should be well thought out.

This blog will walk you through many winning scholarship essay examples that will help you write your essay. So read the examples carefully to understand the whole process and structure of a scholarship essay.

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Scholarship Essay Examples for Students

Writing a good scholarship essay is the first step you make towards getting financial aid. It gives you an opportunity to showcase your abilities and your accomplishments other than academic grades and scores. It is a great chance for you to show the committee members that you deserve this scholarship. You can show them the real person behind the application and convince them that you are the perfect candidate.

Students who apply for scholarships usually have the same resume, grades, and achievements. The committee is tired of reading the same essay and stories every year, and now they don’t even bother to read the complete essay. They just read the first few lines and decide whether they should move forward or reject the essay. Therefore, you need to grab their attention in the beginning by giving them unique or interesting information about you.

Below you can find some amazing scholarship essay examples to help you understand what you should be writing in your essay.

Scholarship Essay Format Examples

For writing an incredible scholarship essay, you need to follow the formatting guidelines. If you are unable to do so, you won’t be able to make a mark on your reader’s mind. The scholarship committee is very strict about the formatting and structure of the scholarship essay.

Therefore, you need to make sure that your essay is well structured and properly formatted according to the guidelines. You need to be careful while writing your essay because it is the only chance you shine and be noticed by the committee. The scholarship committee members look for something unique and amazing about you that sets you apart from other candidates.

SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY OUTLINE FORMAT

How to Write a Scholarship Essay - Examples

Whether you are writing the scholarship essay for the first time or have written it before, you still need guidance. There is no rule or procedure that ensures your essay is right or wrong. However, there are some tips and guidelines that you can follow to write a good essay. If you have an amazing story to share and follow the tips, you can easily write an impressive essay.

Here is the step-by-step guide on how to write a scholarship essay with examples. Check out the samples given below to learn the procedure and write a perfect essay.

HOW TO START A SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY - EXAMPLE

HOW TO WRITE A SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY - EXAMPLE

HOW TO END A SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY - EXAMPLE

High School Scholarship Essay Examples

Middle school or high school students usually do not have enough skills to write a good scholarship essay. They always struggle with writing assignments and try to get away with it through backdoors. But you do not have to worry as we have provided some interesting and effective examples for your convenience. These examples will show you how to structure your essay that impresses the reader.

You can write your essay without following guidelines and examples, but are you sure that your essay will grant you the aid? Do you have the confidence that your essay is impressive enough that it will definitely get you financial aid?

Well, you may have an interesting story to tell, but if you do not follow the guidelines, you will not be able to perfect your essay. Therefore, it is essential to read some sample essays so that you don’t have any trouble writing your story. Read the scholarship essay examples for high school students given below to have a better understanding.

HIGH SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY SAMPLE

SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY EXAMPLE FINANCIAL NEED

College Scholarship Essay Examples

Scholarships are mostly required for college education as they are more expensive than high school. Many college students work part-time jobs to cope with their financial needs and support their families. This results in bad academic performance and poor grades, as they do not have enough time to study. Scholarship opportunities are a kind of blessing in disguise for such students.

The pro tip for college students is to write a college essay and reuse it in a scholarship essay for a similar essay prompt. It will not just save you time but help you produce a better essay worthy of a scholarship grant. It will also help you show your strengths and abilities and become a scholarship winner.

The example given below will help you write a compelling scholarship essay for college. These examples will guide you throughout the writing process and help you write a flawless essay.

SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY EXAMPLE FOR COLLEGE

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Scholarship Essay Examples For Masters

According to a research study, many competent students in the United States never apply for a master’s degree due to financial problems. Even after giving remarkable performances during college education, they can’t pursue their master’s degree. The scholarship is an opportunity for such needy students who have extraordinary academic records and want to get higher education.

However, as the education level is getting higher, the expectations of the scholarship committee are getting high. When you write a scholarship essay for the master’s level, you need to keep many things in mind. Scholarship prompt, formatting guidelines, word count, sentence structure, and most importantly, an outstanding story. These few things should be kept in mind and taken care of while writing your essay.

Read on the given master’s scholarship essay example and learn how you can show your reader that you are a more deserving candidate than others.

Good Scholarship Essay Examples

Students need to read some good scholarship essay examples to learn what committee members are looking for. These examples demonstrate how you can elaborate on your academic career, future goals, career goals, and previous experience.

You can also discuss your contribution to community services and how it impacted your life. The sample scholarship essay also helps you learn how you can cover all the areas of an explicitly asked essay prompt.

The most common scholarship prompts ask you to write about yourself or the field of study you want to apply to. These prompts help the scholarship committee learn about you as a person and your goals for the degree. We have carefully chosen the essay examples given below to guide you on how you can efficiently display yourself.

The below samples are chosen from the real world to make sure you can connect with them and understand them easily.

SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY EXAMPLE ABOUT YOURSELF

Short Scholarship Essay Examples

Sometimes the scholarship application specifically mentions the word count which is essential for students to comply. It is essential to complete the essay within the mentioned word count.

You can write under or over fewer words than the given limit but cannot exceed too much. However, some online application software does not allow you to write a single character over the specified limit.

Refer to the following helpful examples written according to the specified word count, i.e., 250 and 500 words scholarship essay.

250 WORDS SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY EXAMPLE

500 WORDS SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY EXAMPLE

Nursing Scholarship Essay Examples

Nowadays, scholarships are focused on the study disciplines and academic fields. For example, a scholarship for social media influencers looks for candidates who are renowned influencers. Similarly, a nursing scholarship is designed to find candidates who wanted to become nurses.

If you want to get into a nursing institute, you can benefit from this opportunity and get financial aid. Check out the template and sample nursing scholarship essay given below and learn how to write a flawless essay.

NURSING SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY TEMPLATE

NURSING SCHOLARSHIP ESSAY SAMPLE

Why I Deserve This Scholarship Essay - Example

Why I deserve this scholarship essay is the most common scholarship essay prompt. Hundreds of students apply for the scholarship every year, and it becomes difficult for the scholarship committee to decide which candidate is the most deserving.

Therefore, it is your only chance to convince your reader that you are the most deserving candidate by smartly addressing this prompt. Check out the example given below to learn how you can tackle such kinds of scholarship essay prompts.

Scholarship Essay Example about Career Goals

Defining your career goals in a scholarship essay plays a crucial role. Scholarship committee members are looking for candidates who want to bring a huge and good change to society. Therefore, they are expecting something incredible from you and your career plans.

Here is a scholarship essay example about career goals that will help you write about your career goals in your essay.

Scholarship Essay Example About Career Goals

Scholarship Essay Example about Leadership

The world looks for future leaders in today’s students, so are the college admission officers. A scholarship essay about leadership prompt is intended to see what kind of leadership qualities you possess.

Check out the example given below to learn how you can showcase your leadership qualities in your scholarship essay.

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Common Scholarship Prompt Essay Examples

Mostly, the essay prompts are given because the scholarship committee specifically needs answers to those questions. They wanted to get to know you better, so they provide you with the explicit prompts you need to address. The most common scholarship essay prompts are as follows:

Why do you deserve this scholarship?
Why should you receive this scholarship?
What makes you more deserving than other candidates?
Have you ever gotten into any trouble? How did you tackle that situation?
Discuss your career goals and why did you choose that specific career?

These are the most common scholarship essay prompts students are specifically asked to write their essays on. Below you can find the sample essays for these prompts. Read the essays and learn how you can efficiently address these prompts.

Now you have many winning scholarship essay examples; you can start writing your essay. Reading the example essay is a great idea to learn how to write a good essay while following the guidelines. The examples also help you make your essay stand out and shine among other applications. However, it is understandable if you still find it challenging to write a flawless essay.

If you are one of those students who cannot write an impressive essay, get help from 5StarEssays.com essay writers. We are a professional and legitimate ‘ write essay for me? ’ service that provides brilliant essays at affordable prices. Our writers can write a winning essay that will improve your chance of landing the scholarship grant.

If you have already written your essay but are not sure if it is worth submitting or not, then you can also contact us. Our writers will improve the quality of your essay and give the finishing touches to make sure it is free of mistakes. Making your essay free from grammatical and punctuation errors is important to make an impression on the reader’s mind.

Therefore, if you lack good and essential creative writing skills for writing an impressive scholarship essay, contact us. Do not waste your time and energy writing a poor essay that has the least chance to grant you financial aid. Just place your order with us and get a brilliant essay quickly.

We are available 24/7 to help students of all academic backgrounds and degree levels. You can contact us whenever you need to without having a second thought.

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How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay

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Writing Leadership Essays

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Leadership potential is one of the most common selection criteria for national scholarship and fellowship competitions. Applications often ask candidates to write a separate essay describing an example of their leadership. The Truman Scholarship , for example, includes the prompt: “Describe one specific example of your leadership.” Even for scholarships such as the Rhodes and Knight-Hennessy Scholarships that do not include a specific leadership essay, students will often want to include stories in their essays that illustrate their future leadership potential.

One of the most common mistakes that applicants make when they first approach these essays is to write about leadership positions, for example, having been elected to the executive board of a student organization. When students tell me that they do not have a good story to tell regarding their leadership, most often they mean that they have not held such a position.

However, brief reflection should be enough to remind us that holding a leadership position is no guarantee that a person has exercised leadership. Indeed, we can easily think of situations in which organizations foundered because those in leadership positions failed to do so. Similarly, we should be able to think of situations in which others within the organization “stepped up” to exercise leadership in certain situations. What do these examples tell us?

Often they are situations in which a problem or opportunity has arisen. A leader steps forward to offer a solution to that problem or a plan to take advantage of that opportunity. This solution or plan is enacted and has a significant impact on the organization, it’s members, the surrounding community, etc. Ideally, the impact is one that can be quantified or demonstrated in ways that others will recognize as significant or important.

Problem, Action, Results

These intuitions provide a simple formula for writing a leadership essay:

Problem - In two to three sentences describe the nature of the problem or opportunity that arose in your organization, volunteer experience, internship, research, etc.
Action - Describe the solution or plan of action that you proposed and how this was enacted.
Results - Describe the impacts of your actions, making clear to the reader why these are significant and important.

If this sounds familiar, it is very similar to the S.T.A.R. technique that is frequently used to answer behavioral interview questions. S.T.A.R. stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. The similarity is no accident. Behavioral interview questions are meant to provide employers with evidence for how you will perform in future scenarios based on your previous performance in similar situations. In the same way, national scholarships want to promote the early careers of future leaders in their field, especially those who will offer bold and innovative, but also effective solutions to the world’s major challenges. Leadership essays are meant to provide evidence for your future potential based on past actions. If at all possible, you should select a situation, problem, or opportunity that is analogous to the work that you hope to do as a future leader in your field. However, this is not always necessary. Sometimes a story from a different situation can provide evidence of character-traits and skills that you’ll carry forward in your future career leadership. If so, you should realize that this is the strategy of your essay and clearly demonstrate these character traits and skills in your story.

We’ve made a lot of progress, but the above schema is not yet complete. What we have described is not yet a leadership essay, but rather an initiative essay. The difference is that an initiative essay places the emphasis solely upon your ideas and actions. A leadership essay describes your interaction with a group of people to accomplish something that you could not have accomplished on your own as an individual. The essay is still your essay, but it should have the appropriate balance between “I” and “we.” One of my favorite questions to ask potential candidates is: “Tell me about a time when you created a shared vision within a group and worked with other members to make that vision a reality?”

The similarity between initiative essays and leadership essays is a natural one. One of the distinctive traits of leaders is that they take initiative. We might say that initiative is a necessary, but not sufficient condition for leadership. (In other words: you can’t be a leader without exercising initiative, but you can exercise initiative individually without being a leader of others.) Sometimes an initiative story is the best story we have to answer a leadership prompt. I’m sure we can all think of situations in which we were the only ones in the group to step up - where the group endorsed the idea, but did none of the work.

I recommend brainstorming several potential stories before committing to a particular one for your essay. As you do, ask yourself whether this is an initiative story or a true leadership story. If you decide that an initiative story is the best story to tell for a particular application, emphasize collaboration where you can and be ready to talk honestly in an interview about (a) what you learned from the experience and (b) what you hope to do differently in future situations to encourage broader participation.

The Schwarzman Scholarship has one of the most extensive prompts for their leadership essay. It serves as a great brainstorming guide for applicants to many other scholarships that emphasize leadership:

Describe at least one distinct example that best illustrates your leadership. This may draw from your professional, academic, or personal life when you demonstrated leadership qualities which highlight:

The intellectual/analytical abilities to identify and understand challenges and opportunities, and envision solutions;
The initiative to act and communicate why;
Interpersonal skills to inspire a team effort;An ability to push through resistance and/or challenges to reach positive results/change for the better.

Outline the situation in detail, along with your learning and growth, and how you envision this will impact your aspirations to be a future leader. Consider the following:

What was the problem or issue you identified, and why did you choose to act?
What was your plan of action?
What obstacles or challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
What were the outcomes and impact on the community or purpose?
What did you learn and/or what lessons would you pass on to others?
How has this experience shaped you as a leader and how does it connect with your vision for future leadership aspirations?

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Writing Tips

How to Write a Scholarship Essay (With Examples)

6-minute read

22nd August 2022

Writing a scholarship essay can seem like a daunting task. For many students , higher education isn’t possible without financial aid, and scholarships are especially valuable because the money awarded doesn’t have to be paid back.

Even though the stakes are high, there are a few manageable steps you can take to ensure you write a great essay to submit with your scholarship applications. We have a few top tips to help you get started, along with writing examples to demonstrate some key points. Check out our guide below to learn more.

A scholarship essay is a great opportunity to present yourself and your accomplishments in an impactful way. It is, therefore, essential to be aware of each scholarship deadline so you can allow sufficient time for the writing process, which typically includes the following:

· Read the essay prompt and brainstorm ideas.

· Create an outline covering the key points you want to address.

· Write a draft and seek feedback from trusted teachers, family, or friends.

· Make any necessary revisions and proofread before submitting your final draft.

Scholarship review committees will be able to tell if you rushed through your essay, so give yourself the best chance of winning an award by staying organized and on schedule!

Who and What?

Researching the scholarship provider and diligently reviewing the essay prompts can help you write an essay that makes you stand out as a top candidate.

1. Who are you writing to?

Learn more about the organization offering the scholarship and why the scholarship fund was created.

For instance, a scholarship may honor its organization’s founder, and the founder’s qualities (e.g., integrity, good citizenship, and leadership) might be the same values guiding the scholarship program as a way to continue the founder’s legacy.

If you identify with any of the same qualities, you can incorporate those keywords into your essay to demonstrate your shared values. Remember to remain authentic, though!

2. What are you writing about?

You must read the essay prompt carefully to identify precisely what you need to accomplish with your essay.

Some prompts ask about your career goals and how you plan to achieve them or your achievements and the challenges you overcame to reach them.

You’ll write about common topics across multiple scholarship applications – some may even be similar to your college admission essay – so you can repurpose your essays as long as you’re diligent about tailoring each one to its prompt.

Your application will likely require other items such as transcripts and test scores, but the essay is your chance to offer something entirely unique. Write about key experiences that highlight who you are and what you’ve accomplished, or you could mention something you’re passionate about.

Remember to follow any specific instructions regarding length and formatting, and be sure to answer all questions listed in the prompt. It can hurt your chances if you’re unable to show the committee that you’re detail-oriented and can follow directions.

Structuring Your Essay

Your essay should follow a standard format that includes a clear beginning, middle, and end. Typically, you should:

· Establish your main idea in the introduction.

· Include a separate body paragraph for each key point that supports your main idea.

· Draw it all together and revisit your main idea in the conclusion.

Scholarship committees read thousands of essays each year. And often, there are hundreds of applicants for an award that can only go to a select few candidates. Writing a powerful introduction and conclusion gives you a chance to make a lasting impression.

1. Introduction

Write an introduction that hooks the reader and encourages them to stay engaged till the end of your essay. Don’t be afraid to add personal, tangible details and an anecdote .

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For example, if you’re writing about your career goals, demonstrate why you’ve chosen that career:

It was the biggest game of the season, and the stands were packed despite the bitter cold. My heart was beating louder than all of the cheers, and I was filled with the anticipation that one more run into the end zone would give us the championship. Everything went silent during that run when the tackle shattered both my leg and my dreams.

My world has always revolved around being an athlete – until one day it couldn’t. I spent many frustrating months rehabilitating, but I got through it because of my dedicated physical therapist, who helped me recover both physically and mentally after a devastating loss. And it was that profound experience that led me to pursue a career in the exercise sciences.

