Helpful strategies to achieve scholarships
By Yuyu Komariyah
BANDUNG (JP): Are you seeking a scholarship to pursue further education? Do not worry. There are many scholarships now being offered to Indonesians wishing to pursue either undergraduate or postgraduate studies at home or abroad.
Whether or not you succeed in securing a scholarship depends very much on the strategies you employ in the application and selection process. Consider the following tips:
1. identify the target
2. be ready with all requirements, such as transcripts
3. remain optimistic and be well-prepared for being shortlisted
4. have good communication skills
Identifying the target
Be creative and try to find various sources of information regarding scholarship programs provided by Indonesian or overseas institutions. Some national newspapers may be regarded as the most common medium of information. ADS, for example, commonly advertises its program in August or September each year; the British Chevening awards are launched in January or February; and the Fullbright by the end of each year, etc.
Government employees can get the latest information regarding scholarship opportunities from their institutions, personnel departments or human resource development divisions. The programs are mostly in the form of public or government to government programs.
As e-media sources have been becoming increasingly popular and available, another alternative is to browse through various Internet sites on scholarship programs. The list below could be useful:
www.adsjakarta.or.id -- for ADS scholarships for postgraduate studies (masters and doctorates) in Australia.
www.leydesdorff.net/index.htm -- ASCoR University of Amsterdam for doctorate studies only.
www.zef.de/ -- PhD fellowships in Germany.
www.surabayapost.co.id/01/02/10/08INZ.HTML -- for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Russia.
www.more.at/nec -- masters and doctorate programs in the Netherlands.
www.itc.ncl -- masters and doctorate programs in the Netherlands.
http://wdisf.net -- undergraduate programs in the Netherlands.
www.usembassyjakarta.org/aminef -- Fullbright scholarships for masters in the U.S..
www.chevening.or.id -- the Chevening award for masters programs in the UK.
If you wish to get more information about programs such as short courses and seminars, look up www.pendidikan.net or www.infoseek.com on the web.
Once you have decided on a scholarship, you must also decide on the subject you wish to study -- bearing in mind your capability. Do not choose subjects which are completely novel or irrelevant to your working experience or educational background.
Also read all of the requirements carefully.
Some scholarship programs have compulsory and optional requirements, but you would have a greater chance of succeeding if you fulfilled all of the requirements.
The following are the most common requirements:
* Academic records: If you are a domestic university graduate, be prepared with academic records and certificates translated into English. A minimum GPA of 2.75 on a scale of 4.0 is recommended.
S2 and S3 (masters and doctorate degree) applicants, have to submit at least one recommendation letter from a former professor or lecturer.
Moreover, it is highly recommended that S3 applicants submit a recommendation letter from a professor at the university they wish to study at; therefore advance correspondence with those professors is needed before applying for both the place in the university and the scholarship.
* Personal records: translated birth certificate, correspondence and acceptance from the university. Don't forget to have a detailed curriculum vitae which shows that the study you wish to pursue bears relevance to your educational or professional background.
* TOEFL/IELTS score: The recommended score for either tests vary, but it usually starts from 500 for TOEFL and 5.0 for IELTS (ADS requires 500 for TOEFL and 5.0 for IELTS, Fullbright requires a TOEFL score of 550). Applicants will have a greater chance of winning a scholarship if they score more than 550 for TOEFL or more than 6 for IELTS.
* A research proposal: For applicants of master by research or PhD, a research proposal is a must. The length of the proposal ranges from 1 to 4 pages and should cover the aim of the study, relevance and benefit of study for Indonesian development, research methods and data analysis.
Be consistent with the detail you have to cover in the proposal and don't cram data into your proposal just to fill up the space. Your passages should be clear and concise.
Don't forget to check spelling, grammar, vocabulary and the overall clarity of the proposal so that it can be easily read by the examiners.
A healthy dose of optimism is needed
Given the tough competition, the selection committee usually shortlists applicants based on the clarity and relevance of the application letters and whether all requirements are met. Optimism is needed, and get ready to be shortlisted.
Interviews are usually the next step and are often considered to be the most difficult part of the application process, especially for those not accustomed to facing formal interviews in English.
Most interviews revolve around certain topics such as your educational background and whether it supports the study program you wish to pursue. Your professional experience will probably be discussed and questions about the benefits of the study that you choose for your future career, your community and the relationship between Indonesia and the country in which you wish to study.
Communication skills
Good communication skills contribute positively to a successful application. Consider the following tips for your interview:
* Be punctual and ready for an initial briefing and interview
* Try to give a good first impression, since it usually affects the rest of the meeting.
* Be polite when answering all the questions
* Speak clearly
* Listen well and speak at the appropriate time
* Be concise and give compelling arguments
Let us hope you will be one of the successful scholarship recipients in 2002/2003.
The writer is a lecturer at STIA LAN Bandung.