Find out common scholarship interview questions and tips on how to answer to them. Convincing someone they should give you a large sum of money is intimidating, to say the least, which is why it’s essential to prepare.
Never go in blind, believing you’ll come up with persuasive answers on the fly. There are several common scholarship interview questions you will likely be asked in one way or another.
Most scholarships and fellowship programmes have a step-by-step procedure involving application, scholarship interview, scholarship essay submissions and scholarship recommendations.
In the series of all such procedures, students find scholarship interviews to be a tad bit more difficult than others. It certainly is not that tedious once you get to know the comprehensive details of the scholarship interview preparation.
In this post, we break down the winning tactics for scholarship interview and how to answer tough scholarship interview questions.
Scholarship Interview Tips and Tricks
- Review your submitted application details thoroughly
- Review the scholarship program information & the organization who is providing it.
- Learn about current affairs by reading national newspapers.
- Be yourself & stay confident
- Monitor your Body language
- Try not to show signs of nervousness. In the context of a scholarship you’re aiming to win, displaying confidence is key, even when discussing challenging topics.
- While getting questions fired at you that you have no answer to, ask the judges to clarify the question.
- Sit straight when you face the judges, make eye contact.
- Don’t do any unnecessary movement.
- Don’t fold your arms
- Speak clearly, and slowly
- During the scholarship interview, take your time responding to questions; don’t rush your answers.
- If you want to “warm up” before your interview, think of the significant accomplishments you had and what you are passionate about. This preparation can significantly improve your performance, especially when faced with tough scholarship interview questions.
- Prepare a monthly expense report: Sometimes the interviewers have no idea about the expenses students have for travel, accommodation, meals, study materials, learning equipment and for other things. Therefore, it is good to prepare a monthly expense report. A simple break of your expenses, activity after activity, day after day will be helpful for you.
13 Common Scholarship Interview Questions and Guidelines to Prepare Answers
1. Tell us Something About Yourself
This question is often used as an ice-breaker and should give the scholarship committee a better idea of who you are as an individual.
They want to know what sets you apart from the other scholarship candidates, whether that’s a talent or activity you like most.
These types of questions can throw students off due to their open-ended nature, especially if you’re not prepared. The interviewer is leaving it up to you to decide where to take the conversation, which is actually incredibly valuable. This question enables you to guide the direction of the interview.
Make sure you discuss aspects of your life that illustrate who you are. Be specific. If there was another person who was exactly the same as you on paper, how are you different from them?
This harkens back to your upbringing, values, and what’s most important to you.
If you feel comfortable speaking about it, don’t shy away from talking about where you grew up, your family, and your overall upbringing. You might also touch on academic or personal hobbies you are passionate about or your current goals and aspirations.
Assume you will encounter this question in some form or another, so make sure to prepare your answer in advance. This is a common question in interviews, especially for a college scholarship, where your response can highlight your preparedness and foresight. You want a three to four minute answer that discusses who you are and the most formative parts of your upbringing. How did you get here? Why are you sitting in front of this interviewer trying to secure this scholarship?
For example, if you grew up in a small town, you might mention the impact that had on you growing up, how it shaped who you are, and what the advantages and challenges were of that upbringing.
2. “Give us an Example of a Time You Overcame Adversity.”
Use an example that really illustrates a time where you were placed in an uncomfortable situation; for example, confronting someone who may have been bullying you or dealing with a difficult teacher.
Speak about something unique. Simply talking about getting a bad grade or overworking yourself is not enough. Find a significant challenge you faced and ensure you thoroughly explain the steps you took to overcome it. Offering specific examples here can illustrate your problem-solving skills and determination, critical factors in winning a scholarship.
For example, no matter the type of challenge you describe, you might discuss how you were able to lean on your friends and family. Be specific. How did you persevere, and what did you learn from the experience? What will you do differently next time?
You could also speak about any adversity you’ve experienced, such as being discriminated against because of your race, religion, gender, identity, etc. How did the experience shape who you are, and how have you specifically endured those challenges?
3. “Where Do You See Yourself in Five Years?”
It’s basically the scholarship committee’s way of finding out if you have a game plan. Try to envision during the scholarship interview where you want to be in five years, and then figure out how to get there.
When an interviewer asks where you see yourself in 10, 15, or 20 years, they want to learn what your big dreams and aspirations are. You don’t have to be absolutely realistic and accurate here. It’s okay to dream big.
Don’t go as high as wanting to be president, but show passion and ambition. What does your ideal life look like if everything goes your way?