2. Conclusion

The conclusion is the last thing your reader will see, so it’s another opportunity for you to make your essay memorable.

Rather than summarizing with a general statement such as “this is why you should award me a scholarship,” perhaps explain what the financial assistance will help you achieve:

My parents never had the opportunity to go to college, and neither did their parents. I watched them work hard every day just to make ends meet, and I often questioned whether I could achieve anything more. Nevertheless, I spent four years working as hard as I saw my parents work, and I beat the odds by getting accepted to college. A scholarship could be invaluable for me, as it would allow me to attend and be successful without having to worry about finances.

Persuasive Writing

While you don’t want your scholarship essay to be overly informal, you’re certainly allowed to add some creativity and personal details to help persuade your readers.

One of the best ways to do so is by writing with the modes of persuasion ; that is, ethos, pathos, and logos.

Demonstrate your credibility. Use your real-life experiences and interesting details to establish, for example, how you’ve contributed to your community:

I saw how much bullying was impacting so many students at my school, so I founded my high school’s first anti-bullying club and organized campaigns to bring attention to the harm that people can cause one another.

Evoke an emotional response. The “show, don’t tell ” writing technique, which involves using descriptive words when discussing actions and emotions, can be especially useful here:

During one of our first awareness assemblies, the theater was completely silent as I read aloud anonymous stories from students about the scars bullying had left on their lives. Tears were stinging in my eyes as I described the struggles my classmates were facing, but I persevered to give a voice to those who didn’t have one.

Convey your point with reason and facts. Use statistics to demonstrate what you’ve accomplished:

In the first year alone, our club improved students’ feelings of safety and acceptance at our school by 53%.

Proofreading and Editing

Don’t forget the importance of proofreading your essay, as spelling and grammar mistakes can leave a bad impression on your reader. Our expert editors can help ensure your writing is clear, concise, and error-free. Give yourself a better chance at impressing scholarship committees by submitting a free trial document today!

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Scholarship Essay Examples

With college tuition costs rising each year, many students apply for merit scholarships to help make college more affordable. However, merit scholarships can be competitive—and that’s where our scholarship essay examples come in. By reading our scholarship essay examples, you can learn what it takes to write an award-winning essay.

Scholarships are an excellent opportunity for students to lessen their college tuition costs. Most merit scholarships require a brief application, usually including one or more essays. Below, we’ve rounded up our best scholarship essay examples.

Reading winning scholarship essay examples, especially scholarship essay examples about yourself, can help you begin the scholarship essay process. By reviewing essay examples, you can learn how to craft a strong essay. You’ll also get a better sense of what scholarship committees look for when they review applications.

In this guide to Scholarship Essay Examples, you’ll find tips on how to write the best scholarship essay, as well as:

Various scholarship essay examples about yourself
A strong scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship
Scholarship essay examples about financial need, and more!

We’ve included scholarship essay examples specific to schools, including UC Berkeley, as well as specific programs, like the SHPE scholarship. We’ll also discuss the different types of scholarships you’ll find on your scholarship search.

Now, before we jump into our essay examples, let’s learn more about getting scholarship money for college.

What is a scholarship essay?

A scholarship essay is an essay you’ll include in your merit scholarship applications. In many ways, your scholarship essays might resemble your college essays. So, the scholarship essay format should seem familiar.

The best scholarship essays will highlight who you are and why you deserve money for college. Scholarship essay prompts will ask you to include various information, from details about your background to explanations of why you deserve a scholarship.

Crafting a compelling, well-written essay can help you win substantial financial awards to help cover your college tuition costs. However, not all scholarship essays are the same. Later on, we’ll review different winning scholarship essay examples to show you what kind of essays you’ll write in your application process.

Types of Scholarships

There are many different types of scholarships available to students. You can find a variety of scholarship opportunities on scholarships websites. The earlier you start your scholarship search, the more scholarships you’ll find.

While some scholarship applications accept applicants of all backgrounds and abilities, some have very specific eligibility guidelines. So, you may not be eligible for every scholarship. If you’re not sure whether or not you’re eligible, you can find eligibility information on most scholarships websites.

Here are a few different scholarship types you may come across in your scholarship search:

Academic scholarships
Merit scholarships
Essay competitions
Community service scholarships
Military scholarships

Scholarship essay prompts will differ across programs. As you’ll see in our winning scholarship essay examples, the prompts can vary in word count and complexity. We’ll provide you with descriptive essay examples to help you get an idea of what to expect.

Merit-Based Scholarships

Most scholarships we’ll highlight in this article are merit-based scholarships . A merit-based scholarship is money awarded by a college or community organization based on your academic achievements.

In contrast, a need-based scholarship is awarded based on a student’s financial need. If you are applying for financial aid, be sure to check out our scholarship essay examples about financial need. You’ll find both merit- and need-based scholarships on your scholarship search.

To qualify for a merit-based scholarship, you generally must meet specific criteria. Scholarship committees look at your grades, academic achievements, extracurriculars, and even test scores. Need-based scholarships can have similar requirements, but they’re primarily concerned with your family’s financial status.

There are many merit-based scholarships available to help students afford college, including:

National merit scholarships
Gates Scholarship
Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship
Robertson Scholarship

Check out our guides on these popular merit-based scholarships for more details. There, you’ll find tips on how to write a winning essay. Our descriptive essay examples can also help prepare you to apply to these programs After all, while prompts vary, the scholarship essay format remains fairly standard.

Finding scholarships

In this guide, we’ll highlight some scholarships you may be eligible for. However, make sure to check out the rest of our resources to help you approach the scholarship search.

Some scholarships we’ll discuss include:

QuestBridge scholarship : helps low-income students attend elite colleges
Park scholarships : for students attending NC State University
SHPE scholarship : offers financial assistance for Hispanic students interested in STEM degrees.

Scholarship essay examples about financial need will help you prepare for your scholarship applications. For instance, if you apply for the SHPE scholarship, you’ll include a lot of details about your background.

You can also use scholarship search portals or scholarships websites to find other scholarships you may be eligible for.

How do you write a scholarship essay?

While scholarship essay prompts may differ, you’ll usually stick to the same general scholarship essay format.

One resource that can help you write the best scholarship essays and find money for college is Sallie Mae. Sallie Mae is a private lender offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional student loans. They also grant scholarships and provide aspiring college students with a scholarship search portal on their scholarships websites. Here’s what they have to say about having a winning scholarship essay format.

Organization

When writing a scholarship essay, it’s best to start with a scholarship essay format that organizes your thoughts. This will allow you to follow a plan that clearly and concisely gets your points across. You should begin your essay with a solid introduction. Then, introduce your supporting arguments and add an appropriate conclusion.

A good scholarship essay clearly states why you deserve to win money for college with evidence to back up your argument. You’ll see how to do this in our scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship. The best scholarship essays will be original and honest. It should be written in an inspirational and positive tone, highlighting your strengths and capabilities.

When you feel like you have put your best foot forward, you should ask others for their feedback. This can be from a teacher, counselor, or one of our advisors here at CollegeAdvisor! Proofread your final essay and make sure you’ve caught any spelling and grammatical errors before submitting your application.

Up next, we’ll get into our descriptive essay examples and the different scholarship essay prompts they responded to.

By looking at scholarship essay examples, you can learn what exactly makes a good essay. So, let’s look at some descriptive essay examples written by students looking to secure money for college.

First, we will walk you through scholarship essay examples about yourself. Then, we’ll look at a scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship. Lastly, we will provide you with scholarship essay examples about financial need. Remember to keep these scholarship essay examples in mind when writing essays of your own!

Scholarship Essay Examples About Yourself

Let’s take a closer look at some scholarship essay examples about yourself.

Scholarship essay prompts vary quite a bit, so make sure you understand what the prompt really asks of you. That way, you can answer the question or address the prompt in its entirety.

Some scholarship essay prompts may ask how the scholarship will make a difference for you. They may also ask about any contributions you have made to your community.

Ready to look at some winning scholarship essay examples? Check out these scholarship essay examples below.

The first of our scholarship essays is for Phi Sigma Rho. Here’s the prompt:

How do you promote Phi Sigma Rho and STEM on your campus or in your community? (300 words Max)

Phi sigma rho scholarship essay.

In my campus and community, I strive to promote Phi Sigma Rho and STEM by promoting Phi Rho’s values and sharing my experiences and passion for Phi Rho.

My involvement in the Women in Engineering Program (WEP) and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) has allowed me the opportunity to promote Phi Rho and STEM. These activities have given me insight into how to successfully create a network that will support and encourage women in engineering to continue their careers.

Within WEP, I served as a sophomore orientation leader (Envoy), mentoring first-year women and assisting with program logistics. As an envoy, I was able to promote Phi Rho ideals of friendship and encouragement. I was also able to informally recruit for Phi Rho by sharing my experiences and passion for the sorority.

Within SWE, I was the Internal Relations Chair my freshmen year and am the Director of Member Engagement this year. Both roles are related to member engagement, allowing me to promote friendship within engineering. Member engagement is important for creating a community among female engineers. Similar to my envoy position, my leadership within SWE has allowed me to share my love for Phi Rho.

Additionally, my volunteer experience with Engineering Ambassadors (EA), a STEM outreach group, has allowed me to promote STEM in the community. In EA, I give presentations on engineering, speak on panels, and lead hands-on activities for K-12 students. EA has taught me strategies to promote STEM to children and teenagers.

Because of Phi Sigma Rho, I have the confidence to inspire and encourage the next generation of female engineers. I hold the values of scholarship, friendship, and encouragement in the highest regard and strive to embody those in every leadership position and volunteer role. Through SWE, WEP, and EA, I have promoted Phi Sigma Rho, its values, and STEM as a whole in both my campus and community.

This is, in many ways, a scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship. The writer clearly highlights how they’ve engaged with Phi Sigma Rho and how their values align with those of the organization. The writer also provides specific examples of their leadership positions, skills, and accolades.

The next two of our scholarship essay examples about yourself are for the SHPE scholarship. Here they are:

SHPE Scholarship essay example #1

Essay prompt:.

Summarize your life experiences and any challenges that have impacted your path to higher education. (250 Words)

Essay Example:

I vividly remember the first day of First Grade because I didn’t know the Pledge of Allegiance like the rest of my classmates. Growing up in a Hispanic household, I had never learned what the pledge was. This was the beginning of several years of disconnect.

From receiving weird looks when I told classmates my family opened Christmas gifts at midnight, to my parents’ confusion when I didn’t want them to speak Spanish in public, both sides of my life never understood the other. As a result, I always felt out of place in school, like I was behind in some way because I didn’t share the same upbringing as my classmates. In contrast, academics felt like a level playing field, something we were all learning together in the same way.

While I couldn’t tell you who won the super bowl, I could do mathematics or read just as well, if not better, than my classmates. Socially, I always felt out of place, but academically I was always comfortable, and as a result, I tried to excel in that area of my life. That desire to succeed created the relentless work ethic I have today and the appreciation I have for education.

Despite the lack of emphasis from my parents on schoolwork, I developed this sense of responsibility and persistence to pursue an education. Although my family’s Hispanic culture made my life difficult when I was younger, it made me a more resilient person.

More scholarship essay examples

Shpe scholarship essay example #2.

Discuss your educational and career aspirations as well as your ability to complete and achieve these goals. (250 words)

Using a degree in engineering, I hope to work on improving sustainability and efficiency in the aerospace industry by creating cheaper, safer, and more environmentally-conscious options.

Recently, Pratt and Whitney designed an engine that is 16% more efficient and will release 3600 less metric tons per airplane per year. Excitingly, it also greatly reduces the noise footprint of an airplane. Innovations like these will allow the aerospace industry to evolve and improve while reducing negative environmental impact. I hope to work at the forefront of this innovation, pushing the boundaries of improved engine performance and efficiency.

Last semester, I started working in the Experimental and Computational Convection Laboratory on campus to learn more about turbines. Some current projects in the lab involve new turbine cooling techniques and additive manufactured heat exchangers. Throughout the course of my undergraduate career, I hope to learn more about the barriers facing improved engine and turbine efficiency. Following undergraduate, I plan to attend graduate school to gain a deeper knowledge of these topics. Following graduate school, I may go into industry working on turbines and jet engines. Due to beginning research early, I believe graduate school is an attainable educational goal.

The potential ability to make a difference in the environmental impact of the aerospace industry is exciting. To accomplish this, I know studying Mechanical Engineering will give me the skills necessary to fulfill my career goals.

Both of these scholarship essay examples use specific details to highlight the writer’s strengths, experiences, and accolades. In reading these winning scholarship essay examples, we get a sense of who the writer is both as a person and as a student.

Scholarship Essay Sample about “Why I deserve the scholarship”

Another scholarship essay prompt you may come across is “why I deserve this scholarship.” A good scholarship essay clearly highlights why you deserve to win the scholarship and provides evidence to support your argument.

Below, you’ll find scholarship essay samples about why I deserve the scholarship. You can use these as a guide to help you tackle your own scholarship essays.

Here’s the first of our scholarship essay examples, which was used for the Park Scholarship:

The Park Scholarship is an investment in the potential of young people. It prepares scholars to make lifelong contributions to communities, states, nations, and the world. Tell us a story that illustrates your potential to make these lifelong contributions. (What have you done that should compel us to invest in you?) (Max. 3,990 characters including spaces.)

Park scholarship essay example.

Coming from a Venezuelan family, I have always been able to connect with total strangers through Spanish. Whether I’m eating at a restaurant or volunteering, I am constantly stumbling upon other Spanish speakers. The ability to converse in their language allows me to bond with them in a way I couldn’t in English, something I do not take for granted.

Because of my experience, I believe that learning a foreign language is an incredibly important skill. Being able to speak in a second language allows a person to understand another community and reach out to people within that community. Additionally, speaking a second language assists in appreciating other cultures. This appreciation is important for fostering open-mindedness, something America as a whole struggles with today.

In my school district, foreign language classes are not offered until late middle school. Once in high school, many students drop the class. In addition, those who stay in the class often find that the classes provide little more than a basic understanding of the language and then become discouraged in their learning. On a larger scale, this issue affects America as a whole. Second language programs often come second in terms of funding and planning and are not encouraged as rigorously as other academic courses. As a result, many Americans are ignorant to the benefits of bilingualism and are unable to understand the viewpoint of those who are multilingual.

After my freshman year of high school, my frustration with my community’s lack of priority for second language learning culminated in my desire to take some sort of action to promote foreign language education. In my sophomore year, a classmate and I created and ran an introductory Spanish program, Spanish in the Spring, at my local library for young children in the district. I spent hours at home creating lesson plans, activities, themes, and advertisements for the program. I placed heavy emphasis on cultural aspects and the importance of the Spanish language in America and the world as a whole.

My purpose for this program was to introduce children at a young age to learning a foreign language, so their desire to learn would continue throughout their life. Through the program, I was also able to share my belief of the importance of learning a second language with the children, as well as their parents. After the final day of the program, I was thrilled when one parent mentioned their desire to learn a foreign language program themself. I felt that if I made an impact on one person or family, the entire program was worthwhile.

Unfortunately, this past spring I was unable to continue the Spanish in the Spring program due to library scheduling restraints. However, I hopefully plan to offer the program again this spring with some changes that will improve and expand the experience. One of these changes will include the immersion of parents into the experience to encourage foreign language education as a family activity.

While this program was only offered once, the impact was immeasurable, for the children, for the cause of foreign language education, and for me.

This is another scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship. In it, the writer clearly and directly answers the prompt—that is, they highlight their potential to make a lifelong impact on members of their community.

Ready for another scholarship essay example? Here’s the next one:

How will a ScholarSHPE impact your life and education? (200 Words)

Shpe scholarship essay example.

Receiving a ScholarSHPE will give me the gift of time and opportunities. My parents are unable to support me financially throughout college due to large amounts of accrued debt. A ScholarSHPE will reduce my financial stress and allow me to improve my overall health as a result. It will also prevent the need to work several hours a week at a part-time job to pay for tuition, books, and living expenses, which will limit what I can do academically and outside of class. A ScholarSHPE will allow me to spend more time on research pursuits, engineering extracurriculars, volunteer work, and school work, instead of long hours at a part-time job.

This essay sample is fairly straightforward. In it, the writer follows a clear scholarship essay format, explicitly answering the prompt.

UC Berkeley Scholarships essay examples

Let’s look at some school-specific merit scholarship essay examples.

