Preparing for scholarship interviews is not an easy task. Usually, the number of applicants for a scholarship far outweighs the number of awards, due to this most scholarships require an interview. The interview helps the scholarship committee to select the best candidate among the many applicants. This article discusses some reasons for scholarship interviews and how to prepare adequately to be successful in the interview.
Reasons for scholarship interviews
The scholarship interview provides a lot of benefits to the scholarship team. This includes the following.
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Assessment of candidate’s fitness and preparedness
The scholarship interview provides the committee an avenue to understand how the candidate’s qualifications, values, and principles can contribute to the overall mission and vision of the program. It also allows the team to know each candidate beyond the many documents submitted. This provides the scholarship committee the avenue to check how each candidate is prepared for the scholarship.
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Assessment of communication skills
The scholarship team is very interested in your communication skills since effective communication is the number one skill required in the working environment. The interview gives them an idea about how well you can communicate. Also, it reflects your thought patterns, ability to solve problems, and potential for success in your chosen field. Especially for postgraduate research scholarship, the candidate may be required to present findings at international conferences. Due to this, the scholarship committee wants a candidate who can communicate very well.
Preparing for scholarship interviews
This section of the article discusses how to prepare very well for scholarship interviews.
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Research on scholarship
Researching the scholarship is the most important thing to do during your interview preparation. Every scholarship has its main vision, mission, and core values. Also, the criteria for selection differs amongst scholarships. Research thoroughly on each scholarship to understand what is required of you.
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Review application materials
Review your application materials thoroughly once you are called for a scholarship interview. Read through all the documents you submitted during the application such as personal statements, CV, and transcripts. This will keep you well-updated and informed.
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Develop a list of potential questions
After researching the scholarship and reviewing your application materials, develop a list of potential questions that may be asked during the interview. Learn how to answer each question very well to the satisfaction of the scholarship interview team.
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Practice mock interviews
Mock interviews are a very effective way of preparing for scholarship interviews. The mock interview is a non-formal interview conducted before the main scholarship interview. This can be conducted by friends, lecturers, or mentors. Mock interviews let you correct errors that you can make during the main interview. In the mock interview, try to replicate the exact mode of the interview. For example, certain interviews require using Zoom or Google Meet. If the interview requires a slide presentation, make sure to include that in your practice.
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Dress well and be confident
Always make sure you are formally dressed. Appearance is really important in any interview, also be confident when answering questions during the interview.
