The 5 Biggest Misconceptions About Scholarships

1- Scholarships are only for the gifted, committed or needy.

Far from it! The selection criteria are very diverse. You can reach to your place of birth of the subject studied on the profession of the parents as well.

2- There are few scholarships.
Wrong! In Germany there are over 2,000 scholarships. Approximately every fifth foundation is there no matching scholarship.

3- Scholarships are only for freshmen.

Also wrong! There are many scholarships that are specifically targeted at advanced semester! In addition, you can also get a grant for your thesis, semester abroad or internships abroad.

4- It apply to many scholarships.

That is so not right! More than 2/3 of the students have never applied for a scholarship! Use your chance.

5- To apply for a scholarship, takes a long time.

Not right! Here you find out in a few minutes scholarships that fit on your CV. Often, a cover letter and your resume is all you then need to your application.

How to Write Application : The formulated CV

Many foundations require in addition to the CV also formulated a resume. Because unlike a job application numerous additional application materials are required for scholarship applications often.

» Write the formulated CV

The formulated or detailed CV will be written as a continuous text. Here it is called for in either typed or handwritten form. Foundations and other promotional institutions usually require this for two reasons. For one, you want to get to know you better, you want others to see how well you can write structured texts.

» What should I write?

In principle, that you should put the same facts as formulated in the CV. The structure should be chronological start of your childhood and be structured with the help of logical paragraphs.

The formulated resume allows you to call the reasons for your decisions. Instead of a boring series of facts, you can explain in this essay, for example, why you decided you for your study or why you made a social year. Also, your social engagement you can explain better here and describe it as a CV. The examiner can here get a better idea of ​​your personality.

This CV allows you also to explain gaps or other less favorable episodes in your resume. You need not be ashamed of yourself for a longer period of study. Because if you can justify it, for example by a strong social commitment, it appears clearly understandable to the reader. Also the change of the field of study for you to justify here. The formulated CV enables you to explain what you have learned from the decision.

In addition, you should also explain what you have been abroad, internships or a gap year. So you have certainly won as part of a stay abroad of intercultural competence.

Your hobbies should also dedicated a section in the resume. Because they reveal a lot about your person. Basically, the clearer the reason, the better the examiner can make a picture of your person.

Finally, part of each formulated CV should be a description of your idea and run your future career goals for the near to medium future. Because usually makes determination always a very good impression on auditors.

» What should I do with the form?

Although the detailed CV requires a longer text than the tabular, also here: less is more. For the time the auditor for the individual scholarship application is limited. Nevertheless, the text should not be too tight. Because in order to explain a CV of 1-2 pages and to justify decisions in your life, it requires 2-4 pages already.

As for the other components of your application you should CV formulated to print on high quality paper and examine it carefully for spelling, punctuation and typographical errors. For whoever submits his application with errors, gives the same impression invested little effort for its scholarship application and therefore have no very great interest to actually receive the scholarship.

You should like in the other application documents the fonts Times New Roman or Arial in black and use a font size of 10 to 12 With a line spacing of 1.5, the text is very legible.

In addition, You should also read through again to check whether it has a clear structure and make sense of the text content of the paragraphs. To make the text more readable, you can also use the headings in the resume. The resume should be written basically formulated in the first person ("I").

» What should I avoid?

Although the formulated resume revolves around your person, you should not apply too thick. Because that self praise is well known. However you should not put your light under a bushel. Be confident, stand by your strengths and rename it clearly without self-indulgent and pathetic act.

You should also avoid despite the formulated CV to be too detailed. Otherwise you can quickly get the impression that you you can not concentrate on the essentials. Avoid, therefore, too much to go into detail.

How to Write Application : The report

Most foundations require their applicants to at least one report. This may be, for example, from a professor, the dissertation supervisor or teacher, depending on requirements. What makes a good report, you can find out in this article.

A good advice for the scholarship application
Report can either expert opinion or personal opinion to be. A technical assessment should in particular take on the professional qualifications of the applying for a scholarship student reference. The personality survey should be from a person who knows the applicant well and took care of him in a life. This can be a teacher but also the leader of a student ministries.