As with all questions, it’s important to be specific. Don’t stop at “I want to be a surgeon.” What type of surgeon do you want to be? Where will you be practicing medicine in 10 years?
Will you be done with school or still in residency? This common question aims to understand your future plans and how a college scholarship fits into them. What will the day-to-day of your life look like, including your family life?
Your answer should speak to the career you hope to have, but if you have other dreams, add them here too. In 10 years, do you hope to come home to a partner or family? Where do you see yourself or you and your family living?
What aspirations outside of your career will you have realized in 10 years? For example, knowing how to play an instrument or having a short story or novel published.
While this question is focused on your career, it’s also a chance to dig deeper into who you are, what you value, and who you hope to be beyond your work life.
Your plan should include how long you will remain in college (bachelor’s, master’s, or higher?), internships or other outside activities that will help improve your chances of accomplishing your goals, as well as a financial strategy to cover all your expenses.
4. “How Do You Plan to Use the Scholarship Money?”
It’s one thing to say you ‘need’ money for college, but it’s quite another to actually show a provider where the proceeds will be put to use. Plan ahead by creating a budget that spells out all your estimated expenses for obtaining your degree, and don’t forget to include any anticipated income you may receive from your family or other resources.
Assure the committee that you are applying to other scholarships, as well. It will impress the scholarship interview committee if they see you are taking an active role in keeping your student debt to a minimum. Don’t forget to bring along extra copies of your budget, too, just in case the committee wants a closer look.
5. “Why do you Deserve this Scholarship?”
Don’t brag about your GPA or how many clubs you belong to at school. Some International scholarships do not even consider the GPAs.
Instead, be honest with the scholarship interview committee and acknowledge that there are other worthy candidates that probably deserve the award as much as you do, but remind them that your work ethic and past accomplishments are a good indicator of your future success.
Being asked to compare yourself to other candidates is often the hardest question to answer, as it requires you to be confident and humble at the same time. This is a common question in scholarship interviews, demanding a balanced approach to show respect while highlighting your unique qualifications.
Contextualize your answer. Focus on your own accomplishments in a humble way, and never put the other applicants down.
Always start by acknowledging the talent and worthiness of the people you’re in competition with. This tactic shows humility and respect, essential qualities for a successful college scholarship applicant. For example, “I have met some amazing candidates who are also highly qualified for this opportunity.” But don’t stop there. Ensure you actually answer the question by discussing what makes you uniquely qualified.
Continuing with what you hope to accomplish with the scholarship can paint a clear and unique picture of why you are the ideal choice. For example, “However, I believe this scholarship would give me the tools, support, and foundation necessary to create a ripple effect in this community, which will have a much wider impact on people beyond just myself.”
Lead with humility while also not shying away from the strengths, attributes, and aspirations that make you an ideal fit for this scholarship.
6. Who is a Role Model for you?
Interviewers want to know who has shaped who you are today. Who has contributed to your success and worldview? Who inspires you, and who do you aspire to be like?
It’s okay to have a standard answer like “parents” here if it’s true, but make sure you contextualize it and make it unique. Use anecdotes, stories, and specific moments from your past to illustrate how your parents become your role models.
No matter who you choose, whether it’s a family member, a mentor, or even a successful entrepreneur or celebrity, make sure you explain why they inspire you. What quality do they have that you want to emulate? Answer this question by highlighting the characteristics you admire in others and aspire to develop, showcasing your self-awareness and ambition in a scholarship context. This is another opportunity to discuss your values.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of using cliches here, so be specific. How has their influence on your life shaped who you are today?
7. How Would You Define Life?
They may give you an opportunity to say whatever you want, so be ready.
Interviewers want to know who you are beyond your academic or professional achievements. Can you balance your studies with other passions and interests?
What do you like to do in your spare time, and do you prioritize time away from your studies to maintain a balanced and healthy lifestyle?
All work and no play leads to burnout. If you can’t think of a hobby outside of your core ambition, it illustrates to interviewers that you may not be able to maintain your health and wellness as you progress in school and your career.
Share an interest or hobby and speak specifically about why you enjoy and prioritize it. What do you like about it, and what does it mean to you? What does it give you?
For example, if you like to cook, what do you like about cooking? How do you prioritize cooking in your life? How often do you cook?
You might discuss how cooking makes you feel closer to your family or how you aim to try at least one new recipe every week to expand your culinary knowledge and skills. In a scholarship interview, this could also provide an opportunity to show how you embrace learning and challenge yourself, a trait valuable for winning any college scholarship.
