How to Write A Winning Scholarship Essay (Proven Examples)

How to Write A Winning Scholarship Essay (Proven Examples)

Millions of people compete for thousands, if not hundreds, of scholarship positions. As a result, many institutions provide scholarship essays in order to weed out unnecessary submissions and narrow down the award to the most suitable candidates.

Scholarship essays have long been recognised as your opportunity to tell the scholarship committee who you are and why you deserve the award over a million other applicants. They also provide an opportunity for you to differentiate your application from the crowd.

A well-written scholarship essay can make all the difference in whether you’re selected for a scholarship or not, so it’s important to take the time to write one that is thoughtful, engaging, and error-free, demonstrating not just your writing prowess, but also your personality, passions, ambitions and the exceptional differences you can contribute. It should address the scholarship requirements.

We know writing these scholarship essays can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to writing a winning essay. While it may seem daunting, don’t worry,  with a little guidance and effort from the tips below, you can write a winning scholarship essay faster and simpler.

Top #10 tips to writing a winning scholarship essay

• Tip #1: Start our application early
• Tip #2: Understand the essay prompt and requirement
• Tip #3: Make your research and brainstorm
• Top #4: Create an outline
• Top #5: Craft a compelling Introduction
• Top #6: Tell a story about your experience
• Top #7: Highlight your achievements
• Top #8: Personalize, don’t generalize
• Top #9: Maintain clarity and coherence
• Top #10: Proofread, Edit, Proofread, Edit

Explained: Top #10 tips to writing a winning scholarship essay

1.  Start our application early

The sooner you start working on your essay the more time you will have to brainstorm, write and revise. If you wait until the last minute, you will likely end up with a rushed and poorly written essay. Give yourself more time to know what you really want and in what ways you perfectly fit into the criteria.

Getting organized on time doesn’t only help you stay on track but also gives you extra time to complete all the scholarship process. The earlier you start, the more likely you are to succeed. Don’t rush the process, start early!

2. Understand the essay prompt and requirement

Different scholarship programs have different prompts and different expectations, so don’t rush the writing process when you have not fully understood what is required.

Before you start writing, carefully read and fully understand the scholarship essay prompt and what the scholarship committee is looking for in the essay. Pay attention to the specific word choice, word limits, themes and any specific instructions.

Don’t deviate from the topic, rather be specific to the unique question being asked. Scholarship committee often asses applicants based on their ability to respond directly and thoroughly to the prompt. While it might be too easy to veer over the topic, stick to the topic at hand and provide a clear, specific response. This shows that you have read and understood the prompt and that you have the ability to respond thoughtfully and thoroughly.

3. Make your research and brainstorm ideas

In this case, it is important you have a solid understanding of the college or university that is offering the scholarship. Knowing their mission, values and goals will help you tailor your essay to their priorities and make a stronger case for why you are a good fit.

Another helpful research strategy is to review the scholarship provider’s website for examples of previous winners, including any essay excerpts. This can give you a good sense of what kind of qualities and accomplishments that the provider values.

It is also beneficial to take some time to brainstorm ideas for your essay. Reflect on your personal experiences, achievements, and what motivates you. Jot down key points that you want to include in your essay.

4. Create an outline

Organize your thoughts by creating an outline first then make a draft. This outline should include an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion. Each section should be saved for a specific purpose and contribute to the overall message of your essay.

There is a specific purpose for each part of your outline. If your outline loses this purpose means it is deviating from the essence. A general structure to follow for each part include:

• Introduction: Grab the reader’s attention with an intriguing opening sentence, stating why you deserve the scholarship, and how it will help you achieve your goals as your thesis statement.
• Body paragraph: Support your thesis statement with the evidence and personal examples.
• Conclusion: Summarize your main point and restate your thesis statement and express your gratitude to the scholarship committee for reading your essay. Leave the reader with a lasting impression.