» The content depends on what the goal of the funding institution

Although the expert opinion shall in particular refer to the technical qualifications of the applicant, this does not mean that it should only act it. Should a foundation that is especially important to us that candidates can demonstrate their commitment außercurriculares, then a border gutach professor who has your commitment to a student division can observe also refer to it.
In principle, a report should follow a certain structure. This means that the introduction Gutach Tende first mentioned, where, how long and how well he knows you. This may be for example one of his lectures.

Then he should describe your professional qualifications as required. Here he can take notes and highlight related content valuable contributions from you during his lectures. Perhaps this reviewer has ever cared for a work by you and can write something about the content of this work.

In the following section the appraiser should call your technical properties. He can, for example, you might be extremely structured (s) or student students have perceived and highlight your analytical skills.

Also should not be missing in any report a section on your personality. Perhaps the appraiser can see how well you are integrating you into a group and if you're especially popular with fellow students.

Should a foundation to another feature in the CV of applicants pay particular attention as social, political or church involvement, it should be addressed in a separate paragraph an assessment of your property to this person.
In a report may not be missing, finally, the final explicit recommendation of the evaluators for a scholarship. In it, he must make it clear that he supports it explicitly states that you will receive a scholarship.

» What is your role in the expert reports

It is advisable to ask for different opinions from different appraisers, you will be granted if in the opinion of insight. Then you can select. Often this is not possible, since many foundations require that the report be sent directly to them in a sealed envelope so that the candidate has no insight into the opinion.

Many professors and teachers are willing to create a report for their students. It is best to ask those in which you have achieved the best ratings. Trust you calm because there is not much to lose here.

However, you should also assist evaluators in his work, for example by You deliver the content to a large extent. Moreover, you can also send as your testimonials and your CV and very briefly provide substantive evidence. Best, however, ask you first carefully, wants the kind of support the Gutach Tende.

How to Write Application : The CV

Most foundations expect their applicants to a resume. If not further specified here is usually meant as a CV. In this article you will learn everything you need to know to create a very good resume.

» To compose good resume is not particularly difficult. It is important to be accurate and comply with some basic principles. We have compiled for you the most important points on this topic.

» The mold

A CV should be no longer than two pages, because each application will be mostly dedicated to the pre-selection only a few minutes. The most important thing must therefore stand out when flying.

To achieve this, it is important that the resume is well structured and well formatted. In principle, applicants should avoid using a color other than black. A typeface Times New Roman or Arial should be used. Other fonts can quickly contribute to a dubious impression.

» The photo

An important contribution to the first impression also provides the application photo. It should be placed at the top right corner of the first page of your CV in most cases. Should the resume be accompanied by a cover sheet, place it should find the photo. Important here is that the photo is approximately the size of your photo. Too small photo would be difficult to recognize for the viewer, too big is too strong appearances in the foreground and draws heavily on the actual qualifications from.

In the photo Applicants should have a friendly, yet confident impression. Private recordings should generally not be used. Who wants to have a professional resume, a photo from a professional photo studio should use.

The following points for a professional photo application you should consider:

1- Clothing: You want to convey a serious impression. Moreover, you should wear business attire in the photo, that is, a suit jacket and a shirt or a blouse. Men should wear a tie to. Discreet, matching jacket for jewelry can be graceful in women quite. However, too much jewelry looks dubious.

2- Format: The photo should be short range from above the head to below the collarbone. Other formats are not common in applications.

3- Facial expression is important is a direct look into the camera and therefore the viewer. This gives a confident and open-minded impression. A smile is sympathetic and interested.

» The structure

Basically you should avoid gaps in your CV. If you can still not avoid weaknesses such as gaps, poor grades and a long period of study in the life, you should be able to explain well. Because this will otherwise quickly interpreted as a lack of purpose and unreliability.

The list of stations in reverse chronological CV is today, ie the last stations are listed first. This has the simple reason that more recent information about yourself in general are much more relevant than events that are long back. It should be listed on the left and right of the period the station.