At the University of California – Berkeley , students can apply for a variety of merit scholarships. These scholarships can help offset the cost of UC Berkeley tuition.

Below, we’ve included various scholarship essay examples for the UC Berkeley scholarships. These UC Berkeley scholarships can help students cover their college tuition costs. This can make the UC Berkeley tuition less of a barrier for students hoping to attend.

You’ll find a variety of UC Berkeley scholarships that can help you afford UC Berkeley tuition. Available UC Berkeley scholarships include:

Berkeley Undergraduate Scholarship
Fiat Lux Scholarship
Middle Class Scholarship
Regents’ and Chancellor’s Scholarship

These are just a few ways to cover the cost of UC Berkeley tuition. UC Berkeley students also receive more than $10 million per year in outside scholarships to cover college tuition costs. If you are interested in exploring non-UC Berkeley scholarships, check out this list of outside scholarship resources .

To help you get started, check out our winning UC Berkeley scholarship essay examples. The authors of these scholarship essay examples about financial need all won money to help cover their UC Berkeley tuition.

UC Berkeley scholarship essay examples

I am grateful to realize how fortunate I am today. All the loved ones around me and their acts of kindness have given me such a great life. I also realize the sacrifices that those around me have had to give up in order for me to succeed. It is because of this that I have realized what “paying it forward” truly means. I have been given the opportunity to make an impact in my community and I have fully taken advantage of this opportunity. I have been a volunteer for the Buddyball Sports Organization, which is a non-profit sports organization dedicated to providing the opportunity for children with developmental disabilities to play sports.

Growing up, watching and playing sports has been one of my greatest pleasures of life, so teaching these less fortunate kids has been something I have enjoyed doing every single weekend. On top of this, I am also both a volunteer at the South Orangetown Ambulance Corps and the Nyack Hospital. With the desire to pursue a career in the medical field, volunteering at these places has given me a great idea of what my career could look like in the near future. While all of these volunteer activities have had a significant impact on me, little did I know that this summer would truly make a lasting difference in my life.

This past summer, my family decided to go on a vacation to India to visit my relatives. This was the first time in my life that I was going to India and this was only because my grandmother came down with Parkinson’s disease and was extremely sick. Little did I know at that time that my visit to India would be a life-changing experience. Never could have I imagined such a filthy village. Everywhere I looked, there was garbage and to make matters worse, no one seemed to do anything to try to ameliorate the repugnant image of my home country.

While I realized on my flight home that I was not going to be able to make a difference and help my community back in India, there was nothing stopping me from doing so right here in Rockland County, New York. When I was told that I would have the opportunity to help organize and direct “Make a Difference Rockland,” I joyfully accepted! Make a Difference Rockland is a free public meet and greet for all local non-profits and other government agencies in an attempt to promote different community service opportunities within the public. By gathering all the local non-profit organizations and giving them a chance to present themselves, people learn more about all of the local community service opportunities that are available to them. This way, the community will be able to recruit volunteers and will not have to suffer through calamitous conditions.

As one of the people in charge of organizing, it was my responsibility to adequately contact, invite and help prepare for hundreds of people. Once I gathered their contact information, I had to ask each one of these places if they would be interested in joining the fair. If interested, I had to also prepare a table for them to present themselves at the fair. The feeling of bringing all of these community service groups together brought me a feeling of happiness that I will never forget.

The best scholarship essays will teach the reader about who the writer is, what they care about, and why they deserve a scholarship. The essay above does just that—it highlights the writer’s background and describes how they give back to their community.

Next, let’s dig into a few more scholarship essay examples.

If you’re interested in more descriptive essay examples, keep reading.

Reading a ton of winning scholarship essay examples is a great way to pick up on what makes them winners. Over time, you’ll start to notice how the details, tone, and flow all work together to tell a story.

Below, you’ll find a few more scholarship essay examples. Our first one is from the NC Parks Scholarship. Here’s the prompt:

What do you do to serve your community? Why do you do the service that you do? What impact have you made? What challenges or insights have your service contributions given you? (Max. 3,990 characters including spaces.)

Community-focused scholarship essay example #1.

“What are the boys like in high school?” “Is it easy to get a boyfriend?” Sighing, the other frustrated leaders and I look at each other as we read the questions posed by the younger girls. Every year at Girls’ Night Out (GNO), a program that introduces and prepares eighth-grade girls for high school, the girls question the leaders about relationships and dating ad nauseum, irritating other leaders to the point of ignoring the questions.

Giving each question a careful and deliberate answer is often difficult, but instead of disregarding the issue, I try to offer my most sincere and honest advice. Originally, when I began as a group leader in the program I would give the same response, “You shouldn’t worry about boys. Instead, enjoy your friends, and do things you enjoy.” While that advice is true, it is often not the answer that will satisfy the girls. Through many years in the program, I have learned that advice is not “one size fits all”; it must be individualized to the person’s needs. Now, when faced with a question about dating, I respond with more questions before giving “words of wisdom”.

Many times I am able to understand the perspective of the middle school student, allowing me to give advice accordingly. Supplying proper advice about sensitive topics is one of the most impactful parts of GNO. As a role model and positive influence for the girls, I largely impact their ideas and perception of the environment when entering high school. In addition to teaching the students valuable lessons, volunteering at GNO has taught me that various perspectives may present themselves identically. To better understand those around me, it is important that I look beyond the surface for the other person’s viewpoint.

Beyond understanding other viewpoints from GNO, I have learned from other service that understanding a person’s situation is essential for providing exceptional assistance. Through Key Club, I volunteer many times a year at the local food pantry. As a volunteer, I help the recipients “shop” at the small grocery store using a point system. The process takes up a lot of time because shoppers do not always know what they want. Originally I thought this was a poor design. I believed it would be much more efficient to just hand out the food rather than giving out points and shopping with the food pantry recipients.

Upon expressing my opinion to one of the adult food pantry staff, he explained to me that the grocery store aspect of the store taught the recipients life skills. Additionally, by giving them autonomy over what food they “bought”, they retained a sort of independence, an important skill to have if they find themselves above the income level required to use the food pantry.

The next time I volunteered I took note of the skills presented. Budgeting of points, deciding whether or not they needed something, determining the quality of the fruit, and decision-making of choosing extra food or toiletries, were all skills that those above the poverty line have ingrained. For those who have been using food pantries and other assistance for prolonged periods of time, these skills are not so natural. As a result, teaching the people means after they no longer need the services of the food pantry, they have valuable skills necessary for their independence.

From this experience, I learned an important lesson: helping people is not just giving them what they need at the moment, but understanding what they will need in the future and providing that as well. After realizing this, I emphasize the abilities that the food pantry teaches whenever I dedicate my time. By doing that, I am positively affecting the development of those skills.

When reflecting on the various ways I have served my community, one thing stands out to me: I always understand another viewpoint or gain a new perspective afterwards. For me, the ability to look at something from different angles is an unparalleled talent, and one of the most important skills a person can have.

Describe your volunteer or community experience with SHPE or other organizations and any internships you have held. (250 Words)

Community-focused scholarship essay example #2.

In SHPE, I have been involved in planning the Penn State College of Engineering STEP-UP (Student Transition Engineering Program at University Park) Program as a chair. The STEP-UP program helps students from Penn State branch campuses smoothly transition to the University Park campus through a 3-day program in the spring. The program introduces them to engineering resources, other engineering students, and provides professional development. Due to COVID-19, this year it was held virtually.

Within the Society of Women Engineers and the Women in Engineering Program, I have volunteered at different STEM events in the community for elementary school students. I am also currently serving as an Envoy (a mentorship and logistical position) for the Women in Engineering Program Orientation. Additionally, I participate in many of SWE’s service events, such as donating and collecting donations, cleaning up areas on and around campus, and visiting nursing homes.

On campus, I am also involved with Engineering Ambassadors (EA), a group that does STEM outreach around Pennsylvania from the elementary school to high school level. EA goes virtually or in person to schools, does engineering presentations and activities, and answers questions.

Prior to COVID-19, I had secured an internship with Pratt and Whitney, however, they had to cancel their internship program. As a result, I was fortunate enough to obtain a Process Quality Engineering internship at Brentwood Industries for summer 2020.

Both of these scholarship essay examples highlight how the writers have given back to their communities. These winning scholarship essay examples highlight the writers’ strengths. In doing so, they highlight why these writers deserve help with college tuition costs.

Reflecting on scholarship essay format

As important as the content of your essay is, your scholarship essay format is equally important. As you write, be sure to adhere to the scholarship essay format guidelines provided to you.

However, there are some things all of the best scholarship essays have in common. Here are some general tips, tricks, and outlines to help you in your own writing process.

Three scholarship essay writing tips:

Word counts are hard to adhere to, but the other applicants must adhere to them, too. Make sure every word counts.
When you write a solid essay, you can repurpose some of your key points, including specific anecdotes and details, in other scholarship applications.
Writing a good essay helps you solidify who you are and what you want. This sets you up for success in the scholarship application process and beyond.

Three essential elements to include in your essay:

State your goals. Scholarship committees are investing in your future and your potential. To take a chance on you, they need to know your plan and what you want to do with your award.
Establish an implicit or explicit link between your goals and the scholarship you are applying for. Describe to the committee how the specific scholarship will help you attain your goals. Give them a tangible reason as to why you deserve their investment.
Share your story. Use personal details about your experiences that highlight your identity and objectives. How have you pursued your goals and prepared for your future? How will the scholarship help you going forward? Get personal and be honest.

Storytelling in your essay

Some of the best scholarship essays utilize good storytelling strategies. You should share the details of your personal story in a narrative, using a logical order. Remember, telling personal details about yourself and your goals does not mean simply restating your resume!

By the end of the essay, the scholarship committee should have an in-depth sense of why you applied. You should reveal:

When and how you arrived at your future goals
Your motivations to accomplish these objectives
What traits or skills you have developed along the way
The meaningful experiences that drive you to your goals
Any personal challenges you have faced and how you have overcome them
What has shaped you and your worldview

These details humanize you and show your complexity as a person and an applicant. It’s helpful to use anecdotes and personal experiences to give life to facts and details about yourself. Sharing real-life experiences will help make your essay more interesting and more fun to read.

Creating your scholarship essay format

Once you have thought about what you want to say, start thinking about your scholarship essay format. You may start by making a list of what your reader may be interested in:

How you spend your time
Your accomplishments
What your passions are, etc.

Start by brainstorming everything you may want to include in your essay. Then, think about whether the stories you include support your arguments. Ask yourself, “What did I learn?” or “How did this get me closer to my goals?”. These reflections help the reader connect to your purpose for writing.

Make sure to organize your thoughts in a narrative order. However, there isn’t just one way to write an essay. So, don’t limit yourself to one version of your story. You may find yourself writing multiple drafts before you get to your final scholarship essay format.

Editing and proofreading your essay

When you think you have finished, be sure to proofread and edit to ensure it’s ready to be submitted. Check that you’ve adhered to all the scholarship essay format guidelines (like the word count).

Reviewing also includes getting input from others! An outside reader’s opinion can help you confirm your essay effectively communicates your ideas.

Tips for scholarship essays

You may notice some similarities between the scholarship essay examples about yourself we’ve provided. That’s because the authors of the best scholarship essays all use similar strategies to make their essays great.

Here are 5 tips from U.S. News to help you make all of your scholarship essays stand out:

Tips for writing stand-out scholarship essays

1. get personal and be specific.

The best scholarship essays will share an authentic story with impactful details. The key is to be yourself and not shy away from personal details. The more the committee gets to know about you, the more likely they are to invest in your future. You want your essay to offer a genuine, in-depth look into who you are as a person.

2. Tell a story

Your essay should be more than a collection of facts—it should tell a story. That means having a solid introduction that grabs the reader’s attention from the very start. Then, you should include a logical flow of experiences or details. By the end of your essay, you want your reader to have learned something valuable about you.

3. Tailor the scholarship essay to the prompt

Some of your scholarship essay prompts may be similar across different scholarship applications. However, it’s important that your essay is specific to each prompt and answers the question entirely. While you can repurpose an essay you’ve already written as inspiration or a starting point, be extra attentive when doing so.

4. Don’t tailor yourself to the reader

Many students fall into the trap of telling a story they think scholarship foundation committees want to hear. Instead, stay true to yourself as you craft your scholarship application essays. Don’t tell your reader what you think they want to hear—just tell them who you are.

5. Follow directions

This final tip may arguably be the most important. Above all else, students should follow instructions. This means adhering to the scholarship essay format guidelines and word count. It also means answering the essay prompt in its entirety. Application readers can be easily frustrated by a student’s failure to follow directions. This could reflect poorly on you and your essay in the long run.

Use these tips to guide you as you approach the scholarship essay format.

Scholarship Essay Examples – Final Thoughts

We hope our roundup of scholarship essay examples has shown you how to approach your scholarship applications. With rising college costs, scholarships should be a part of your college financial planning process. Take the time to do your own scholarship search based on your specific interests. You can find plenty of scholarships to apply to on scholarships websites and college financial aid pages. There are many different scholarships websites to help you with your search.

Save this guide

Feel free to save this guide and review our scholarship essay examples about yourself and about financial need. You can always look back on our scholarship essay sample about why I deserve the scholarship when writing your own essay.

Start with an outline that organizes your thoughts. Then, make sure your essay is clear and concise. Be original and honest, and include personal details and anecdotes when appropriate. State why you deserve to win the scholarship. Then, support your claim in a way that makes a scholarship committee invested in your future.

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Our reviews and recommendations are based on extensive research, testing, and feedback. We may receive commission from links on our website, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our marketing partners don’t review, approve or endorse our editorial content. It’s accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted. You can find a complete list of our partners here .

Top 146 Leadership Scholarships in August 2024

Lisa Freedland is a Scholarships360 writer with personal experience in psychological research and content writing. She has written content for an online fact-checking organization and has conducted research at the University of Southern California as well as the University of California, Irvine. Lisa graduated from the University of Southern California in Fall 2021 with a degree in Psychology.

Learn about our editorial policies

Involvement in your community, both at school and more broadly, looks great to colleges. This is especially true if you’ve performed any leadership role – colleges want people who are passionate about making a change. If you fit this description (at all – “leadership” is broader than you think!), keep on reading to learn about how you can fund your college journey with leadership scholarships!.

Why choose Scholarships360

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The Scholarships360 Research Team reviews all scholarships individually and strives to exclude any scholarship where any of the below applies:

The scholarship requires a fee to apply
The scholarship provider’s privacy policy allows for the misuse of student data
The scholarship requires paid membership in an organization (with certain exceptions for reputable trade organizations and others)
Student are required to sign up for a site or service to apply*
The scholarship seems primarily used for lead generation** or idea harvesting purposes***
The scholarship website has many grammatical errors and/or advertisements
The scholarship or scholarship providing organization seem untrustworthy
There is no evidence the scholarship was previously awarded
The scholarship has not been awarded in the past 12 months
There is no available contact information

If you believe a scholarship has been published in error, please reach out to [email protected] and we’ll take a look!

* There are certain exceptions to this, for example if the sponsoring organization is a major corporation or nonprofit with its own scholarship application system. ** Lead generation scholarships will require students to sign up for an app or website and require minimal (if any) application requirements. ***Idea harvesting scholarships will require students to submit blog posts or other materials that companies may use for marketing purposes.

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The NSHSS Diversity Scholarship is for high school NSHSS (National Society of High School Scholars) members who have demonstrated a commitment to expanding diversity and inclusion initiatives in their school, community, or workplace. Each year, five such students who promote the importance of diversity and inclusion within their local communities will be awarded $2,000 each to go toward their post-secondary education. In addition to the application materials listed below, applicants may choose to submit pictures, videos, or media showing their leadership in action (optional). If you're a high school sophomore, junior, or senior committed to diversity and inclusion, we encourage you to apply! Keep on reading to learn more. Show Less

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Jump ahead to:

How to win leadership scholarships

Resources for students studying leadership, frequently asked questions about leadership scholarships, other scholarship categories to explore.

As with any type of scholarship, it’s important to put your best foot forward when writing an essay for a leadership scholarship. This is your chance to show scholarship committees what you bring to the table. You should write about your past leadership experiences, what being a leader means to you, and how you plan to evolve as a leader moving forward. And remember to let your personality shine through! Scholarship committees review huge amounts of applications, so it’s important to write something that stands out.

Fortunately, we have a multitude of resources designed to help you do just that! These include guides on how to write a winning essay , how to write an essay about yourself , and how to start an essay and how to end an essay . Essays are one of the most important parts of your scholarship application, so give them the time and attention they deserve!

