Know the Trick - Applying for a Scholarship and Writing Personal Statement

 

From a muddy riverbank in the outskirt Jakarta to have visited the glamorous New York. From a shanty town in Tangerang to have studied and lived in the vigorous Manchester. And to name a few: to have joined the Indonesian Faculty at University of Wisconsin, to have seen the Charles Bridge in Prague and Eiffel Tower in Paris, I considered myself a lucky one. Financially I cannot afford all those experiences. As a son of a warteg (a small food stall aiming for working class customers) owner, I never thought I could have achieved this far. My parents found it very challenging to send me to school – as education is not their main concern, and they dropped out from middle school to start working at early age.

I then started to think very hard. The only way for me to pursue higher education was to get a scholarship. I asked a number of people, browsed the internet and found some opportunities. And the result: a short scholarship programme to University of South Carolina, USA (2008), a Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) to University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA (2012 – 2013) and a Master scholarship from Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education, LPDP) Indonesia to study at The University of Manchester, UK (2014 – 2015).

Am I that genius? The answer is no. I always believe that one does not have to be super genius to get accepted for a scholarship programme or at a university. To know the trick; that’s the key. Almost all scholarship programmes and university enrollment require the same application procedure: application form, score of English proficiency test (for non-native English speakers) and personal statement.

In 2014 I got accepted to three universities (MA Intercultural Communication, The University of Manchester, UK; MA Applied Linguistics, University of Melbourne, Australia; and MA Sociocultural Linguistics, Goldsmiths College, University of London – I’m afraid I sound bragging so much now). Although they are not in top 10 world university ranking, at least they are some of the prestigious universities in the world. Thanks to LPDP Indonesia for giving me the full scholarship.

I went through the same process: completing the application form, writing some essays and facing the interview. Here I would like to share some tips on writing successful application. I know I may not be the expert to talk about it, but I hope you find it useful somehow.

• Who am I? – Knowing yourself

That is the first, basic question one should be able to answer before starting to apply for a scholarship programme or a university. Knowing yourself will allow you to describe yourself, your strengths and your passion clearly. It will then enable you to stand out among other applicants. To answer this question, I usually divide it into three parts: my past, my present and my future plans.

One’s family background, childhood experience or passion that she/he has long kept could be a strong point. I remember I found my passion for education when I was in primary school. During the end of school year or Christmas holiday, I usually summoned the kids in my neighbourhood and taught them how to read, to write and to solve simple Maths problems. On the riverbank (that was our backyard) I and some of my cousins did that as a regular hobby to spend our holiday. From that point I knew that I had a strong passion in education. Whenever people asked what my dream job was, I always told them that I wanted to be a teacher. A childhood dream that has led me to who I am now (present). And my past that has inspired my future goals.

I noticed that such story may have strengthened my application. You might not have the same story, but I am sure there is a particular experience or memory that inspires you and is related to the field of study you have chosen. Explore it and that could be the attention grabber of your application.

• Choosing the right one

Knowing yourself will also help you complete the application requirement smoothly. The next challenge is to search for the right programme and university. You know your passion, where you are now and what your future goals are, so now this is the time to select the programme and the university. I would suggest you not to focus on big names. I know everyone would love to get admitted to Harvard or Oxford, but your programme could be best conducted in some other universities.

Internet could be best tool to help you. You may want to type “top 5 linguistics (or your field of study) schools” in your search engine. After you have found some, I would advise you to spend hours on the university website to get to know the programme better.

The university website usually displays the courses offered every semester, with a brief yet clear description. From this research you may find some that fit your passion and interest. When you have, start the application process.

You will also find a list of the professors in that programme/university. Read some of their research papers, find the one(s) that share(s) the same interest with you and write them! They might be able to help you find a scholarship.

Another useful advise is that you may want to apply for more than one universities. If you miss one, you have another chance at the other university.

• Understanding the questions

You have now chosen the programme(s) and the university(ies) you would like to enroll in. The next step is to start the application process, including writing your personal statement. For some of us, it might be burdensome. But trust me, it is not as scary as you may have thought!

Before you start writing your personal statement, I would strongly suggest you to read the questions or requirement thoroughly and understand what the university or scholarship body is looking for (usually they state it pretty clearly on their website or application form). You may not want to apply for a scholarship aiming for future engineers if your passion is in linguistics.

Let’s take a look on the question from Fulbright scholarship application:

“As part of the evaluation of your application, you are required to attach a one page (please do not exceed the 1 page limit) of a clear and detailed description of your study objectives.  Give your reason for wanting to pursue them in the U.S. Describe the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your proposed field of study fits in with your educational background, your professional background, your future objectives, and your future involvement in community development. Please type, do not write.”

There are a few points we need to pay attention to the questions/requirement:

• Do not exceed the 1-page limit. In some other cases you may find 1000-word limit. Ideally, if it says you should not write more than 1000 words, do not assume that you can write far less than 1000 words. 990 words should be okay.
• The main things you need to explain in your personal statement: reason for wanting to pursue your study in the US, the programme you expect to undertake and how your field of study fits in your educational and professional background and your contribution to community after you have finished the study. In your essay/personal statement, they do not have to appear in the order like that. Just make sure your essay is coherent.
• Different scholarship may have different questions to answer. Make sure your personal statement covers your past (background), present (current job/experience) and future plans.