5. Craft a compelling Introduction

The introduction is your chance to grab the reader’s attention. Start with a hook that engages the reader, provides context for your essay and encourages them to read. Clearly state your thesis or the main point you want to convey.

A great hook can be a personal anecdote or a powerful statement about who you are or what you hope to achieve. It can determine if your essay will be read or not. It determines if you will be considered for the scholarship or not.

6. Tell a story about your experience

Don’t just tell the scholarship committee that you are a hard worker or that you are dedicated to your education, show them by telling unique stories about your experiences. Share specific examples that highlight your experiences and challenges.

Be honest and authentic with your story telling using concrete details to make your narrative real and relatable. These details show who you are as a person and that is a touch that is unique to just your essay.

Make sure to show a clear connection between your story and the scholarship’s objective. Show how these experiences have shaped you and contributed to your goals.^[5]

One hindrance to this is the fear of being vulnerable, don’t be afraid, your true story is more powerful than an embellished one.

7. Highlight your achievements

Emphasize on your achievements and accomplishments that are relevant to the scholarship, whether they are academic, extracurricular or personal. Showcase your passion about the opportunity, field of study or future goals. Convey your enthusiasm and dedication to your chosen part. Explain how the scholarship will help you achieve your aspirations.

While writing about your accomplishments and achievements, don’t brag or over-sell yourself. Be clear and to the point.

8. Personalize, don’t generalize

It is essential to personalize your scholarship essay as much as possible. Sharing your personal stories is one of the ways to personalize your essay, by telling the reader something they can’t learn from anyone else’s essay.

Another important way of personalizing your scholarship essay is by writing specifically. By submitting a specific essay for a specific scholarship program, you will sound more personal, because the message is designed just for the particular program.

9. Maintain clarity and coherence

Write in a concise, clear and organized manner. Use transition words and sentences to make your scholarship essay conversational and readable. Avoid jargon, unnecessary words or information and overly complex language. Ensure that your essay is easy to understand.

In the course of conveying the main point of your scholarship essay, it may be necessary to provide some background information and context However, it is important to strike a balance and avoid overwhelming the reader with so much information that is obviously unnecessary.

Be sure to keep the focus on the main takeaway of your essay and tie it with the prompt that you are answering. Otherwise, you can run a risk of losing the reader’s interest and losing your chance at the scholarship.

10. Proofread, Edit, Proofread, Edit

After you must have written your essay, take your time to proofread and edit it multiple times. It is beneficial to take a break and give it fresh eyes. Check for spelling, grammar and punctuation errors. Review the content for clarity and coherence, double check if you have used the right formatting and submission guidelines.

If possible, have someone read your essay to provide feedback, or read it out loud to ensure no mistakes.

Examples of scholarship essay that has worked for Real people

Example #1 Going Merry Scholarship Essay by Jesus Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez

Award amount: $40,000

ESSAY PROMPT: What differentiates you from the hundreds of DACA students who apply to our scholarship? Use one of those opportunities to tell us something else we cannot see just by looking at your grades, test scores, and transcripts.

“I always knew I was different from my friends in some way. Growing up, I struggled to speak English while everyone else had little to no problems. I needed extra help in school while my friends coasted by with ease. My friends would hop on planes and travel all around the world while I had to stay at home. At the age of 13 all of my friends started driving while I still couldn’t.

I built up the courage and asked my mother why I did not have access to the simple liberties everyone else did. My name Is Jesus Adrian Arroyo-Ramirez, and I was illegally brought to this country when I was just six years old. At the time I had no clue that I was breaking any laws, and I did not realize the fact that my life was going to change forever. Growing up with a different citizenship situation than my peers was and still is the biggest challenge I have to face in my life.

Looking back there is not a single thing that I would change. Knowing that I had to work harder than everyone else lead me to be the person that I am today. I took that fire inside of me, pushed myself, graduated first in my class with a cumulative 4.0 GPA, became a Kansas Scholar, and graduated High School with a semester’s worth of college credit. In November of 2016, everything began to look up for me. I received a work permit and a social security card all thanks to the DACA program. I was finally able to get my license, get a job, and most importantly attend college.