You should also make sure to align your CV to the respective foundation or other institution at which you are applying. You can do that, for example, by starring them you more stations that are for a specific funding institution of particular relevance. You can also perform precise sub-points to explain this station. In any case, you should formulate a foundation for each new resume and simply send in any case, the application documents copied to several!

The above mentioned structure has been our experience so far proved to be very good and also corresponds to what foundations are used when reading CVs:

1- information about themselves: Here you should send your address, telephone number, email address and your birth name. Possible, but not mandatory information is the marital status, nationality, religion, number of siblings, and the occupations of the parents.

2- Training: Here you should see the university where you study and mention the school at which you have acquired your degree. If you have already completed a study abroad, you should also place it here. Likewise, a student exchange. Brief explanations of the various stations are helpful. So you can, for example, your main subjects in the university or call notes. We recommend that only explicitly call notes here if they are at least good. 

3- Internships/Work Experience: This category includes your work experience, vocational training (s), internships and student jobs. Again, you should attach a brief explanation of your activities.

4- Languages: This category is used to call your language skills and your knowledge in the language. As a rule, used to measure the level of knowledge, the terms "basic knowledge," flowing "," fluent in written and used "and" mother tongue ". An excessive exaggeration of language may, for all that will lose out when they are placed in an interview after the preselection written to the test.

5- computer skills: Here you should first note your level of knowledge in the standard Office applications. Additional knowledge in other programs should also be taken into account here.

6- extra-curricular activities and awards: It has an advantageous if you have something to offer. If you even can show numerous extracurricular activities and awards, a splitting this category offers. Extracurricular activities include any involvement in higher education or in the charitable or political environment. Training to a trainer or teacher can also be mentioned here. Awards include grants and awards. Even as prices at Skiwettläufen can be mentioned here, for even this type of award is a testament to determination of auditors.

7- Hobbies: At this point you should highlight as interesting hobbies. Hobbies allow direct positive conclusions about your person, are particularly desirable. Because of the hobbies can include, for example on special ambition, intellectual curiosity or a team. In addition, you should go to a few, but focus interesting hobbies, rather than simply enumerate a long list of sometimes mundane activities.

How to Write Application : The Cover Letter

Each application requires a cover letter, even if it is not explicitly required by the Foundation. To write a professional cover letter, however, is not trivial. We tell you what examiners look for.
What letter in the letter for the scholarship application?
» THE letter is the crucial start of the application. Here, the auditor already formed an impression of you and it is important to create a positive impression possible.
» The form: Not more than one page
The first ironclad rule for a cover letter is that it must gain attention and therefore has to be short and concise and should not exceed one page. For the selection committees of foundations and funding agencies have usually very little time for the individual application. The first impression is therefore formed in the first minutes. A scarce but informative cover letter grabs the attention of a few features, and keeps them in memory. It can leave the first positive impression. A long letter to the blurring accents and gives the impression that the candidate is not able to concentrate on the essentials.
The cover letter or letter of motivation should be designed as a letter to the sender, addressee, Location, date, subject line and signature. The handwritten signature You should not forget to distinguish your application from a bulk mailing. The fonts Times New Roman and Arial font size 12 left a serious impression in most cases. Colorful graphics, photos, creases and stains on the paper give a sloppy impression. Print on high quality white paper adds to the cost, but also the chance of success because it keeps your application for professional, serious and reputable.
The information about the sender and addressees should include all relevant contact information, ie name, address, telephone, fax and mobile number if applicable and email address, the addressee's name of the sponsoring institution.
For the conclusion of the letter, we recommend "Sincerely" and subsequent signature. Encouraging alternatives such as "Sincerely" or "Regards" are felt by all examiners as equally tasty, possibly by some as pandering. It is a formal letter and not a letter to an old friend.
» The Building: A cover letter must be clearly structured
The cover letter should always be with the words "Dear Sir (s) Mr/Mrs Smith" begin. It is important to address as the addressee directly. Thus, the application is the same much more personal. The general form "Ladies and Gentlemen" You should largely abandon and only make use of or when the contacts are not known. You should also be careful not to forget the name and to write correctly the title of the contact person. Error violate vain auditors, and Schludrigkeiten in the first set equal to leave a bad first impression. When multiple contacts you should list them all, with the highest ranking should be called first.
A good cover letter is divided into four paragraphs. In the first paragraph you name your concerns, so applying for a specific scholarship, and then You ask yourself briefly. Here you should mention your field of study and the institution where you study, and the one or the other feature of your resume, this could be for the Foundation and the advertised exact scholarship of particular relevance.
In the second paragraph you should explain why you just goes particularly well with this foundation. So if you you are applying, for example, at a Foundation for a scholarship, the great emphasis on community involvement, then you can explain how did you have committed here.
The third paragraph is used to explain why you are applying you just for this scholarship and not for another. Here you can explain the role that values ​​play in your life, the Foundation if the Foundation sets of values ​​specific to a particular value, for example. In addition, many foundations also offer moral support. An explanation of why these moral support for you is of great interest, can provide the motivation letter a personal touch.
The last paragraph is looking forward to the comment that you're always at your disposal for further information and I, when the application has aroused interest.