For more advice on winning scholarships, check out our ultimate guide to finding and winning scholarships . And don’t forget about local scholarships, either. These scholarships are less competitive, which means they’re easier to win! Our guide on how to win local scholarships will get you started in the right direction.

As a young student leader, it’s important to find ways to develop your leadership skills. Here are a few resources worth checking out if you’re interested in becoming a better leader:

Leadership style assessments

Understanding your personal leadership style is the first step to becoming a better leader. Check out the following quizzes to discover your own style:

USC’s Interactive Leadership Style Assessment
Leadership Assessment Questionnaire by Optimal Thinking
How good are your leadership skills?

The following TED Talks offer some great insights on how to become a better leader:

Simon Sinek, How great leaders inspire action
Brené Brown, The power of vulnerability
Julian Treasure, How to speak so that people want to listen
Susan Cain, The power of introverts
Roselinde Torres, What it takes to be a great leader

How do you show leadership for scholarships?

Leadership can show many forms. It could be seen in involvement in your community through service, or leadership positions in school clubs or extracurriculars. Even independent projects which show initiative and innovation can count as leadership. Each leadership scholarship has its own definition of the term. However, it is never a bad bet to find some organizations and take on some responsibility at them.

What is the Chick-fil-A Leadership Scholarship?

Chick-fil-A offers a leadership scholarship to its team members that amounts to $2,500 per year over a maximum of four years. That means that as long as its recipients continue to work at Chick-fil-A, they can earn up to $10,000 in scholarship money. They require that recipients maintain a 2.5 GPA and participate in community service.

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Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Money

Scholarships & Financial Aid Student Success

Updated on December 22nd, 2023

Scholarship application essays often carry a TON of weight when deciding who will receive the most scholarship money, but it’s not always easy to stand out in the crowd of applications. Even if your student fits the scholarship criteria exactly , they’re still likely to be one of a number of applicants with similar grades, accomplishments, community involvements, and aspirations.

That’s where an excellent scholarship application and scholarship essay format becomes a necessity and the key to winning the money. The scholarship essay provides the scholarship committee an opportunity to learn more about the individual behind the application and gives them a much more detailed look at your student’s school and home life. Additionally, the essay is your child’s greatest chance to shine and make their case for why they should be awarded the scholarship.

So, what do you need in order to write a great essay and maximize your chances of winning?! Check out these scholarship essay examples from scholarship winners that won money!

If you and your student are working on the scholarship process, make sure you don’t miss our free scholarship training. I cover exactly where you can find more scholarships your student is actually eligible for and are legitimate . Grab your spot here: 6 Steps to Quickly Securing Scholarships for College .

1.1 Learn About Different Essay Prompts
1.2 Understand What’s Considered Unique and Compelling
1.3 Explore Different Styles to Find Your Voice
1.4 See What Resonated with the Scholarship Committee
2.1 Winner #1: Special Attribute or Accomplishment Essay
2.2 Winner #2: Plan beyond college essay
2.3 Winner #3: Special Attribute or Accomplishment Essay
2.4 Winner #4: Plan beyond college essay
2.5 Winner #5: Special Attribute or Accomplishment Essay
2.6 Winner #6: Plan beyond college essay
3.1 Example 1:
3.2 Example 2:
4 How to Use Scholarship Essay Examples to Win Scholarships

Why Reviewing Scholarship Essay Examples Is Time Well Spent

Many students may wonder whether reviewing scholarship examples that won money is worth doing. After all, scholarship essays should tell a personal story, so anything covered by another student might not relate to your student at all.

However, there are several benefits to checking out scholarship essay examples. Here’s a look at why reading them is time well spent.

Learn About Different Essay Prompts

Every winning scholarship essay is based on a specific essay prompt. While many organizations use similar prompts, a scholarship provider can ask students unique questions, too.

When students explore example scholarship essays, they usually learn about the prompt that inspired them. That can help your college or high school student find out more about what a scholarship committee may present as a prompt before they begin their scholarship journey. Then, they can consider how they’d respond to each of the given questions, leaving them better prepared for the road that lies ahead.

Essentially, checking out the essays and prompts encourages them to reflect on their lives to identify moments that can become the basis for their essays. It could even inspire them to write practice essays based on the prompts they discover, allowing them to familiarize themselves with the scholarship essay format and writing process.

Plus, practice essays are opportunities to get feedback from parents, teachers, or friends before they begin the process of pursuing this type of financial aid. As a bonus, if a particular practice essay is incredibly strong, they can always save it for future use in case a scholarship provider presents that prompt, allowing them to have a functional head start.

Understand What’s Considered Unique and Compelling

The most widely given advice to students who are preparing to write scholarship essays is to make sure what they’re sharing is unique and compelling. But what exactly does that entail? In many cases, the guidance feels very ambiguous or vague, particularly to students who may not know whether various aspects of their lives may stand out.

When reviewing examples of scholarship essays that won money, students see precisely what a scholarship committee deemed unique and compelling enough to win the award. That may help students determine whether a particular community service experience, personal statement, education abroad experience, or other aspect of their lives is intriguing enough to separate them from the pack.

It also gives students insights into their competition. By seeing what a scholarship provider selected as a winning essay, students can understand what other students may present to the scholarship committee. Then, they can figure out how to ensure what they write goes above and beyond what most students submit, increasing their odds of landing scholarships that will help them achieve their educational and career goals.

Explore Different Styles to Find Your Voice

While scholarship essays typically use a particular format, students need to use the right voice when telling their stories. Since many students don’t spend much time writing about their lives, figuring out how to share information in a way that aligns with their personality (but also meets scholarship committee expectations) isn’t always easy.

Fortunately, reviewing scholarship essay examples that won money can make the process easier. It’s a chance to explore how other students express themselves in writing, and that often leads to powerful insights.

Additionally, checking out several essays shows that a wide variety of approaches are effective. In many cases, that can make the process of finding their voice less intimidating to students, as it demonstrates that students have far more flexibility in how they present themselves than they may expect.

See What Resonated with the Scholarship Committee

Often, a scholarship provider has specific values and perspectives that guide the actions and decisions of the scholarship committee. As a result, what resonates with one may not connect as well with another.

While students can learn a bit about an organization’s values and perspective by doing some research, that may not give them a comprehensive picture of what the scholarship committee is hoping to see. But if students can find scholarship essay examples that won money from a specific scholarship provider, they can learn how to connect with that particular scholarship committee.

When reviewing the essays, they’ll see what types of stories, formats, and tones caught the eyes of committee members, and they can use that to shape how they approach writing their own essays. In some cases, that could allow students to increase their odds of landing the award, making the time spent reviewing the submissions worthwhile.

Click here to grab a copy of these examples

The Scholarship System Winning Scholarship Essay Examples

Prompts for our scholarship essay:

Discuss a special attribute, experience or accomplishment that sets you apart. How do you think that will help you succeed in college? (500 – 750 words) (Hint: we ask for ONE attribute, experience or accomplishment so please choose only ONE to talk about.)
Discuss your plan beyond college. Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Please include what you majoring in and how you plan on using that in your career. (250 words maximum)

Winner #1: Special Attribute or Accomplishment Essay

“Two and a half years ago if I had been asked if I wanted to be a part of the HOSA organization I honestly would not have had a clue what that meant or where to begin! I did know that I wanted to pursue a career in the health field and was guided to Tolles Career & Technical Center where I was accepted into the Pre-Vet two year program. At the start of my Junior year I was introduced to HOSA, an organization for Future Health Professionals. The mission of HOSA is “to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience”. I became a member immediately and participated locally in many of the community events and service projects. I also competed in the Ohio HOSA competition for medical innovation and advanced to the local, regional and state level.

I then decided to run for one of the seven Distinguished Representative positions for all of Ohio. This was an intense process! I was required to first take a test over HOSA rules, regulations, and guidelines. I was then asked to set goals for the organization and give a speech regarding my goal ideas in front of several hundred people, the current state delegates and officer team. The final step was a vote by the current state delegates and officer team. I was successfully elected as Historian and my HOSA experience was in full swing.

My first HOSA conference as the Historian was the International Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida in June 2017. Over 2,500 students came together to learn from five outstanding healthcare professionals. Topics included exploring healthcare careers, changes in healthcare, and medical innovations needed in the industry. I had the opportunity to have an active role in facilitating and participating in workshops and meetings for HOSA members. The goal of these workshops and meetings was to develop practical leadership skills, effective communication skills with people of all ages, and to understand the importance of encouraging individual and group achievements. Exceptional qualities that I plan on using in my career.

In September 2017 I participated in the HOSA Washington Leadership Conference where 400 officers from all the states learned strategies to improve our leadership skills. These interactive workshops included topics on self-motivation, problem-solving skills, managing others, and professionalism. I collaborated with representatives from many different states in preparation for our meeting with our political leaders both from the House of Representatives and the Senate to discuss with them the value of Career & Technical Education. We explored and presented evidence regarding the importance of funding for these types of educational opportunities. Upon completion of this conference I reported back to the local Board of Education sharing my experiences and the success of our meetings. Both of these conferences taught me what it takes to be successful in healthcare.

writing about your own life and career goals

As my tenure was coming to a close, I organized meetings with the local students who were planning to run for local and state officer positions. I met with them in groups and individually to help prepare them for the interview process, and to emphasize the importance of maintaining the high standard of leadership in the global health community, if elected. In May 2018 the Ohio HOSA State Leadership Conference was held in Columbus, Ohio. I had an integral role in interviewing, selecting, and presenting the new Ohio State Officers to over 1500 students and advisors from around the state.

In conclusion, my HOSA experience helped provide me with improvements in leadership, communication, and team work skills. As I move onto college each of these skills will help me in defining my goals, establishing lasting friendships and relationships, and working with others for common goals for the betterment of our local, state, and national health communities. I am confident that all of these qualities that I have learned and practiced through HOSA will contribute to my success in every aspect of my future!”

Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Money

Winner #2: Plan beyond college essay

“The day was May 28, 2014. My doctor told my parents that I would need Spinal Fusion Surgery with rods and screws, and it had to happen quickly. Before surgery, the doctor suggested strength training for the muscles in my back so that I’d recover faster. I immediately went to the local gym and began working with a personal trainer, Justin. I learned so much from him including how the body works and how surgery takes time to heal. After surgery, I knew that I wanted to use my experience to help others, just like Justin helped me. My ultimate goal is to own my own gym to help others, just like Justin helped me. I will also include a nutritional supplement line to make sure clients are fit inside and out. I know I will successfully reach my goals!

I will be pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Science with a Minor in Business. These areas of study will give me the knowledge and background to achieve my ultimate goal. In association with this area of study, I will also be taking an entrepreneurial class and participating in entrepreneurial study group. This will help me in understanding the energy, perseverance, financial commitment, and planning needed to open my own business.

Upon graduation in 4 years, I plan on getting a job in a field associated with my goals, continuing to learn about the field, investing and saving to achieve my dream of having my own gym.”

If you and your student are working on the scholarship process, make sure you don’t miss our free scholarship training. It’s about 45 to 60 minutes long and I cover exactly where you can find more scholarships your student is actually eligible for and are legitimate. Grab your spot here: 6 Steps to Quickly Securing Scholarships for College.

Winner #3: Special Attribute or Accomplishment Essay

“I wake up to the sounds of chickadees singing outside my bedroom window and the delicious smell of breakfast cooking downstairs. A feeling of contentment washes over me as I slip out of bed and into my slippers. I saunter downstairs and sit at the kitchen bar as I rub the sleepy dirt from my eyes and wait to taste my mom’s delicious cooking. I love my laid back mornings. No alarms are jolting me out of a deep sleep followed by a mad rush to get ready and catch a bus like the other children in the neighborhood.

From the time I entered kindergarten until my eighth-grade year, I had the privilege of being homeschooled. It was during these formative years that I developed a love of reading and learning. My siblings and I used a literature-based curriculum which made history and other subjects come alive. My favorite part of the school day was our read-aloud books. My mom would sit on the couch, and the four of us would gather around her to see the pictures and hear the stories and then discuss the adventures we just went on. It was so enjoyable that it hardly seemed like school and we would beg for more. The schooled kids I would talk with were all jealous and wished they could be taught at home, too.

life experiences while being home schooled

I was a late reader and had difficulties with spelling, but I didn’t realize that as my mom let me progress at my own pace and never compared me to others. I had plenty of opportunities to be a child and learn through play during the early years and to explore and follow my interests, which often centered around horses and animals. The freedom to pursue my interests is how my passion for architectural design also began as I got a little older. In the early years, my mom would dictate for me and allow me to answer questions orally while my written expression and spelling developed. My mom was a firm believer in “better late than never,” when it came to reading and learning. This method worked well for me. I learned much later that I had dyslexia, and I believe if I had started off in public school I would have been frustrated and realized I was struggling more than the other children. My love for learning very well may have been hampered.

The joy of reading and learning is just the tip of the iceberg of how I benefited from being taught at home. I got to grow up surrounded by my family, interacting with them, working as a team, and calling my siblings my best friends. I developed valuable life skills as a result of doing life together. I learned to cook, do laundry, watch younger siblings, plant a garden, clean, and I learned a lot about good health. I learned responsibility, time management, and how to work independently. I became self-motivated and took an interest in my learning.

Homeschooling laid a firm foundation; my values are firmly rooted. My work ethics are strong. I can stand on my own two feet and function independently. I have the skills to manage both my education and my personal life outside of my home. I have the skills necessary to be a successful college student and to pursue a higher level of learning. I give much of this credit to the experience I received as a homeschooled student early on in my formative years.”

Winner #4: Plan beyond college essay

“In five years I will have a four-year degree in Industrial & Innovative Design and a year of work experience under my belt with a design firm. My degree will provide me with the skills, tools, and technology necessary to digitally design. Communication and interpersonal skills will also be part of my educational foundation as interaction with clients will be an essential part of my job. There are several avenues I could pursue with my degree, but my passion lies in residential architectural design. I will be working in a position where I will be talking to clients, drawing out their dreams in a house, designing it, watching it come to life before my eyes, and seeing them move in, making that space their own. As I gain knowledge and expertise, I envision myself volunteering for an organization like Habitats for Humanity which provide housing for those in need of a place to call home.”

Winner #5: Special Attribute or Accomplishment Essay

“I never felt so out of place before.

The battlefield was a scrap-littered felt carpet, white fold-up chairs graffitied by permanent marker and frozen yogurt bowls full of worn-down pencils. Ahead, lied the lone boys’ art class at my church. I was the lone volunteer, deploying only two open ears as a weapon, and had to coax their participation in the annual Christmas craft bonanza that they dreaded for weeks. My first and most impactful lesson in teaching had begun.

The class quickly degenerated into anarchy. I spent the first twenty minutes watching as elbows sent pencils overboard and handmade tattoos crawled up arms. With chaos mounting, I was paralyzed by the inability to speak. I forced myself to listen, as their conversations progressed to artistic ideas: Spiderman ornaments, Batman Christmas cards, ninja star origami. I expected a stir of artistic energy as their art took shape, but all I heard was the crinkling of paper and scattering of markers as ideas never became reality.

Then, it clicked. I could fulfill my duty as a teacher by cultivating the artistic visions I heard. I didn’t need to employ bubbly enthusiasm or commanding words. Rather, I could listen, and use my observation to empower their artistic expression. Slowly, I worked to tailor to each fantasy-infused idea, with Pinterest, bubble cuts, and mounds of tape to aid me. As class ended with an assortment of festive superhero projects, I saw a glimpse of the impact that I could make by responding to my observations.

Now, I cherish the chance to act based on what I hear. Through teaching at Kumon and church and leading volunteer organizations, I’ve worked to develop and implement my style of listening to benefit others. Listening is a skill that I feel is often under appreciated in leadership. People usually flock to the figure in the center of the room, not the person on the side listening. But from my experience, it’s clear that I can guide others by harnessing my observations to benefit the inspirations and passions of those around me. My college plans are only avenues to further explore this ideology, as I’ll have the unique perspectives of thousands of other students, and professors to listen to.

While in college, I hope to impact my own learning experience and that of the student body around me by taking an active listening approach. Rather than sink back to my high school mindset that purely focused on soaking in knowledge and regurgitating it for grades, I plan to adopt a posture of employing my listening abilities to curate and act upon a stronger understanding of the lives and perspectives of my campus. Whether it be reciprocating the advice I receive in my summer transition program to my future roommates or finding campus opportunities best fit for my classmates while in conversation with upperclassmen, I believe that I will be able to positively impact both my own individual growth and the intellectual development of others by harnessing my observations and parlaying them into new opportunities, connections, and insights for others.