I plan to continue my success in the classroom and do everything to the best of my ability as I know that under my current circumstances it can all be ripped away from me at any moment. Growing up with my situation has taught me to not take advantage of a single opportunity. There has been continued support around me past and current and I know there are people out there rooting for my success. I will strive to be the first generation in my family to graduate from an American University and I will set a stepping stone for my future family so they will not have to struggle as I did. My citizenship is not a setback, it is a mere obstacle that I will always learn to work around if it means giving my future children a better life, just like my mother did for me.” ^[8]

Lessons from this scholarship essay

1. Share your personal story and evoke emotions.
2. Have an intriguing introduction using a strong hook.
3. Make your essay conversational and readable.
4. Share your goals and future plans.

Example #2: The Scholarship System Winning Scholarship Essay

Award amount: Unknown

Essay prompt: Discuss a special attribute, experience or accomplishment that sets you apart. How do you think that will help you succeed in college? (500 – 750 words) (Hint: we ask for ONE attribute, experience or accomplishment so please choose only ONE to talk about.)

“Two and a half years ago, if I had been asked if I wanted to be a part of the HOSA organization I honestly would not have had a clue what that meant or where to begin!  I did know that I wanted to pursue a career in the health field and was guided to Tolles Career & Technical Center where I was accepted into the Pre-Vet two year program.  At the start of my Junior year I was introduced to HOSA, an organization for Future Health Professionals. The mission of HOSA is “to empower HOSA-Future Health Professionals to become leaders in the global health community through education, collaboration, and experience”.  I became a member immediately and participated locally in many of the community events and service projects. I also competed in the Ohio HOSA competition for medical innovation and advanced to the local, regional and state level.

I then decided to run for one of the seven Distinguished Representative positions for all of Ohio.  This was an intense process! I was required to first take a test over HOSA rules, regulations, and guidelines.  I was then asked to set goals for the organization and give a speech regarding my goal ideas in front of several hundred people, the current state delegates and officer team.  The final step was a vote by the current state delegates and officer team. I was successfully elected as Historian and my HOSA experience was in full swing.

My first HOSA conference as the Historian was the International Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida in June 2017.  Over 2,500 students came together to learn from five outstanding healthcare professionals. Topics included exploring healthcare careers, changes in healthcare, and medical innovations needed in the industry.  I had the opportunity to have an active role in facilitating and participating in workshops and meetings for HOSA members. The goal of these workshops and meetings was to develop practical leadership skills, effective communication skills with people of all ages, and to understand the importance of encouraging individual and group achievements.  Exceptional qualities that I plan on using in my career.

In September 2017 I participated in the HOSA Washington Leadership Conference where 400 officers from all the states learned strategies to improve our leadership skills. These interactive workshops included topics on self-motivation, problem-solving skills, managing others, and professionalism. I collaborated with representatives from many different states in preparation for our meeting with our political leaders both from the House of Representatives and the Senate to discuss with them the value of Career & Technical Education.  We explored and presented evidence regarding the importance of funding for these types of educational opportunities. Upon completion of this conference I reported back to the local Board of Education sharing my experiences and the success of our meetings. Both of these conferences taught me what it takes to be successful in healthcare.

As my tenure was coming to a close, I organized meetings with the local students who were planning to run for local and state officer positions.  I met with them in groups and individually to help prepare them for the interview process, and to emphasize the importance of maintaining the high standard of leadership in the global health community, if elected.  In May 2018 the Ohio HOSA State Leadership Conference was held in Columbus, Ohio. I had an integral role in interviewing, selecting, and presenting the new Ohio State Officers to over 1500 students and advisors from around the state.  

In conclusion, my HOSA experience helped provide me with improvements in leadership, communication, and teamwork skills.  As I move onto college each of these skills will help me in defining my goals, establishing lasting friendships and relationships, and working with others for common goals for the betterment of our local, state, and national health communities.  I am confident that all of these qualities that I have learned and practiced through HOSA will contribute to my success in every aspect of my future!”