The 10 most important Tips to get a Scholarship

To find a scholarship is easier than many people think. What you should look for in your particular application, so you have secured financing your study soon, have a look at our Top 10 Tips for your scholarship application.

» Tips for scholarship application

1- Start as early as possible in the search

The earlier you start with your research, the sooner you can get a promotion and the faster you can focus yourself only on your studies. Many foundations have only one deadline per year. If you have just missed this, you have to wait another year until you may apply there.

2- Search scholarship databases for matching grants

Instead of costly and time-consuming research on the internet you should look into scholarship databases for funding opportunities. There scholarships are filtered by application requirements, so you might save you the review of numerous scholarships sites that do not fit your profile.

3- Apply now for scholarships that match your profile

Instead of indiscriminately send your resumes to the most famous and prestigious foundations, you should prioritize your applications with your personal profile to the compliance of the foundation profile. For there you have the best chances.

Do not be shy to send many resumes. Because, if successful, the effort was worth it.

Especially for smaller, unknown foundations are the best opportunities to get a scholarship. Some foundations even complaining about the fact that they do not have enough candidates to fulfill their displacement.

4- Do not miss a deadline

The biggest faux pas, just in endowments, is a late application sent. In general, you will be excluded from the application round. Since many foundations have only one deadline per year, this means for you that you must send your application again next year.

What a shame it would be if the foundation matches your profile strong individual profile and you do not get the scholarship only reason, because you missed the deadline?

5- Personalize your application documents

Few selection committees estimate mass applications. Therefore, you should absolutely avoid, and to send the same resume to as many foundations.

The personalization of your application documents need not be expensive. In any case, you should find the right person, can justify why you are applying yourself in this special foundation and provide those features in the foreground, which are of particular relevance for the Foundation. Tips for the individual components of your application and templates that facilitate you work, you can find in our "How to advertise."

6- Avoid errors in the application
A sloppy

application created equal leaves a bad first impression. Read therefore absolutely your application correction before sending them to you. In particular spelling and clerical leave many auditors conclude that the applicants of receipt of a scholarship may not be so important.

Many foundations also specify a particular order for the classification of documents. You should definitely follow this. Likewise, information on paper and format. So when a foundation specifically requests all application documents on A4 paper, you should not attach sheets in A5.

7- Send only complete application documents

Also common mistake when applying for a scholarship is sending an incomplete application documents. Many foundations reject incomplete applications from all.

8- Google your name to ensure that searchers have a professional impression of you

Make sure your Facebook profile contains only information that can see also a scholarship provider. Likewise, you should not provide information on other places on the Internet about you that are a hindrance to your scholarship application. Google therefore again your first and last name, to see if your profile on the internet actually leaves a professional impression and possibly remove unwanted posts.

9- Use a pleasant, professional photo
The first

impression counts. Just the Photo application often causes strong associations with accountants. Add your application, therefore, even if not explicitly require a sympathetic and professional photo application for.

10- See annoying of requests for your application from

Many foundations do not send acknowledgments of receipt. Often pass 3-6 months before you hear back from the foundation. Many foundations explicitly write on their website that applicants should refrain from inquiries. Option you should also keep in mind then you.

