Managing your finances at uni can present some challenges. Even with loans like HECS-HELP, the day-to-day living expenses and university costs can be overwhelming. This is where a scholarship can come in handy and alleviate some of the financial burdens that come with part-time or full-time study.
Students often don’t apply for scholarships as they believe the application process is too hard. Others believe they are not suitable for a scholarship when in reality they are eligible.
CQUni has made it super easy for students to apply for scholarships. Scholarships for term 1 2021 are closing on 8 January.
Keep reading for current Bachelor of Education student, Meg Wright’s, top tips for applying for a scholarship.
From personal experience, I learnt you should always apply for scholarships even if you don’t think you will receive one.
By writing your scholarship submission form ahead of time and always combing through the scholarships webpage to find the ones that suited me, I was able to be successful in achieving four scholarships over two years (three of which were partly or fully sponsored by CQU). This success came from simply having a positive mindset and constantly applying for scholarships EACH university term without fail.
If you would like to be successful at receiving a scholarship and/or improve your submission, here are some tips and guidelines that have helped me:
Look out for when scholarships open
Keep an eye on CQUni’s channels such as the Student Broadcast and CQUni Student News Facebook page, and start planning for what you need to submit. It can be very tempting to leave it till later and then often you don’t submit an application at all because you haven’t made the time.
Complete the application form
Complete the application form that applies to you and you will then be considered for all CQUniversity scholarships for which you are eligible:
- CQUniversity Scholarships Application Form
- Indigenous Commonwealth Scholarship Application
- VET Scholarships Application Form
via GIPHY
Use the filters on the CQU scholarships page
Head to cqu.edu.au/scholarships to find ones that apply to you. This is particularly important if you want to also consider external scholarships that aren’t sponsored by CQUni.
Tidy up your documents
Tidy up your resume, generate an unofficial transcript and gather any evidence of community involvement. This could include a simple photograph of you serving at an event.
Write that stellar submission document
Write that stellar submission document that explains your career goals, life experiences. When writing the document again for future scholarship applications. Try to make it different and up to date. A good idea is to start a fresh new document each time, so you don’t submit the same words repeatedly. Furthermore, use images to make your submission stand out so the scholarship team can get a sense of who you are and what you love to do.
via GIPHY
Submit your application.
Now it is time to submit your application. You are able to save and return to your scholarship form on MyCQU. However, it is best to fill it in all at once and submit it in the same session; this avoids disappointment when you find out you filled it all in but forgot to actually submit it.
via GIPHY
The biggest advice I can give regarding scholarships is to not discount yourself and to always apply by making it part of your ‘get ready for the upcoming term’ routine.
Don’t miss this opportunity to receive a financial boost. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the scholarships team.
Written by Meg Wright.
