Students around the world apply for bursaries each year in the hopes of securing funding to pay their higher education tuition fees. To increase your chances of being successful in your search it is crucial not to make any mistakes when completing your application.
Mistakes can easily be made if you are unaware of certain problem areas. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to possible errors before completing and submitting your bursary application.
Here are a few mistakes you should avoid making during your application:
- Starting Research Too Late - The best strategy is to start researching relevant bursaries well in advance of your intended study date (a full year ahead if possible), and then create a schedule so you can organize your workload and prioritize the most urgent submissions.
- Missing Deadlines - Missing deadlines is one of the most common mistakes you can make when applying for a bursary. Have reminders set that will notify you on when certain application deadlines are coming up so that you complete it in time.
- Ignoring instructions - This is one of the easiest mistakes to avoid. Pay attention to the questions in the application, the questions will contain a lot of information that is vital to your success.
- Ignoring Bursary Requirements - There are various bursary requirements put forward by many sponsors or institutions. Be sure to carefully read through the requirements and only apply to bursaries or which you meet the eligibility criteria.
- Leaving an Application Incomplete - When working on an application, it’s easy to accidentally miss a question or forget to upload a document especially for scholarships with several requirements.
- Don’t forget to proofread – Whether you agree with it or not, people tend to discount writing that has spelling and/or grammatical errors. This is why reading over your submission is highly important.
- Failing to answer essay questions – One of the most common bursary application mistakes – and one that will really limit your chances of success – is failing to complete the bursary essay question.
- Uploading files that are incompatible - Ideally, bursary providers will specify the type of file to use when uploading attachments, e.g., word document, pdf, etc. If they do, make sure you follow it, or you run the risk of having your application being overlooked because the file is incompatible.
Bursaries offer many advantages to students. One of the main benefits of obtaining a bursary is that students will have the chance to finish their education without having to pay for it.
A bursary could cover either half or all your study and registration fees. Additional expenses usually covered by bursaries include, transport fees, housing, study material and living expenses.
Find the latest bursaries, how to apply for bursaries and any other information you need on bursaries on our website.