At a large school, I will be able to work alongside a student body with a swath of complex and fresh career plans, and it is through my observations and subsequent response that I hope to help others move further along their path to reaching their ideals while pursuing my own career in medicine. In doing so, I am confident that I will be able to forge the deep, lasting bonds that I consider critical for personal development all while building up skills in observation and interaction- traits that I consider integral to a successful medicinal career.

Whether it’s in a lecture hall or while stepping foot into my first Christian club meeting, I’ll be surrounded by a myriad of unique voices, experiences, and insights. I can hear it now, and I can’t wait to listen.”

Winner #6: Plan beyond college essay

“Having worked in children’s education for years, I’m enthralled by child psychology. From shaping my Kumon students’ work ethic through positive reinforcement to employing associative learning to help my church students anchor their understanding of scripture, I have become experienced in using my knowledge of psychological concepts to help children manifest their cognitive and social abilities. Based on my experience working and bonding with youth, I want to be able to integrate psychological concepts into my future work as a pediatrician to develop supportive and insightful relationships with my patients.

As a psychobiology major, I hope to continue building a strong, fundamental understanding of the mental aspects of human well-being to complement with a growing knowledge of the physical aspects involved in bodily development. While learning, I plan to integrate and enhance an expanding grasp of psychological concepts within my volunteer and extracurricular activities, as I find new organizations and clubs that allow me to teach children and gain further insight into how psychological ideas can impact the health of a child.

Following this experience, I plan to attend medical school, where I will be able to harness my undergraduate education to explore medical concepts in depth while also receiving more hands-on experience shadowing and observing the work of current and future physicians.

Ultimately, I plan to discover a career path that fits both my strong interest in the underlying mental and physical factors that shape child development and translate my knowledge into becoming a dependable and caring pediatrician.”

Additional Winning Scholarship Essay Examples That Won:

Essay Prompt: Submit an essay (750-1,000 words) on the following topic:

Tell us about that time you did something extraordinary with money.
What did you accomplish and why?
How did that experience shape you as a person?
What did you learn?
What can you share with others so they can also learn from your story?

Standing outside in the rain shuffling through the wet mail is about as riveting as it sounds. I was going through a handful of car dealership coupons and bills when I saw an envelope at the bottom of the stack addressed to me—something that doesn’t happen often when you’re twelve. Inside was an $800 check for a radio show I worked on called “Adventures in Odyssey.” That day was my first taste of money, and I felt like a millionaire. Then I asked my mom how much our house cost because I was curious, and the numbers that came out of her mouth were more than middle school me could have imagined. Suddenly $800 didn’t seem like so much. My mind immediately went to the fact that one day I would have to pay my own rent, electricity bill, and buy my own groceries, not to mention pay for college, which I had already heard about from my friends’ parents and older siblings. I knew I had to think up a way to start earning and saving money as soon as possible, and the idea of starting my own business was one that stuck.

I’ve been drawing and painting since I was three or four, and the most popular request I got when I took my sketchbook out in school was, “Could you draw me?” It occurred to me that it was the perfect way to start my own business selling my art, and since I was my own boss, I could work whenever I had the time from the comfort of my own home. Eventually, word got out at my middle school that I was selling drawings and people I didn’t even know began to reach out to me to buy them. I ended up making well over a hundred dollars in my first two weeks.

At one point, people started asking me if I could sell a piece to a friend of theirs who didn’t go to our school. The drawings and money changing hands made it difficult because both had to go through someone else to reach me, and the person who ordered the art. I started to think about how I could start selling my art to people outside my school in an easier way, and the perfect platform dropped into the palm of my hand when I discovered Tumblr. It was a social media platform like Facebook or Twitter, but it was dominated by people who were around my age at the time. I found dozens of art blogs that said that they sold their art through online commissions, and everything seemed to click. I created a blog and set up a Paypal account so I could sell my art to people from all around the world, and that was the birth of Kohana Illustrations, a company I still run to this day.

The experience of starting my own company completely changed my point of view about money. Being a family of artists, our income was inconsistent, so we learned to be smart with our money. But actually earning money for myself for the first time made me even more financially conscious and taught me how to handle, track, and save money. I remember using some of the money I made to go to the store after school to buy a little black notebook, which I decided would be my “money log” to keep track of my income and expenses. My parents told me when they got a paycheck, they would put aside 10% of their earnings for charity and another 10% to put towards investments (another term I learned that day). I decided to do the same thing whenever I got paid. I drew a four-column chart in my notebook and kept track of my total earnings, investment savings, charity donations, and expenses. This is a system that has stuck with me to this day. It has taught me to not only retain money but also the value of giving back. I’ve donated to several charities including Nourish the Children, a charity that feeds malnourished children, and the ACF, which works to bring love back to children affected by the trauma of child abuse and family violence. In terms of investments, as I earned more money, I decided to open a Roth IRA account when I was fourteen. I’ve been contributing to it for the past four years and I’m proud to see a 34% gain to date!

Kohana Illustrations has taught me nearly everything I know about money so far through experience. If I had never created it, I wouldn’t have the money to give back to charity or start my retirement fund at such a young age. Working for my own money taught me its value and how to best utilize it so I can retain it over time. This scholarship would be a huge step towards my graduating with as little debt as possible, and I hope that people can learn from my experience and my story. If I can share anything with others, it would be that you’re never too young to start saving and investing in your own future.

Essay Prompt: unknown

Ever since the birth of modern America, community and school-driven sports have brought families and friends closer for decades. Competition is the fuel behind this fire and has sparked both rivalries and college careers. I have played sports since a very young age and it has taught me many life lessons through the years and I believe it has prepared me in a positive way to pursue not only my college education, but my life goals as well.

I started playing sports when I was 5 years old. Ironically it was soccer, which is a sport I haven’t pursued as a player, but one that I referee now. Also I was coached by none other than Bruce Elvington. His son, Logan, was on the team as well and we have maintained a steady friendship through the years. I have lived in Howe all my life so it was only natural that I started playing pee-wee football when I was 6 years old because that is what my friends did in Howe. Playing with my buddies has always been the biggest thing I enjoy about sports and a lesson I learned early on which started in pee-wee football. It helped me to connect with my friends outside of school with a sport that arguably does the best job of bringing guys closer together and forming an almost unbreakable bond.

I started playing baseball about the same time I started playing football which, as anyone with kids can imagine, was a nightmare in terms of scheduling. I played every year until kid-pitch and I managed to break my arm which forced me to miss a whole season of baseball. This was my first lesson of injury in a sports season which was something I had never before experienced. Missing that first season of kid pitch was rough because I felt I was a year behind and after that I had to work long hours to improve my skills to achieve the same level of the other guys. However, this turned out to be a positive situation of sorts because it was a small step in preparing me for high school sports and the real-world. How? It forced me to work harder.

I continued to play sports throughout middle school including football, basketball, track in school and baseball with Howe Youth Sports Association. Upon entering high school I continued these 4 sports and did my part as a freshman, working hard to help the program and fill spaces. My sophomore year I didn’t play football because it was difficult to manage my Type 1 Diabetes in the heat, and the risk of concussions, so I tried powerlifting and quickly realized I had the technique and strength to truly be good at it. I placed 8th in the Region in the 165 weight class and was looking forward to the next year. I played baseball that spring as well and just focused on my mechanics. I knew I did not want to play sports at the collegiate level. I simply enjoyed playing for the sake of competition, physical conditioning, discipline and being part of a brotherhood.

My junior year, which was last year, was probably the most interesting year yet. I decided again to not play football, I focused on my offseason workouts and getting ready for powerlifting. That is what I thought about every day until football was over. The very first meet we went to, the S&S powerlifting meet, I was on my final squat lift of 440 pounds. I went down and as I pushed to come up, I felt a sharp pain in my lower back and knew something was wrong. They walked me to the training room and was told that I strained my lower back quite severely. I was devastated. I had been working so hard all offseason and my third lift of the season I get hurt? It sucked and it was a huge lesson and mental struggle to get over those facts. The biggest lesson I took from that ordeal is that sometimes you work extremely hard for something and it can be taken away in a split second. It just showed me even more that life really is not fair. On the bright side, I made a decently quick recovery and was able to compete in the Howe meet and I managed to qualify for Regionals. I was sitting in 6th place after my bench lift during the Regional powerlifting meet in Chico, Texas. I had one more chance to qualify for state or at least qualify for state alternate. The odds were not looking good until the very last lift of two guys in front of me. They decided to go for a crazy weight and both ended up dropping the bar which automatically disqualifies them. I did well enough to place 3 rd and was able to go with my friends to the state powerlifting meet as the first alternate in the 165 weight class.

This year, I decided to play football to be with my buddies for my senior year and because I believe in what Coach J is bringing to our program. Our season was rough and there were many different struggles we all shared as a football family. Through all we went through, all the hurts and pains and discomforts, I would do it all again for my brothers. Football showed me what it can be to have a strong bond with the guy next to you. It’s almost like a less intense version of serving in the military. I’m blessed I did not have to be called to serve. Coach J did that for us.

Throughout my high school career of sports, I have learned my different lessons, big and small that have helped me grow as a young man and be prepared for the world today. I have been accepted to Southwestern Assemblies of God University and plan to get my degree in something pertaining to the ministry. Playing sports in high school has shown me the enormous amount of discipline it takes to keep up with school, sports, and extracurricular activities so I will be better prepared for college schedules and be much less overwhelmed. I am so thankful for the lessons I have learned playing these sports and the many memories and laughs I have had with all my friends. It is something I will always remember and treasure for many years. I want to give a big thank you to every coach and parent that has contributed to this journey because without them, none of it would have been possible. My parents deserve a heap of praise as well for supporting me and carting me to every practice and every game. Playing sports has had an enormously positive impact on my life, my future and has taught me countless life lessons both big and small and for that I will be forever grateful.

How to Use Scholarship Essay Examples to Win Scholarships

As students review scholarship essay examples, they may wonder how they can leverage them to increase their odds of winning scholarships or other financial aid that requires essays. First, students need to remember that plagiarizing another student’s essay is never a smart move. Many scholarship committees will use a variety of tools to see if any content is copied from another source. Additionally, they’ll likely recall any of the winning essays sent to their organization.

Ultimately, students need to treat the examples of winning scholarship essays as learning opportunities and sources of inspiration. Students can see which scholarship essay format typically works best, how to approach story-telling, what type of tone connects with committee members, and much more. That information can turn them into better essay writers, ensuring their responses to scholarship essay prompts meet or exceed expectations.

Additionally, scholarship essay examples help students figure out what moments in their lives are unique and compelling. Essentially, it gives them a point of comparison, allowing them to determine whether the topic or event they were going to discuss is likely to catch the attention of scholarship committee members.

By keeping all of that in mind, students can hone their essay-writing skills before they start applying for scholarships. Then, when it’s time to submit their scholarship essays, they’ll be in the strongest possible position with the knowledge and tools they need to stand out from the pack.

If you’re looking for additional helpful information regarding writing scholarship essays? Here are some additional articles to explore:

How to Write Winning Scholarship Essays

Make Scholarship Essays Stand Out by Avoiding These 4 Clichés

Learn how I won $126k in external scholarships by registering for my webinar.

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December 4, 2020 at 3:01 pm

These essays are so impressive and enjoyable to read, they really are the best scholarship essays I have come across. Thanks very much for posting they are very educative.

April 7, 2021 at 7:42 am

I like how personal they were. Each essay has got it’s own uniqueness and I have learned a lot from reading them. Thank you @thescholarshipsysytem.

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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 ...

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

Discuss a time when reflection or introspection led to clarity or understanding of an issue that is important to you.

60+ College Essay Prompts From Actual 2023-2024 Applications

Ideas to inspire every college applicant. Continue Reading

How to Write an Effective Scholarship Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide

July 16, 2023
Essay Writing , Scholarships & Financial Aid , Student Admission , Under Graduate

Introduction

Scholarship essays play a crucial role in securing financial aid for college education. Crafting a compelling scholarship essay can make all the difference in receiving the financial support you need to pursue your dreams. In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of writing an effective scholarship essay for US colleges. From understanding the prompt to presenting a compelling story, we will provide you with valuable tips and strategies to help you stand out among the pool of applicants and increase your chances of winning scholarships.

Understand the Prompt

The first and most important step in writing a scholarship essay is understanding the prompt. Take the time to carefully read and analyze the essay prompt to ensure you address all its requirements. Highlight keywords and phrases that indicate what the scholarship committee is looking for. This will help you structure your essay effectively and tailor your response to the specific criteria.

Research and Reflect

Before you start writing, take some time to research the organization offering the scholarship. Understand their mission, values, and goals. This will allow you to align your essay with their objectives and demonstrate your genuine interest in their cause.

Reflect on your own experiences, achievements, and goals. Think about the moments that have shaped your character, the challenges you have overcome, and the lessons you have learned. Identify your unique qualities and strengths that make you an ideal candidate for the scholarship.

Develop a Strong Thesis Statement

Crafting a clear and concise thesis statement is crucial for a successful scholarship essay. Your thesis statement should articulate the main theme or message you want to convey throughout your essay. It should be specific, engaging, and relevant to the prompt. This will serve as the foundation for the rest of your essay and guide your writing process.

Create an Outline

Organizing your thoughts and ideas into a well-structured outline will help you maintain a logical flow throughout your essay. Divide your essay into three main sections: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

In the introduction, grab the reader’s attention with a compelling hook and provide background information on yourself and the scholarship you are applying for. The body paragraphs should address specific points that support your thesis statement. Use examples, anecdotes, and evidence to illustrate your achievements, goals, and values. Finally, wrap up your essay with a strong conclusion that reinforces your main points and leaves a lasting impression.

Show, Don’t Tell

To make your scholarship essay stand out, focus on showing rather than telling. Use vivid language, descriptive details, and storytelling techniques to bring your experiences and aspirations to life. Avoid vague statements and clichés. Instead, provide concrete examples and evidence to support your claims. This will make your essay more engaging, authentic, and memorable to the scholarship committee.

Edit and Proofread

Once you have completed your essay, it’s crucial to edit and proofread it thoroughly. Check for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and awkward sentence structures. Ensure your essay flows smoothly and adheres to the required word count. Seek feedback from trusted friends, family members, or teachers to get a fresh perspective on your writing. Their insights can help you refine your essay and make it even stronger.

Here are a few examples of effective essay themes:

Overcoming Adversity: Share a significant challenge or hardship you have faced in your life and explain how you overcame it. Highlight the lessons you learned and the personal growth that resulted from this experience.
Passion and Purpose: Discuss your passions, interests, and how they relate to your academic and career goals. Explain how receiving the scholarship would enable you to pursue your dreams and make a positive impact in your chosen field.
Leadership and Community Involvement : Describe how you have demonstrated leadership skills and made a difference in your community. Highlight any initiatives, projects, or organizations you have been involved in and the impact they have had on others.
Unique Background or Perspective: If you have a unique background, culture, or perspective, share how it has shaped your worldview and influenced your goals. Emphasize the value of diversity and inclusion in education and how you can contribute to a diverse campus community.
Academic Excellence: If you have a strong academic record, explain how your achievements demonstrate your commitment to learning and intellectual growth. Discuss your academic goals and how the scholarship will help you further your education.

Remember, the most important aspect of your scholarship essay is authenticity. Be genuine and let your true self shine through your writing. Use specific examples and personal anecdotes to make your essay memorable and compelling. Lastly, always follow the guidelines and instructions provided by the scholarship committee and tailor your essay to meet their criteria.

There are several reputable platforms and resources where you can find examples of well-written scholarship essays. Here are a few suggestions:

Scholarships.com : Scholarships.com is a popular scholarship search engine that provides a wide range of scholarships for various fields of study. While the main focus is on searching for scholarships, they also offer resources and tips on how to write a winning scholarship essay. You can browse through their blog or resource section for guidance and inspiration.
College Board’s BigFuture Scholarship Search : The College Board’s BigFuture website not only helps students find scholarships but also provides useful information on the scholarship application process. They offer sample essay questions and tips on writing effective scholarship essays. It’s a great resource to explore for guidance and examples.
University and College Websites: Many universities and colleges have dedicated sections on their websites where they showcase scholarship recipients and their essays. Visiting the financial aid or scholarship pages of specific institutions can provide you with examples of successful scholarship essays.
Essay Contests and Writing Competitions: Some organizations and institutions host essay contests and writing competitions that require participants to submit scholarship essays. While participating in these competitions does not guarantee a scholarship, it can give you the opportunity to read winning essays and understand what makes them effective.