Lessons from this scholarship essay

1. Strong story skill
2. Highlight accomplishments relevant to the prompt
3. Well researched

Example #3: New York University College of Arts and Science Scholarship by Ana

Award amount: $39,500

Essay prompt: Explain something that made a big impact in your life.

“If you can’t live off of it, it is useless.” My parents were talking about ice skating: my passion. I started skating as a ten-year-old in Spain, admiring how difficulty and grace intertwine to create beautiful programs, but no one imagined I would still be on the ice seven years and one country later. Even more unimaginable was the thought that ice skating might become one of the most useful parts of my life.

I was born in Mexico to two Spanish speakers; thus, Spanish was my first language. We then moved to Spain when I was six, before finally arriving in California around my thirteenth birthday. Each change introduced countless challenges, but the hardest part of moving to America, for me, was learning English. Laminated index cards, color-coded and full of vocabulary, became part of my daily life. As someone who loves to engage in a conversation, it was very hard to feel as if my tongue was cut off. Only at the ice rink could I be myself; the feeling of the cold rink breeze embracing me, the ripping sound of blades touching the ice, even the occasional ice burning my skin as I fell—these were my few constants. I did not need to worry about mispronouncing “axel” as “aksal.” Rather, I just needed to glide and deliver the jump.

From its good-natured bruise-counting competitions to its culture of hard work and perseverance, ice skating provided the nurturing environment that made my other challenges worthwhile. Knowing that each moment on the ice represented a financial sacrifice for my family, I cherished every second I got. Often this meant waking up every morning at 4 a.m. to practice what I had learned in my few precious minutes of coaching. It meant assisting in group lessons to earn extra skating time and taking my conditioning off-ice by joining my high school varsity running teams. Even as I began to make friends and lose my fear of speaking, the rink was my sanctuary. Eventually, however, the only way to keep improving was to pay for more coaching, which my family could not afford. And so I started tutoring Spanish.

Now, the biggest passion of my life is supported by my most natural ability. I have had over thirty Spanish students, ranging in age from three to forty and spanning many ethnic backgrounds. I currently work with fifteen students each week, each with different needs and ways of learning. Drawing on my own experiences as both a second language-learner and a figure skater, I assign personal, interactive exercises, make jokes to keep my students’ mindset positive, and never give away right answers. When I first started learning my axel jump, my coach told me I would have to fall at least 500 times (about a year of falls!) in order to land it. Likewise, I have my students embrace every detail of a mistake until they can begin to recognize new errors when they see them. I encourage them to expand their horizons and take pride in preparing them for new interactions and opportunities.

Although I agree that I will never live off of ice skating, the education and skills I have gained from it have opened countless doors. Ice skating has given me the resilience, work ethic, and inspiration to develop as a teacher and an English speaker. It has improved my academic performance by teaching me rhythm, health, and routine. It also reminds me that a passion does not have to produce money in order for it to hold immense value. Ceramics, for instance, challenges me to experiment with the messy and unexpected. While painting reminds me to be adventurous and patient with my forms of self-expression. I don’t know yet what I will live off of from day to day as I mature; however, the skills my passions have provided me are life-long and irreplaceable.

Lessons from this scholarship essay

1. Highlighting early experiences
2. Honesty when she mentioned her learning difficulties.
3. Her passion is relevant to the prompt.

Example #4 Fund for Education Abroad Rainbow Scholarship by Steven Fisher

Award amount: $7500

Essay Prompt: The Fund for Education Abroad is committed to diversifying education abroad by providing funding to students who are typically under-represented in study abroad. Please describe how you and/or your plans for study abroad could be viewed as under-represented.