When writing your personal statement, make sure you only explain your relevant experience or background. In some other examples, the university would ask why you are interested in studying there. Why did you choose the programme? How would it help you pursue your future career? Be sure that you can explain it clearly.

• Making the draft (and START WRITING !!!)

A draft will significantly help you write a good essay or personal statement. This is how I usually make a draft:

1st paragraph: introduction, including the attention grabber. The first few lines should attract the audience’ attention and make them eager to read more. The hook or attention grabber may include: a personal story (childhood or past experience), a rhetorical question, a quotation or your inspiration that is related to the field of study you have choosen.

Here are a few examples that I took from my own personal statement (the introduction part only):

“What makes teaching a second or foreign language is different from teaching another subject? The answer may lie in the objective of the teaching-learning process itself: the learners should be able to acquire the second or foreign language well. Thus, ...”

“The connection between language and culture has always been one of my greatest interests. Language, as Agar (1994) describes it, constructs a world of meanings. The discourse of language goes beyond what words and sentences could explain – and there we can find culture, in which individuals are aware of differences. Language occupies the gap between individuals with sound while culture shapes the connection between humans through meanings (Agar: 1994 cited in Risager: 2006).”

In the introduction part, you could show your interest in the field of study and also your understanding about the study.

2nd paragraph: your past. Here you can explain your relevant experience that is strongly related to the proposed field of study. It is indeed a strong point if your background (educational and professional) matches the study.

“When I began my undergraduate career, ...”

“My five year experience in teaching a foreign language (English to Indonesian students and Indonesian language to foreign students) allows me to …”

3rd paragraph: The next paragraph could be similar to the previous one. You may want to explain your recent professional experience, your role and the current projects you have accomplished that, again, reflects your capability in the proposed field of study.

4th paragraph: the future. The next paragraph could be the right place to explain why the programme and the university you have chosen is the best one to pursue your education. Again, please avoid cliche statement (visit https://www.kent.ac.uk/careers/postgradmenu.htm#AppsInts). Show that you have done some research about the programme and the university and the courses nicely fit your interest. Here you may also show that you have read some of the professors’ papers and even you have contact them.

“Furthermore, doing a PhD in Educational Linguistics at The University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education will equip me with more proficiency in this area. The core courses offered (Sociolinguistics in Education, Language Diversity and Education, Second Language Development and Language Policy and Planning) correspond to my research interest. The standing faculty of this program would provide excellent supervision. I was thrilled to learn that Professor Nancy H. Hornberger was one of the faculty. Professor Hornberger’s Encyclopedia of Language and Education has helped me gain a better understanding of language education policy and some aspects which greatly influence this, such as culture, gender, class, pluralism and moral dimensions – all relevant factors in ELT in Indonesia.” (my own personal statement)

Closing remarks: Last but not least, remarkable closing could give a very good impression for your application. Show your potential and why admitting you at the programme would be a right decision for the university.

“With such background, I strongly believe that this Sociocultural Linguistics programme will benefit my current and future profession. I realize that teaching a language is not only about delivering materials, but also about getting into some other aspects of the language and the learners. And I am eager to explore this area more. Thus, I am applying for MA programme in Sociocultural Linguistics at University of London, Goldsmiths, in hope that I will be able to elevate my skills as a language teacher.”

I understand that it may be very challenging to start writing. You may think that it would be very difficult, you are not capable enough, you need to learn English more and some other reasons. But trust me, once you write the first sentence, ideas will flow – especially when you have made the draft. Draft will help you organise your essay well.

• Proofreading

After you have finished the essay or personal statement, it will be beneficial if you get it proofread by someone else. Find at least two readers who are willing to check your essay. They could be your former teachers or simply your friends who have better language skills. It is okay to make some mistakes. That’s the reason why we need to have our essay proofread. Before submitting the application, make sure you have eliminated grammatical errors and have explained your ideas clearly in the essay. Think about it, why should the university accept you if your essay was difficult to understand?

• Submit!

Last but not least, upload all requirements needed (including your essay/personal statement) and click submit. When you think you have done all it takes to get accepted at the university/scholarship, you should be proud and you shouldn’t feel guilty whatever the outcome is. In case it has not been successful yet, you know there are many other doors or opportunities that you can try. I have failed a few times as well. Again, the key is: to know who you are, what you want, your motivation and contribution you can offer to the surroundings (even to the field of study you have chosen).

Before I close, I just want to say that travel would be a bonus when you are successful receiving the scholarship. Some people make a mistake for making the holiday (visiting other countries) as their biggest motivation for applying for a scholarship. Remember that the main duty after you have received the scholarship is to study and contribute to your field, whatever that is. Travel would come afterwards.

And when you have been successful getting the scholarship, make the best of it, gain a lot of experience and knowledge, open your mind and enjoy!

Hope you find it useful.

Cheers!

*ps. Author received the following scholarships:

2014 – 2015: LPDP scholarship from The Ministry of Finance of Indonesia to study MA Intercultural Communication at The University of Manchester, UK.

2012 – 2013: Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant (FLTA) to teach Indonesian language at University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.

2009: attending International Youth Leadership Conference in Prague, Czech Republic.

2008: participating in Workshop on ASEAN Youth, Culture and Development in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

2008: Indonesia English Language Study Program at University of South Carolina, USA (sponsored by US Department of States and Institute of International Education).

and now is working as an English lecturer and instructor of Bahasa Indonesia for foreign students in Jakarta.