Writing an effective scholarship essay requires time, effort, and careful attention to detail. By understanding the prompt, conducting research, developing a strong thesis statement, and showcasing your unique qualities, you can create a compelling essay that sets you apart from other applicants. Remember to edit and proofread your essay before submitting it. With these strategies and tips, you can increase your chances of receiving the financial support you need to pursue your educational goals in US colleges. Good luck!

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, why do i deserve this scholarship (sample answers).

I'm working on some scholarship applications, and a common essay question is 'why do you deserve this scholarship?' I would appreciate some sample answers or guidance on how I should address this question. What should I focus on to show that I'm a deserving candidate?

When approaching the "why do you deserve this scholarship?" question, it's essential to focus on your unique qualities, achievements, and goals that set you apart as a candidate. Here's some guidance and a sample answer to help you get started:

1. Start by highlighting your academic achievements: Mention your GPA, any honors or AP classes you've taken, and any academic awards you've received. This demonstrates your commitment to your education and capability to succeed in a rigorous academic setting.

Sample: "I have maintained a 4.0 GPA throughout my high school career, taking challenging AP courses such as Calculus and Chemistry. I also ranked in the top 5% of my class and was inducted into the National Honor Society, showing my dedication to my academics."

2. Discuss your extracurricular activities: Focus on relevant, impactful extracurriculars that show your dedication to your passions, leadership skills, and community involvement. This could range from participating in sports, clubs, or community service projects.

Sample: "As the president of the Environmental Club, I led efforts to organize campus clean-ups, creating awareness campaigns on recycling, and secured funding for solar panels. I also volunteered at the local animal shelter, dedicating my time to care for animals in need."

3. Describe any unique challenges you've faced: Sometimes, overcoming adversity can demonstrate the resilience and determination that scholarship committees value. If applicable, share the challenges you've faced in your personal life or educational journey and how you've persevered.

Sample: "Growing up in a low-income family, I juggled multiple part-time jobs to save money for college while excelling in my studies. Despite the challenges, I successfully advocated for a tutoring program at my school to support students from similar backgrounds as myself."

4. Tie in your future goals: Explain how the scholarship will help you achieve your goals, whether that includes furthering your education, giving back to your community, or kickstarting your career. Show the scholarship committee that their investment in you will pay dividends in the long run.

Sample: "With this scholarship, I plan to pursue a degree in environmental engineering, so I can help develop sustainable solutions to pressing environmental issues. My long-term goal is to work with community leaders and nonprofits to create greener spaces in underprivileged areas, empowering residents to take control of their environment."

Putting it all together:

"I am a dedicated student with a 4.0 GPA, excelling in challenging AP classes and involved in my community as president of the Environmental Club and a volunteer at the local animal shelter. Despite facing financial adversity, I've continued to persevere, even advocating for a tutoring program at my school. This scholarship would enable me to pursue my passion for environmental engineering, ultimately allowing me to give back to my community and work towards creating a more sustainable world. It's because of my commitment to academic success, resilience in the face of challenges, and unwavering determination to contribute positively to society that I believe I deserve this scholarship."

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August 8, 2022

Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay [Sample Essay]

Essays that ask you to write about significant achievements fall under the category of

what are known as behavioral or experiential questions . The basic assumption behind these questions is that past behavior is a great predictor of future behavior . They are all varieties on the theme of “Tell us about a time when you…” These questions are meant to take the measure of your managerial potential.

Let’s look at how one candidate effectively addressed this essay question from Stanford GSB (*this question is not from the current application):

Tell us about a time when you made a lasting impact on your organization.

This writer avoids writing about leadership in any generic way and zeroes in on the specific aspects of his contributions and their impact:

Leadership essay example: The Change Agent

When I was invited to become the Vice President and General Manager at Third Way Associates (TWA)* two years ago, the company was in financial and administrative disorder. Employee retention was poor, and TWA took too long to pay vendors because of poor communication and accounting processes. Cash flow was managed based on immediate needs rather than by the logic of budgets planned by project and city. Sloppy expense reports that were turned in with no receipts were reimbursed to employees.

TWA founders Scott W ____ and Glenn L ____ had good intentions, but spent most of their time selling sponsorships and getting new clients rather than directing and managing the company. As we begin 20XX, TWA is much healthier in every way. Under my direction, vendors are paid in an average of 20 days from date of invoice, instead of 60 days or more. Our cash flow is better administered since I introduced very specific detailed area budgets with over 125 budget lines per city. Because I can give the company founders much better stability and macromanagement vision, the three of us are able to look more to the future rather than simply put out fires.

Despite the difficult economy in 20XX, we not only retained our same clients but also signed several new client agreements for three years or more, including a two-year contract with Big Shoe Company worth $1.3 million. I’ve brought fresh accounts and industries into TWA, including ____ Airlines and Drink Y, among others. Combined, these accounts generated more than $500,000 in 20XX, and we estimate close to $1 million dollars in the following year.

Since my arrival, we have a much wider and broader sales menu which has been crucial to generate more revenue. I’ve expanded our most popular sports events to 25 cities, giving our clients new investment opportunities. These events range from recreational soccer clinic tours to professional soccer games broadcast on TV.

I also expanded our field staff, and at present we have 25 strong and reliable managers who report directly to me from each city. Despite the economy, 20XX was not a bad year for TWA, and this year promises to be even better if we continue our current strategy and continue to work as a team.

Leadership essay analysis

In every paragraph, this writer mentions concrete measures he took to introduce order to a chaotic company that was trying to grow. From instituting budgets with line items, an improved accounts payable system, and recruiting additional big-name accounts, the writer proves how his efforts strengthened the organization.

How can you maximize on your thought leadership experiences?

As you choose among your own experiences as essay material, think about these questions to help you frame answers of substance:

What was the obstacle, challenge, or problem that you solved in this accomplishment? A tight client deadline? A complex merger transaction? A new product launch amidst fierce competition?
What did you do to rise to the challenge you are writing about? Motivate your team to work overtime? Sell senior management on the deal’s long-term upside? Identify a marketing profile for your product that no competitor can match?
What facts demonstrate that your intervention created a happy ending? Did your team submit the project deliverables three days early despite being 20% understaffed? Your client approved the $500 million merger, the largest ever in its industry? Your new product has 20% market share after only one year? What was the impact of your leadership?

Don’t forget about your people leadership skills

What we’ve spoken about until this point revolves mostly on skilled problem-solving, or “thought leadership.” But respected businesspeople need to be equally or even more talented at something we didn’t have a formal name for: people leadership. By effectively leading the thinking of client firms’ problems as well as motivating them to work long hours to develop solutions to these problems and collaborate with clients on implementing them, these businesspeople prove to have what it takes to be exemplary leaders.

So don’t forget to include strong elements of people leadership in your essays. Here are several to keep in mind:

Rallying others around a vision. Did you convince your team or group to follow a specific path/solution? How did you do it? Successful clients have talked about handling dissenting opinions diplomatically or presenting their teams’ detailed quantitative evidence for a recommendation. The more you can show that you understood your audience and tailored the content and form of your message to them, the better.
Harnessing others’ strengths – and expanding them. Did you provide team members tasks they could handle comfortably based on their capabilities, as well as opportunities to broaden their skills? For example, you may have handed your quant jock teammate the most complicated operations analysis as well as responsibility for leading a key client meeting. In this way, you leverage teammates’ strengths while helping them develop new ones.
Getting through tough times. Did you model for your team enviable cool in pressure-cooker situations, maybe helping them keep the big-picture goal in mind or lightening the mood with humor? Did you reward teammates with praise, pizza, or both for working long into the night? Did you pitch in on others’ responsibilities as deadlines loomed? Helping your team handle stress while managing your own is a cornerstone of strong leadership.

Use your words

Another tip: Look for opportunities to incorporate strong verbs that illustrate your strengths in these areas. Good examples of leadership might incorporate several of the following:

Establishing a goal or vision
Obtaining buy-in
Taking responsibility

The old adage, “Show, don’t tell,” remains a classic bit of wisdom in the writing process. Make that a guiding principle not only in your leadership/achievement essays, but throughout your application.

For personalized advice tailored just for you, check out our MBA Admissions Consulting & Editing services and work one-on-one with a pro who will help you discover your competitive advantage and use it to get accepted.

Download Leadership in Admissions today!

Related Resources:

• School-Specific MBA Application Essay Tips • Tone Up Your Writing: Confidence vs Arrogance • “I’m Smart, Really I Am!” Proving Character Traits in Your Essays

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Scholarship Essay Strategies for Everyone

September 12, 2018.

Phi Theta Kappa’s Fall Scholarship Application opens this week, on September 15. It’s your opportunity to apply for more than $600,000 in scholarships to help you complete a bachelor’s degree upon transferring or to cover the cost of certifications, training, and other tools as you prepare to enter the workforce.

The essay question is key to the success of your application. On the Fall Scholarship Application, it asks you to explain your most significant endeavor. This is your opportunity to tell the judges who you are, what you’ve accomplished, and what matters to you.

Heather Herbert, a PTK alumna and scholarship winner, shared scholarship essay strategies during an Educational Forum at PTK Catalyst 2018 in Kansas City, Missouri. Her advice focuses on four practical planning steps:

Prepare to apply
Understand the scholarship
Decode the prompts
Decide how to present your story

Prepare to Apply

First things first: Know that you are worthy and deserving of this scholarship. Scholarship judges want to read your amazing story, and Phi Theta Kappans are some of the most incredible students around. Don’t let any fears, insecurities, or embarrassment hold you back.

Next, get your fans on board. Hopefully, you’ve already contacted your potential references. If you haven’t, reach out to them as soon as possible to request a reference. Don’t forget to share a copy of your application with them to use as a reference when they’re writing your recommendation letter.

Think about your marketing. How do you want the judges to see you? What kind of personal brand are you creating with this essay and application? Create a scholarship resume to reuse data for commonly asked questions.

The Fall Scholarship Application is a good way to kick off a broader scholarship search, so don’t stop here. Find transfer scholarships at CollegeFish.org . Check with your current college and its foundation to see what else is available. If you’re transferring soon, check with your target four-year college and its foundation. Search also in your future industry and with local and national charities.

Finally, decide your strategy and set your calendar. Which scholarships are you going after? Will you only apply for a few big-ticket scholarships, or will you compete for many, smaller awards? Map out the scholarship due dates and know the challenges and benefits of both approaches. The Fall Scholarship Application is due November 15.

Understand the Scholarship

Start by reading the scholarship requirements. Prioritize those that are your best fit, but don’t rule out others.

Map out the rubric — it’s there if you look closely. Applications will often “tell” you the judging rubric in the questions asked.

Next, do your research about the organization offering the scholarship. If it’s a transfer scholarship to a four-year college, then let the college’s motto, mission statement, or values guide you. Phi Theta Kappa, for instance, celebrates outstanding academic achievement, strong leadership, and campus and community engagement. The Fall Scholarship Application wants see examples of this.

Now, decode the prompts. What do the questions really mean? Be sure to answer each question in its entirety.

Decode the Prompts

Here are examples of common application questions, decoded.

Personal Prompts: What challenges have you overcome? What experiences have you had? Who are the people who inspire you? What motivates you? Decoded: Share the personal traits that prove you’re a good investment.

Goal Prompts: Why are you interested in your field? How does your academic work support your goals? What contribution would you like to make in your field? Decoded: Tell us about your passions and show us you’re informed and invested, so we can invest in you.

Service Prompts: How do you make a difference? Who has made a difference to you? Tell us about your most meaningful volunteering experience. Decoded: Demonstrate that you care about others, so we can take care of you.

Achievement Prompts: How have you demonstrated leadership? What is your most meaningful achievement? Why do you deserve this scholarship? Decoded: Show us that you have achieved, so we can support your future achievements.

Decide How to Present Your Story

First, know your strengths. What do you offer that no one else does?

Be sure to share your passions. As a Phi Theta Kappa member, it’s obvious that you’re passionate about learning and achievement — talk about that by illustrating the ways your major, leadership experiences, volunteerism, or career goals are aligned with your passions.

When asked to write about a challenge or experience, make sure you frame it properly. Only about 5 percent should be about the challenge or experience; 95 percent of your answer should tell what you learned, how you grew, or what you did to create change for yourself or others, while also illustrating impact.

And, always give specific details. Show how you make a difference. Tell why your field interests you. Use numbers if you have them.

Finally, be yourself! You are extraordinary, and you deserve to be recognized.

PTK’s Fall Scholarship Application will be open September 15-November 15. Learn more . View and download Heather Herbert’s PowerPoint presentation HERE .

Boston University’s Metropolitan College Establishes New PTK Scholarship

June 18, 2024.

Boston University's Metropolitan College (BU MET) in Massachusetts established a new undergraduate transfer scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa members.

21 Chapters to Receive Spring 2024 Honors in Action Grants

May 15, 2024.

Honors in Action combines academic research, problem solving, and action-oriented service to address real-world challenges in our communities. Developed to support student engagement in Honors in Action programming, the Phi Theta Kappa Honors in Action Grant helps bridge the financial gap between ideas and action. Honors in Action grants offer chapters a chance to request…

Allegheny College Establishes New PTK Scholarship

April 12, 2024.

Allegheny College in Pennsylvania established a new transfer scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa members.

Student Success
Life After College

Report: How to Train Student Leaders in the Classroom

A recent white paper highlights strategies for raising up student leaders through effective leadership education in pedagogy and learning outcomes.

By Ashley Mowreader

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A young female student stands up in front of a classroom to give a presentation.

Faculty members outline the learning outcomes and pedagogies to teach leadership to college students.

Marcus Chung/E+/Getty Images

Creating student leaders is something many institutions claim to do—one international database found there are more than 2,000 postsecondary institutions with formal curricula dedicated to student leadership—but curricular and co-curricular spaces for student leadership development lack a common practice or consensus in outcomes, according to a June white paper published in the Journal of Leadership Education .

The report’s authors, David Michael Rosch from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Scott J. Allen from John Carroll University in Ohio, present a conceptual model for undergraduate leadership development, providing specific curricular and pedagogical approaches to meet mastery of the skill.

“The goal is to help people in higher education think in a more organized way about what they want to accomplish and how they can set their programs up to get there,” Rosch shared in a June 11 press release.

The background: Leadership, one of the National Association of Colleges and Employers’ eight career-readiness competencies , is a student’s ability to recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals.

Despite the common acceptance that engaged students are better prepared to lead modern organizations and communities than their less-engaged peers, there is limited evidence on how or why that is the case, according to the paper.

“We seek to advance not another new theory for leader development, but rather an argument for what leader development should be and why and how it should be taught in postsecondary education,” the authors wrote.

The model: Rosch and Allen’s model is centered on two key priorities: leadership skill mastery (defined as horizontal development) and increasing maturity in student meaning-making (vertical development).

Horizontal development includes communication and listening skills, decision-making techniques, conflict management, negotiation, influence strategies, and building and managing diverse and culturally competent teams. These skills are necessary but not always sufficient to lead practically. Mastery of conflict management concepts doesn’t mean much if a leader does not apply them in the appropriate context, showing how knowledge is paired with meaning-making.

Vertical development, therefore, is the practical application of leadership contexts using wisdom and maturity. Constructive developmental theory highlights how adults learn to take on the perspectives of those around them, confront the limitations of their own opinions and reframe their perspectives based on their environment and how context may shift.

Based on this theory, report authors argue it should be the goal of higher education institutions to not just teach leadership within textbook theory but also develop mental complexity to recognize how and when to apply tools.

Put in practice: To achieve these developmental goals, the authors borrow a model for adult learning and provide five orientations for learning—cognitive learning, behavioral learning, constructive learning, humanistic learning and social-cognitive learning.

Defining Terms

The report authors describe five orientations:

Cognitive learning focuses on knowledge acquisition, information processing and developing internal cognitive structures. In leadership, this means mastering leadership theory.
Behavioral learning emphasizes skill development, eliciting a behavior change in the learner.
Constructive learning , or personal meaning-making, combines the cognitive and behavioral through critical reflection. This is not the same as vertical development, which prioritizes situation-based assessment, allowing students to identify solutions to complex scenarios with maturity.
Humanistic learning teaches students how to self-actualize and develop personal goals.
Social-cognitive learning guides learners through how environment and people in a culture shape learning, helping them interact with those who have more skills or experience (such as a mentor).