As an individual who is the first in their family to pursue higher education and hails from a low socio-economic background, I perceive myself as a student who is underrepresented in the realm of academia. My parents migrated to the United States from Mexico with limited formal education and insufficient financial means to provide me with comparable opportunities to those of my peers. Notwithstanding the aforementioned obstacles, I have diligently strived to achieve academic excellence and have aspired to pursue overseas education in order to acquire a comprehensive understanding of my area of expertise from a global standpoint.

My intentions to pursue overseas education may be perceived as underrepresented due to my inclination towards studying in a non-conventional destination. Contrary to the preference of numerous students who opt to pursue their studies in Western Europe, my inclination lies in delving into the multifarious cultural and linguistic aspects of Southeast Asia. I am submitting an application for a program in Vietnam that offers an opportunity to undertake a comprehensive study of the language, history, and culture of this intriguing nation.

It is my contention that pursuing academic endeavours in Vietnam would afford me a distinctive vantage point that is not frequently encountered within the realm of international education. Vietnam is a country experiencing rapid development with a cultural and historical heritage that is relatively unfamiliar to the United States. Moreover, the Vietnamese language is not frequently included in the curriculum of American higher education institutions. Therefore, I perceive this as a chance to enhance my linguistic proficiency and cultural awareness.

As a member of an underrepresented group, I posit that my distinct viewpoint can provide a valuable contribution to the diversity of perspectives and concepts within the study abroad cohort. The prospect of acquiring knowledge and engaging with academics and learners from diverse geographical locations is a source of enthusiasm for me. This presents an opportunity to broaden my comprehension of the worldwide matters that affect my area of expertise.

Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that pursuing education overseas can incur significant costs and may not be a feasible option for a considerable number of students from underrepresented backgrounds, including myself. The opportunity to apply for the Fund for Education Abroad scholarship is greatly appreciated. The receipt of this scholarship would furnish me with the necessary financial backing to actualize my aspirations of studying abroad.

Apart from its financial assistance, it is my belief that the Fund for Education Abroad is dedicated to advancing diversity and inclusivity within the study abroad sphere. The provision of financial aid to students from under-represented backgrounds serves to dismantle the obstacles that impede their access to transformative opportunities associated with international study programs.

In summary, it is my contention that I belong to a demographic that is inadequately represented in the realm of post-secondary education. Furthermore, I posit that my intention to pursue academic endeavours in Vietnam may be perceived as emblematic of this under-representation. I express my gratitude for the chance to submit a scholarship letter for the Fund for Education Abroad scholarship and aspire to make a constructive impact on the study abroad community.

Lesson from These scholarship essays

1. Stayed on topic without going off on tangents.
2. Highlighting your accomplishments that are relevant to the prompt.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a topic for my scholarship essay?

When choosing a topic for your scholarship essay, it is important to consider the following factors:

• The scholarship prompt: What is the specific question or topic that the scholarship committee is asking you to write about?
• Your personal story: What is something unique and meaningful that you can share about yourself?
• The scholarship criteria: What is the scholarship committee looking for in an ideal candidate?

How do I proofread my scholarship essay?

Proofreading your scholarship essay is essential before you submit it. It is important to catch any errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation.

Here are a few tips for proofreading your essay:

• Read your essay aloud. This will help you to catch any errors that you might miss when reading silently.
• Ask a friend or family member to proofread your essay.
• Use a grammar checker. However, keep in mind that grammar checkers are not perfect, so it is important to proofread your essay carefully yourself.

How do I submit my scholarship essay?

Most scholarship essays are submitted online. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully and submit your essay on time.

What are some additional tips for writing a winning scholarship essay?

Here are a few additional tips for writing a winning scholarship essay:

• Be yourself. Don’t try to be someone you’re not. The scholarship committee wants to get to know the real you.
• Be specific. Don’t just say that you are a hard worker or a good student. Provide specific examples of your accomplishments and experiences.
• Be positive. Focus on your strengths and what you can offer the scholarship committee.
• Be passionate. Show the scholarship committee that you are passionate about your education and your goals.