Studies » Freshman Tips

If you have your high school diploma in his pocket and can start life as a student, the course is only once a reason to rejoice: A new life begins, and you can look forward to the many new impressions and experiences that await you. But everything is so exciting - in some situations it may also be that you are overwhelmed or not white. But that is no reason to bury their heads in the sand, because usually it's all from time to time so if you move to a new city and must meet the university life first.

» Socialize

First, it helps a lot when you get to know like-minded and can interact with them about his experiences. Most universities offer for freshers in a so-called orientation week, which usually takes place in the week before the start of the regular semester operation. Here you meet other students of his department and gets the calming realization that there are other people who are just as helpless even before the requirements of Unialltags.

Even if one immediately encounters here on little groups and it looks as if everyone already know each other: Most just look at the first time and immediately use the opportunity to talk with peers. Therefore, it is not a problem, and to be joined by a say.

During this week, the "Erstis" are the most important dates and deadlines taught: one learns where the Mensa is how to borrow books in the library, where the photocopier and more. If you still have questions, you should definitely dig deeper! There is no reason to let yourself confuse, because even if it sometimes may appear so: the others have just as little insight into how to myself. After the orientation week, there are information events, library management or similar one already feels much safer and has already won some friends in the ideal case, which remain a preserved throughout the study.

» Select courses

Everyone can think what events he would like to visit their own business. Of course you have to consider it, which is part of a semester, voluntarily and which perhaps is one of the required courses, but that's at every university and in every discipline differently. So you should be well informed before, how best to plan his first semester. In return, for example, the examination office, graduate students, student counseling are, or maybe just enough to look into the study regulations.

Although it is important to gather as many opinions and to consult with other students: does not always have what you are told, also agree. Maybe you get three students of the Council, just to prove no seminar with Professor XY because he supposedly gives unfair reviews. But that does not mean long, it is a go myself as well, it may well be that you get along well with him and can work great house work or exam grades. So it's always best to make your own picture only once - you can leave the course in question need be covered later still.

Most "Erstis" choose the way far too many courses and feel overwhelmed. They usually do not take the one thing thoroughly to bring to an end, but create much half, which of course leads to stress and frustration. Each of the higher semesters can confirm that you tend to exaggerate in the first semester. Therefore, less is more, as long as you manage everything that is required. Therefore, it is worthwhile to work more thoroughly with less events. This includes preparation and review, reading of prescribed reading and so on.

» Study literature

Literature is certainly among the nervigeren things that a student has to do. But if one finds his way once in the corresponding databases and the library, everything is much easier. There are also tips from the literature mostly professors or teachers that you should follow. Often, however, it is not worthwhile to buy these books because they are often very expensive. Many professors recommend course like your own literature, but which is unfortunately sometimes quite outdated and may possibly be used for this one semester only. So you should first of all try to borrow the books or copy important passages, for it often happens that you do not need the whole work by far.

» In the auditorium

Not everyone who is working well and seeks contact with his professors or teachers, is a nerd. It can not hurt to emphasize by word messages or other participation, because it is only beneficial when the instructor gets a good impression of one. If one stands out from the crowd, you have a higher recall value, for example during the office hours, and teachers assume that you are engaged and interested. This is reflected in the best case a positive effect on the final score down, and who would not? By the way: In general, teachers have a keen nose for who is serious and who just wants to "slime" to look better.

» Leisure time

To stay up to date to make friends and not alone to stagnate in his dorm room, you can do a lot in his spare time. Some is even offered by universities such as sports lessons, theater, orchestra, and much more. One should simply inquire about times, how to register and what it may cost. In most cases, the rush is on such offers very large, since they are free or inexpensive, so you should take care of early enough for it.

» What to do in case of problems?

Almost all universities there is a network of advice centers, which can absorb the students when they are in a position from which they see no way out. These include issues such as the financing of studies, exam anxiety, personal problems, sexual harassment and more. In general, you can always find a specialized point of contact, for example, a counseling center, to which one can turn free - you just have to muster up the courage. All consultants are subject to a confidentiality, and afterwards you will notice: It was worth it, the problems are solved either completely or at least become much smaller.