The ideal leadership development course integrates the five orientations into learning outcomes and facilitates educational experiences not in siloed capacities, but in ways that allow students to use all skills.

Examples of this could be a multiple-choice exam to assess theoretical concepts, role playing to teach behaviors, essay reflection on ethical leadership practices and how that aligns with the students’ career goals or past behaviors, or learning from a guest with experience in the field.

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“These forms of integration are common within many academic programs across disciplines,” the authors share. “Still, we call for the architects of these programs to be more intentional in building opportunities for learning across all five orientations to ensure that each is substantially represented within the student experience.”

Some skills that can benefit deep learning of these concepts include cognitive bias awareness, mindfulness, active listening, perspective-taking capacity, dialectical thinking, reflection and reflexivity.

Professors can also consider how their pedagogy can improve learning outcomes, such as norm setting, building a community-holding environment, supporting students’ emotions and ensuring appropriate amounts of challenge and support within the classroom.

Do you have a career prep tip that might help others encourage student success? Tell us about it.

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Clark honors college menu, clark honors college, chc scholarships for second and third years.

CHC Scholarship Applications for the 2024-25 academic year are now closed.

Through the generosity of our alumni and friends of the college, the following scholarships and awards are available to currently enrolled Clark Honors College students. Scholarships listed on this page are for current second and third year CHC students. Incoming and first-year CHC students should pursue scholarship opportunities found on the Incoming Student Scholarships and CHC Scholarships for Students in their First Year pages.

All CHC scholarships and awards are alphabetized by category below. Scholarships awarded in many of the categories below will depend on the number of applicants each year. Funds are processed by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and are applied to the student’s billing account during the academic year following the academic year awards are made. Unless otherwise noted, students may re-apply each year. The application for all awards for the 2024-25 academic year is now closed. Look for the 2025-26 application on the Robert D. Clark Canvas site in January, 2025.

If you have any questions regarding scholarships and awards, please contact Paula Braswell , CHC Director of Admissions.

Eligibility Requirements

Completion of one full year in Clark Honors College at the time of application
First year and recent transfer students are not eligible
Good academic standing
Planning to enroll full-time (minimum 12 credits per term) for the entire following academic year, unless otherwise noted

Think Ahead

Domestic Students - FAFSA/ORSAA must be completed no later than February 15th for scholarships that require demonstrated financial need
International Students - ineligible to submit the FAFSA. Instead, international students must document financial need directly with International Student & Scholar Services in the Division of Global Engagement by submitting the Statement of Financial Need to [email protected] .
Remember that receiving a CHC scholarship will affect your financial aid package

Submit a complete application online in January, 2025 via the Robert D. Clark Honors College Canvas site (log-in required).

Application form
500-word essay 
Additional materials required for specific scholarships to which you are applying

How to write one essay when applying for six different scholarships:  In the first paragraph summarize your academic accomplishments and future plans. In the second and third paragraphs address specific requirements of particular scholarships. You can go over one page if necessary. 

Do not submit additional materials (transcripts, recommendations, résumé, list of volunteer activities) unless required for specific scholarships. Application materials must be submitted online by 5:00 p.m. on  March 1, 2025 .

List of Scholarships & Awards

Please note: Dollar amounts awarded are approximate, subject to varying factors such as market fluctuations and may in some circumstances be split among multiple awardees.

Academic Excellence

All Academic Excellence awards require that students have a minimum 3.7 GPA at the time of application.

Andrea Gellatly Memorial Scholarship, $1,000

This scholarship is awarded to a woman beginning her final year in Clark Honors College who has demonstrated academic excellence, breadth of interest, and social concern--all of which characterized the late Ms. Andrea Gellatly in her short but influential life.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must submit a resumé detailing their interests and activities in the area of social concern. If applicants plan to complete their degree in three years, they must state this fact on their application.

Ira and Eleanor Wong Scholarship, $1,000

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student who has demonstrated academic merit and evidence of leadership experience or skills.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must submit a résumé detailing their current or previous leadership experiences.

Jean Wittemyer Memorial Scholarship, $2,000

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student who shows exceptional promise for achievement, as evidenced by GPA, originality of research, or other applicable criteria. 

Willma Wittemyer Memorial Scholastic Achievement Prize, $650

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student going into their final year in Clark Honors College who has demonstrated significant academic progress, and the promise of further outstanding achievement.

Additional Requirements: If applicants plan to complete their degree in three years, they must state this fact on their application.

Student Service to CHC

Clark honors college service award, $500.

This scholarship is awarded to a student who has made significant contributions to the CHC community.

Financial Need

International Students - ineligible to submit the FAFSA. Instead, international students must document financial need directly with International Student & Scholar Services in the Division of Global Engagement by submitting the Statement of Financial Need to [email protected] .
Remember that receiving a CHC scholarship will affect your financial aid package

Professor Ray Hyman aka The Merry Mystic Scholarship, $2,000

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student who needs assistance with expenses related to attending the university, including but not limited to, tuition, fees, books, miscellaneous supplies, room and board. Recipients may study or major in any discipline at the University of Oregon. Preference will be given to students actively making connections across academic disciplines and with demonstrated financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must file a FAFSA/ORSAA with the UO Office of Financial Aid by February 15th in order to be considered.

Joy Poust Scholarship, $2,000

This scholarship is awarded based on financial need as defined by UO Office of Financial Aid.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must file a FAFSA/ORSAA with the UO Office of Financial Aid by February 15th in order to be considered.

Robert Ousterhout Scholarship, $5,000

This scholarship will provide support to a current CHC student with a preference for students majoring in the arts and humanities. The scholarship award may be used for all standard educational expenses, including tuition, Clark Honors College differential tuition, fees, books, miscellaneous supplies, and room and board. This scholarship will support students with demonstrated financial need, as determined through the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must file a FAFSA/ORSAA with the UO Office of Financial Aid by February 15th in order to be considered.

The Dr. George Streisinger Memorial Scholarship Fund, $5,000

- To provide support for students enrolled at the Robert D. Clark Honors College with primary preference to support students from middle-income households with low financial need and secondary preference for students with medium or high financial need as determined through the Office of Student Financial Aid & Scholarships. The scholarship will be awarded to students majoring in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) subjects.

Weinandy Scholarship, $1,500

This scholarship is meant to support CHC students with demonstrated financial need as well as to contribute to the university’s commitment to a diverse student population.

Health & Science

David o. kelley scholarship, $1,366.

To provide support for Oregon resident students in the Clark Honors College with demonstrated financial need, as verified by the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships. Preference shall be given to students enrolled in the Ballmer Institute or the College of Arts & Sciences (majoring in Biochemistry, Computer Science, Chemistry, or Biology).

Edward C. Sargent III Scholarship, $2,000

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student majoring in a pre-health care field who combines the qualities of idealism, commitment to humanity, openness to alternatives, love of the outdoors, and an interest in preserving the environment.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must submit a résumé detailing their volunteer activities in the areas mentioned.

Study Abroad

Award of study abroad scholarships is contingent upon the viability of international travel and UO study abroad programs. Please contact Paula Braswell , CHC Director of Admissions, for more information.

The Julie Tripp Fellowship, $5,000

The Julie Tripp Fellowship provides support for one or more students enrolled in the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon who will study abroad in an approved UO study abroad program in the summer between their junior and senior years.

Louise Bishop Study Abroad Scholarship, $1,500

This scholarship is awarded to a Clark Honors College student who will study, intern, or conduct research outside the United States.

Roger and Ginny Reich Scholarship, $1,000

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student pursuing a minimum of one full term in an approved UO study abroad program.

Shephard Family Scholarship for Study Abroad, $1,500

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student pursuing foreign language study in an approved UO study abroad program. Although preference is given to students spending one full year abroad, other applicants spending only one or two terms abroad will be considered.

Student Work in the CHC Classroom

Owens writing award, $500.

Larry Owens, a former professor in the Clark Honors College, and his wife Janet Owens have established a writing award to promote exceptional research and writing techniques at the Robert D. Clark Honors College. This $500 annual award is for an outstanding research paper written for an honors college class during the previous calendar year. Only one essay entry per student per year.

Additional Requirements : Applicants for the Owens Writing Award must submit a research paper that meets the following criteria:

Must be a research paper with full bibliographic apparatus, though citation style may vary.
Minimum of 8 pages in length, exclusive of bibliography, double-spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font and 1-inch margins on all sides.
Must have been written for a CHC course during the previous calendar year. Please note the HC course number and name of the class, the instructor, and the term during which the course was taken on the first page of the essay.

Essay must have received an 'A' in the class it was written for – documentation of essay grade is required

Thesis Awards

Carol carver “pay it forward” thesis award, $2,000.

The Carol Carver “Pay It Forward” Thesis Award supports undergraduate students enrolled in the Clark Honors College working on thesis research on any subject. Students must have a minimum 3.0 GPA and have demonstrated financial need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Award is non-renewable.

Additional Requirements : CHC students who complete the CHC's annual scholarship application and who discuss their thesis plans in their scholarship essay will be considered for this award. Applicants must file a FAFSA/ORSAA with the UO Office of Financial Aid by February 15th in order to be considered.

Frank Herbert Mingle Thesis Award, $4,000

The Frank Herbert Mingle Thesis Award supports undergraduate students enrolled in the Clark Honors College who are engaged in thesis research on a subject within the humanities or social sciences, including disciplines such as Art; Art History; Cinema Studies; Classics; Creative Writing; Cultural Anthropology; History; Languages; Literature; Asian, African American, European, and Latin American Studies; Philosophy; Political Science; Religious Studies; Theater Arts Studies; and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. The maximum award amount is $4,000. Students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA. Award is non-renewable.

Additional Requirements : CHC students who complete the CHC’s annual scholarship application and who discuss their thesis plans in their scholarship essay will be considered for this award.

Wigham Family Thesis Prize, $1,000

This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student who has demonstrated significant academic progress, and the promise of further outstanding achievement. First consideration is given to Canadian residents. Students going into their final year in Clark Honors College are eligible.

Additional Requirements : Applicants must discuss their thesis project in detail in their essay. If applicants plan to complete their degree in three years, they must state this fact on their application.

Scholarships available for Staten Island students in 2024: List of awards and how to apply

Published: Aug. 11, 2024, 8:00 a.m.

Graduation 2024: Susan E. Wagner High School

We have a list of scholarships available for Staten Island high school students planning to go to college. (Staten Island Advance/Priya Shahi) Priya Shahi

Annalise Knudson | [email protected]

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — As Staten Island students prepare to apply for colleges, many will seek ways to make their college experience more affordable through scholarships.

We have a list of possible scholarships students on the borough can consider applying for, currently provided by Staten Island ACHIEVE Dollars for Scholars. The awards are both need and merit based for Staten Island students planning to go to an accredited four-year college.

Except for school-specific scholarships, seniors from any Staten Island high school are eligible to apply to any or all scholarships through the Dollars for Scholars website .

The application period for 2025 awards has not yet opened. Check the website for updates on application opening dates and deadlines; applications are typically accepted in the spring with an April deadline.

The scholarship criteria includes:

Academics: High School transcript and standardized test scores.
Extracurricular: School activities, work experience, and community service. Include activity description, weekly commitment, service length, your role, and any awards.
Character: Up to 2 Letters of Recommendation.
Financial Need: Complete EFC section, SAR, FAFSA, and any award letters from intended colleges/universities.
Essay(s) (~300 words): First essay focuses on excellence, challenges and future goals. Second essay highlights overcoming personal obstacles, relevant for special awards.

Applications will be evaluated based on academic performance, summer and part-time jobs, involvement in extracurricular activities, a brief written statement and letters of recommendation.

Finalists will be interviewed and then the Board of Directors will then make final decisions.

Here is a list of Island-wide awards, available through Staten Island ACHIEVE.

The Judy Ryan Scholar-Athlete ACHIEVE Award

One scholarship of up to $20,000 over four years will be awarded each year to a student-athlete who has competed in any team sport at the varsity level in high school on Staten Island.

To be eligible, students must have upheld an 85% grade point average or its equivalent.

What’s crucial is showcasing the embodiment of Judy’s Secret: “If you work hard and have a good attitude, you can achieve anything you dream about.”

To retain the scholarship annually, the recipient will need to sustain a 3.0 GPA.

Joseph T. Premus Science ACHIEVE Award

One scholarship of up to $10,000 over four years will be awarded each year to a Staten Island high school student for outstanding achievement in health sciences (academic or extracurricular), while exhibiting exceptional character, integrity and leadership.

The winner will need to maintain a 3.0 GPA to retain the scholarship each year.

ACHIEVE Obstacle Award

Multiple scholarships of up to $10,000 will be awarded to students over four years.

This scholarship is awarded to students who have overcome significant economic or personal hardship. Former winners have been significantly impacted by Hurricane Sandy, overcome illnesses or experienced homelessness.

Students must have demonstrated a strong work ethic (in school, volunteer activities, jobs) to be eligible.

Winners will need to maintain a 3.0 GPA to retain the scholarship each year.

ACHIEVE High Potential Award

Multiple scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded to students over four years.

Students must demonstrate a strong work ethic (in school, volunteer activities, jobs) and show distinctively high potential for college and beyond to receive this award.

ACHIEVE Alumni Award

The ACHIEVE Alumni Award is a new scholarship as of 2023.

The scholarship acknowledges students who have showcased a robust dedication to hard work (in school, volunteer/community activities, jobs) and have exhibited the propensity to “pay it forward” to future generations.

SCHOOL-SPECIFIC AWARDS

Tommy Cassidy Moore Maverick ACHIEVE Award

One scholarship of up to $10,000 over four years will be awarded to a graduating student at Moore Catholic High School .

Eligible candidates should be in good academic standing, exhibit notable leadership capabilities, and possess a personality that enriches the school community’s spirit.

Evelyn Cooke Dream Big ACHIEVE Award (Susan Wagner)

Scholarships of up to $5,000 will be awarded over four years to graduating Black and Latinx students of Susan Wagner High School .

The winner will need to maintain a 3.0 GPA (or equivalent) to retain the scholarship each year.

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Top MBAs with 100% Scholarships

Last Updated On July 19, 2024
Published In Scholarships 💰

MBAs come with a hefty price tag. In perspective, getting an MBA from a top B-School will cost you at least 50% more than pursuing a Master’s degree. Many students finance their MBAs through education loans, personal savings, or scholarships. However, securing a 100% scholarship at renowned B-Schools is relatively uncommon. This blog delves into the exceptional opportunity that opens doors to endless possibilities, empowering individuals to unlock their full potential as future business leaders.

Table of Content

MBA at Said Business School, University of Oxford

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Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme

Saïd Business School Foundation contributes to the funding packages provided to scholars on the MBA degree in collaboration with the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust.

The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme, run by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust, develops tomorrow’s leaders today.

It offers fully-funded scholarships to students from poor and emerging economies, a comprehensive leadership development course, lifelong mentoring, and networking opportunities.

	Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
	MBA
	UK
	Fully Funded
	3-5 Scholars are awarded
	4 January 2023

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Eligibility Criteria

You must be applying to start a new graduate course at Oxford.
You should intend to return to your country of ordinary residence once your course is completed. Students currently at Oxford are not eligible to apply unless they are already Weidenfeld-Hoffmann scholars.
You should be able to demonstrate a connection between your subject of study and your longer-term career objectives, explaining how you see your professional work contributing to the improvement of public life in your country of origin or at a wider regional or international level.
The above qualities will be assessed during the selection process, including using your graduate application form, Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement and (if relevant) your interview.
This scholarship is not open to applications from candidates who hold deferred offers to start in 2023-24.
Fully funded course
A grant of living costs at least £17,668 (16,03,439 INR)
A comprehensive programme of leadership development
Long-term mentoring and networking

Explore all countries

How to apply.

By the deadline, candidates must:

Submit a complete MBA application
Upload the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships Statement form
Tick the ‘Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme’ checkbox in the ‘Funding’ section of the programme application.

For more information, visit here .

The Laidlaw Scholarships

The Laidlaw Scholarships are meant to persuade exceptional women with obvious leadership potential to register in the Oxford MBA programme when they might not have otherwise done so because of financial restrictions.

Recipients are exceptional people passionate about gender equality and have proven their dedication to driving change in their industry.

Scholars get access to various on-course activities, preferential seating at School events, and the chance to become a part of a special community and network. Learn more about the academic world.

	Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
	MBA
	UK
	Female Candidates
	£31,000 (28,13,369 INR) to the full MBA course fees
	Up to 10 scholarships. 8 full awards 2 partial awards
	4 January 2023

Open to female candidates
Scholarship amounts range from £31,000 (28,13,369 INR) to the full MBA course fees.
You must fill out the scholarship application form in the ‘Laidlaw’ part of the MBA application and submit it along with a complete MBA application. Only female candidates will be able to see this part.
The scholarship application includes a financial need evaluation and an essay portion. You must complete both sections.

Selection Process

Each level of the MBA admissions process will result in the examination of scholarship applications.
After admissions decisions are made, you will be informed of the status of your scholarship application and whether you have been selected.
Candidates should expect to hear about interview invitations in early May once the final shortlisting is completed in late March.

Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships

The Oxford-Pershing Square Graduate Scholarships were established in 2014 and offer up to six full scholarships for Masters and MBA degrees. Scholars can pursue any 1+1 MBA partnership degrees besides the MBA programme.

Recipients are extraordinary people who have shown the ability and dedication to address global societal concerns.

	Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
	Masters and MBA
	UK
	Upto 6
	Fully Funded
	4 January 2023

You will be considered in order of priority for the scholarship:

You must be admitted to a 1+1 MBA partnering programme and to the MBA prior to the selection process (waitlisted or re-evaluated applicants will not be considered)
If you apply to any full-time one-year Master’s course that is not currently part of the official list of 1+1 MBA partnering programmes and to the MBA (as a separate application)
moving into your MBA year and have not been considered for the scholarship in the previous year (e.g. waitlisted/ re-evaluated applicants)
admitted to the MBA while studying in one of the 1+1 MBA partnering programmes
A grant of living costs at least £17,668 (16,03,439 INR) per year for both years of study
The scholarship essay must be uploaded in the ‘Funding’ part of the 1+1 MBA programme application by the deadline to be considered.
How do you intend to change the world, and what does this tell us about you as a person?
Academic success as evidenced by degree outcomes, GMAT or GRE scores, prior university honours and honours, and other academic successes.
Leadership potential is shown via passion and experience.
Strong moral principles, commitment, and integrity.
Intend to concentrate on addressing global social concerns in your career, either by creating a new company or in an existing organisation.
The capacity to foresee scalable and long-lasting solutions to these problems.
Clearly state how the Oxford 1+1 MBA will help you achieve your goals.

MBA at London Business School

London business school fund scholarships.

The London Business School Fund Scholarships are prestigious awards offered to exceptional candidates pursuing various degree programs at London Business School. These scholarships aim to recognize and support students with outstanding academic achievements, diverse backgrounds, and leadership potential. Generously funded by donors, they enable promising individuals to access world-class business education and foster global business leaders.

	London Business School
	MBA
	UK
	Fully Funded
	Multiple
	All MBA Candidates

All successful MBA applicants who have clear academic and professional merit and can demonstrate the ability to contribute to all aspects of the MBA programme.
All candidates will be automatically considered for this award.

SARI Foundation Trust Scholarship

The SARI Foundation Trust Scholarship is a philanthropic initiative providing educational opportunities to underprivileged individuals in diverse fields. Founded on the principles of social empowerment, the scholarship seeks to uplift disadvantaged communities by offering financial aid and mentorship. Through education, the Trust aims to foster positive change, creating a brighter future for the recipients and their communities.

	SARI Foundation Trust and alumnus Savio Kwan
	MBA
	UK
	Fully Funded
	All MBA Candidates
	1

All successful MBA applicants
All candidates will be automatically considered for this award

MBA at SDA Bocconi School of Management

The SDA Bocconi School of Management scholarship is a prestigious award for exceptional candidates pursuing various business and management programs at SDA Bocconi in Italy. It recognizes academic excellence, leadership potential, and diverse backgrounds, providing financial support and valuable networking opportunities. These scholarships empower talented individuals to access world-class management education and make a significant impact in their professional careers.

	SDA Bocconi School of Management
	Masters
	50%, 60% and 100% Tuition Fee Waiver
	Italy
	2 Partial3 Fully Funded

Eligibility Criteria for Partial Fee Waiver

You must be from Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent
You must meet all admissions requirements for participation in the 2023/24 MBA Program.
Only candidates who applied, producing all required documentation (Application Form, GMAT or GRE or SDA Test, Toefl or Ielts or PTE or CPE, Reference letters, Admissions Procedure Fee), and have been admitted to 2023/24 MBA Programs are eligible for tuition waivers.

Eligibility Criteria for Full Fee Waiver

You must have a minimum GMAT score of 700
Only candidates who applied, producing all required documentation (Application Form, GMAT or GRE equivalent, Toefl or Ielts or PTE or CPE, Reference letters, Admissions Procedure Fee), and have been admitted to the 2023/24 MBA Program are eligible for tuition waivers.
You must apply online through the official portal

MBA at Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne

The Dean’s International Management Scholarship is a distinguished award for outstanding international candidates enrolling in management programs at renowned institutions. Recognizing academic brilliance, leadership capabilities, and global perspectives, the scholarship provides financial assistance. It facilitates cross-cultural experiences, fostering a diverse and talented cohort of future leaders in the field of management.

	Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne
	Full-time MBA
	Australia
	Fully Funded

Full-time MBA international applicants who receive an offer of admission.
Shortlisted applicants will participate in an interview.

MBA at NUS Business School, National University of Singapore

The nus mba dean’s award.

A very limited group of individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership, great professional and personal achievements, and represent a variety of backgrounds are presented with the NUS MBA Dean’s Award, which is extremely distinguished. Both full-time and part-time MBA candidates are eligible for this grant, which pays the entire tuition fee and a S$5,000 NUS MBA Experiential Learning Grant to defray costs associated with experiential learning throughout the programme.

Provided By	NUS Business School, National University of Singapore
Level	Full-time & Part-time MBA
Funding	Fully Funded
Country	Singapore

You must exhibit exemplary leadership and outstanding professional and personal achievements and represent diverse backgrounds.
Fully funded scholarship
The NUS MBA Dean’s Award not just covers 61 lac rupees of your tuition fee for the program but also offers a S$5000 (3,09,109 INR) worth grant making this scholarship worth 64 lac rupees

MBA at Stern School of Business, New York University

The MBA at Stern School of Business, New York University, offers scholarships to exceptional candidates pursuing their Master’s in Business Administration. These scholarships acknowledge academic excellence, leadership potential, and diverse achievements, providing financial support to facilitate access to one of the world’s top business schools. Recipients gain a transformative educational experience and valuable opportunities for professional growth.

	Stern School of Business, New York University
	MBA
	Fully Funded
	USA

One of Stern’s most renowned awards, the Dean’s Scholarship, is given to a select group of our most deserving admitted students.

In conclusion, pursuing a top MBA with a 100% scholarship is a rare and highly sought-after opportunity for ambitious individuals. These scholarships not only recognize academic excellence and leadership potential but also offer the chance to access world-class business education without financial burdens. Recipients are equipped to become influential leaders and make a lasting impact on the global business landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q. what are mbas with 100% scholarships.

MBAs with 100% scholarships are graduate business programs offered by top universities or business schools that cover tuition fees and sometimes additional expenses for selected candidates. These highly competitive scholarships are typically awarded based on academic merit, leadership potential, and other criteria.

Q. How can I apply for an MBA with a 100% scholarship?

To apply for an MBA with a 100% scholarship, research and identify institutions that offer such scholarships. Review the eligibility criteria and application requirements, including academic transcripts, recommendation letters, essays, and standardized test scores. Prepare a compelling application showcasing your achievements, leadership skills, and passion for business.

Q. Are these scholarships available for international students?

Yes, many universities and business schools offer 100% scholarships to domestic and international students. However, the availability and criteria may vary from one institution to another. It’s essential to check the specific requirements for international applicants and any additional documentation needed.

Q. Are there any obligations or commitments associated with these scholarships?

Some MBA scholarships with total funding may come with certain obligations, such as maintaining a minimum GPA, participating in specific extracurricular activities, or contributing to the school’s community in a leadership role. Always review the scholarship terms and conditions to understand any commitments associated with the award.

Q. What benefits do these scholarships offer besides financial support?

Aside from covering tuition fees, MBAs with 100% scholarships often provide additional benefits. These may include access to exclusive networking opportunities, mentorship programs, internships, and career services support. Scholars may also become part of a prestigious alum network, opening doors to valuable connections in the business world.

Saket Kohli

An International Higher Ed professional with 7+ years of experience studying, working, and living across three geographies, currently on a mission to share his journey as an International Student.

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FREE 10+ Leadership Essay Samples in MS Word
Leadership Scholarship Essay Sample
Leadership Essay
4 Ways to Write a Scholarship Essay on Leadership
4 Ways to Write a Scholarship Essay on Leadership
Sample College Leadership Essay

COMMENTS

4 Ways to Write a Scholarship Essay on Leadership
A well-written scholarship essay is sometimes the most important element of an academic application. Scholarships to college or graduate school, as well as to other programs or opportunities, usually carry financial rewards and educational benefits. Many scholarship essays are on the subject of leadership.
14 Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Thousands 2024
Scholarship Essay Example #5. Questbridge Finalist essay earning $3,000 in application waivers plus $3000 in local scholarships by Jordan Sanchez. Prompt: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it.
How students can demonstrate leadership in a scholarship essay
In your scholarship essay, it would be helpful to explain how your leadership roles have helped you grow as a person, from teaching you new lessons to presenting numerous personal growth opportunities. Ensure that you demonstrate a true understanding of what leadership is. For instance, you lead by your actions and not by the title that has ...
16 Scholarship Essay Examples to Help You Win Scholarship
Scholarship Essay Examples About Leadership Leadership, for me, is not merely a title or a position but a mindset and a responsibility to inspire and empower others toward a common goal. Throughout my academic journey, I have actively sought opportunities to cultivate and exhibit leadership skills, both within the classroom and in ...
Scholarship Essay Examples That Secured Thousands in 2024
Leadership Scholarship Essay Examples . When applying to programs for training young leaders, they often require you to write an essay. Here is a leadership scholarship essay sample: Example 3. Describe your leadership experience and how that experience made you suitable for this scholarship.
How to Write a Scholarship Essay
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.
Leadership essays
Udall Scholarship - "Describe a leadership experience in which you made a difference on your campus or in your community." Other scholarships (like Knight-Hennessy, Rhodes, Mitchell) might not have an essay specifically on leadership, but they expect you to incorporate your leadership experience into your personal statement.
How to write a winning scholarship essay
3. Fill your scholarship essay with keywords/synonyms of keywords used in the scholarship statement. Using the keywords from the scholarship statement throughout your essay will demonstrate your commitment to addressing the question being asked. For instance, I made a special effort to ensure references to 'leadership'; 'innovation' and ...
Writing Leadership Essays
A number of national scholarships and fellowships ask applicants to write about their leadership experiences. Here are a few prominent examples: Truman Scholarship - "Describe a particular example of your leadership.". Marshall Scholarship - "Describe a situation in which you recognized and responded to a need for leadership.
Writing an Effective Leadership Essay: Tips and Examples
A leadership essay is a college application essay that requires you to share your previous experiences as a leader. We've got examples to help you write one.
Winning Scholarship Essay Examples That Actually Work
Scholarship Essay Example about Leadership. The world looks for future leaders in today's students, so are the college admission officers. A scholarship essay about leadership prompt is intended to see what kind of leadership qualities you possess.
Writing Leadership Essays
These intuitions provide a simple formula for writing a leadership essay: Problem - In two to three sentences describe the nature of the problem or opportunity that arose in your organization, volunteer experience, internship, research, etc. Action - Describe the solution or plan of action that you proposed and how this was enacted.
How to Write a Scholarship Essay (With Examples)
Structuring Your Essay. Your essay should follow a standard format that includes a clear beginning, middle, and end. Typically, you should: · Establish your main idea in the introduction. · Include a separate body paragraph for each key point that supports your main idea. · Draw it all together and revisit your main idea in the conclusion.
How to Write a Scholarship Essay: Complete Guide + Examples
Approach #1: Use the resources above to write a great essay that spells out your big dreams, then end with 1-3 sentences describing specifically how you'll use the scholarship money. (We'll call this the "I have big dreams and you can help" approach.) Approach #2: Explain your financial situation in detail, then end with 1-3 sentences ...
9 Scholarship Essay Examples
Scholarship essay examples about financial need, and more! We've included scholarship essay examples specific to schools, including UC Berkeley, as well as specific programs, like the SHPE scholarship. We'll also discuss the different types of scholarships you'll find on your scholarship search. Now, before we jump into our essay examples ...
Top 132 Leadership Scholarships in August 2024
Legacy Scholarship. Offered by San Antonio Area Foundation. 50 awards worth $10,000 - $40,000. Deadline Dec 1, 2024. Grade Level High School Junior. Get Started. The Legacy Scholarship is available to high school juniors from Bexar or Webb counties in Texas, who demonstrate leadership qualities.
Scholarship Essay Examples That Won Money
Here are some winning scholarship essay examples to get you started. FREE TRAINING: How I Secured 6-Figures in Scholarships & Graduated Debt-Free. Yes, I want in! ... My first HOSA conference as the Historian was the International Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida in June 2017. Over 2,500 students came together to learn from five ...
10 Winning Scholarship Essay Examples From Real Students
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.
How to Write an Effective Scholarship Essay: A Step-by-Step Guide
Take the time to carefully read and analyze the essay prompt to ensure you address all its requirements. Highlight keywords and phrases that indicate what the scholarship committee is looking for. This will help you structure your essay effectively and tailor your response to the specific criteria. Research and Reflect.
Why do I deserve this scholarship? (Sample answers)
It's because of my commitment to academic success, resilience in the face of challenges, and unwavering determination to contribute positively to society that I believe I deserve this scholarship." 8 months ago. CollegeVine's Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated ...
Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay [Sample Essay]
Reading Time:4minutes. Writing a Powerful Leadership/Achievement Essay [Sample Essay] Essays that ask you to write about significant achievements fall under the category of. what are known as behavioral or experiential questions. The basic assumption behind these questions is that past behavior is a great predictor of future behavior.
Scholarship Essay Strategies for Everyone » Phi Theta Kappa
If it's a transfer scholarship to a four-year college, then let the college's motto, mission statement, or values guide you. Phi Theta Kappa, for instance, celebrates outstanding academic achievement, strong leadership, and campus and community engagement. The Fall Scholarship Application wants see examples of this. Now, decode the prompts.
Essay Scholarships
Niche $2,000 No Essay Scholarship. Amount $2,000. Deadline August 31, 2024. The $2,000 No Essay Scholarship is open to high school student all the way up to, and including, graduate school students. Scholarship Details $2,000 No Essay Scholarship for tuition and any other college-related expenses No essay requirement.
Leadership Scholarship Essay
Leadership Scholarship Essay. I believe that I have strong leadership abilities. I am motivated, passionate, and a visionary. Throughout my life I feel I will make a difference in the world and inspire others to do the same so that my time spent alive is impactful and revolutionary; however, all of my hopes and dreams for leadership in my life ...
Research answers how colleges can drive student leadership
The background: Leadership, one of the National Association of Colleges and Employers' eight career-readiness competencies, is a student's ability to recognize and capitalize on personal and team strengths to achieve organizational goals. Despite the common acceptance that engaged students are better prepared to lead modern organizations and communities than their less-engaged peers, there ...
CHC Scholarships for Second and Third Years
This scholarship is awarded to a CHC student who has demonstrated academic merit and evidence of leadership experience or skills. Additional ... CHC students who complete the CHC's annual scholarship application and who discuss their thesis plans in their scholarship essay will be considered for this award. Wigham Family Thesis Prize, $1,000 ...
Scholarships available for Staten Island students in 2024 ...
Essay(s) (~300 words): First essay focuses on excellence, challenges and future goals. Second essay highlights overcoming personal obstacles, relevant for special awards.
Top MBAs with 100% Scholarships
The Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholarships and Leadership Programme, run by the Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Trust, develops tomorrow's leaders today. ... The scholarship essay must be uploaded in the 'Funding' part of the 1+1 MBA programme application by the deadline to be considered.
PDF Peacock҂s.Feet? time ﬁrst place winner at the annual
publications are a co-authored essay with an undergraduate in Pedagogy, as well as an article on religion and rhetoric in the collection, Reinventing.Rhetoric.Scholarship (Parlor Press). She was a participant in the 2007 NEH Summer Institute on O'Connor. Joelle Troiano, Duke U, is a PhD student in English.

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