Hobbies come in all shapes and sizes. You might discuss your passion for group sports, fitness, music, writing, gardening, board games, coding, taking care of a pet, reading, drawing, photography, etc. But whatever you choose, discuss the specific value it brings to your life.
8. What is Your Greatest Strength and Weakness?
When it comes to strengths, provide an anecdote that puts your strength on display. Let’s say your strength is empathy.
You could describe how you are very aware of people’s feelings when sharing a space with them, so you always go above and beyond to foster inclusion and ensure everyone is comfortable.
For example, what did you do specifically to help a new student or employee feel comfortable? How did you put them at ease and set them up for success?
When it comes to weaknesses, again, it’s important to be unique and specific. Being unable to manage time is not strong enough. Whatever weakness you choose, the conversation needs to be about how you are working to improve yourself.
How are you going to overcome it? If your weakness is being present, you could discuss the impact it’s had on your life and how you are now spending several minutes a day meditating so that you can better focus on the present moment.
No one is perfect. Showing that you’re aware of a weakness and are taking steps to learn and improve shows wisdom and maturity.
Use a particular instance to illustrate your strength. When talking about a weakness, be honest. but it is very impressive to see that you are also taking steps to minimize and perhaps overcome that weakness.
You want the scholarship interview panel to believe that your weakness will not keep you from being successful as a college student.
9. Why Did You Choose This College?
It is better to explain why the college’s features are important to you. Walk the interviewers through the thought process you went through when selecting the college.
This will help them understand what is important to you and it will also show them how seriously you considered your choice of a college and the education you hope to attain there.
10. Why Do You Want to Enter this Career?
Name few well known alumni or personality who achieved big success in your interest field. For eg. In Mathematics: Name few scientists or mathematician.
If you want to become a physician, why do you have that dream? What is inspiring you or driving you to become a doctor? Go beyond cliches like wanting to help people or enjoying science. What anecdote from your life can you connect your career path to?
Was there a specific moment you knew you wanted to pursue a certain career? What led you to that decision? What moments in your life have shaped your career decisions?
Let’s say you want to be a dermatologist. What led you to that career decision? Is it because you had a lot of acne growing up and know how painful and isolating it can be, and now you want to help others with that problem?
If you want to be a lawyer, is it because someone close to you was given an unfair sentence, and you want to help others in that position?
Describe the career, what it means to you, and what led you to your decision.
11. What Personal/Professional Achievement Are You Proudest Of?
Interviewers want to hear about your accomplishments, but they also want personal insight into what you are most proud of. Be prepared to center out a specific achievement, including why that achievement means so much to you.
Pick something that is specific to you. Graduating with honors or making it to this phase of the scholarship process isn’t unique enough, every candidate they’re interviewing can say the same thing.
What’s a unique personal or professional achievement that makes you swell with pride? Whatever you choose, describe the accomplishment in detail, including what made it difficult, why it’s special to you, and how it made you feel.
You could describe an achievement that’s quite rare, one that involves overcoming several obstacles along the way, or one that you have a personal connection with.
For example, you might have been awarded the same award as a family member, or you could have overcome a learning disability or another disadvantage to excel as a student.
12. What’s the Last Book You Enjoyed? / What’s Your Favorite Book? / What Are You Currently Reading?
This question can trip up students if you’re not prepared for it, especially if you’re not an avid reader. Be prepared for a question like this, including variations that ask about the types of books or reading you most enjoy.
They may ask you about other forms of entertainment, such as podcasts, movies, or television shows you like. The interviewer is once again trying to get to know who you are outside of your studies or ambitions.
You could also choose to take this question in another direction and discuss why you didn’t like a book or movie. This puts your critical thinking skills on display and shows you deeply consider the books and programs you consume.
Did the characters lack authenticity? Did you find the author’s message unconvincing or dubious? Did you not enjoy the dialogue or prose?
13. Is there Anything else you Want to Add?
The last impression you leave is often the strongest. If you think you’ve already left a strong impression during the scholarship interview, then you don’t have to say anything.
Have at least two questions ready that are unique and tailored to the scholarship and interviewer. Even if they don’t directly ask if you have questions for them, have these prepared either way.
Asking intriguing and considerate questions at the end of the interview illustrates professionalism and interest.
Ensure you have questions ready, but be prepared to adapt them depending on how the interview goes. If you come up with other questions while you’re being interviewed, ask those questions instead of more generic ones.
For example, if you’ve developed a good rapport, you might ask the interviewer why they chose to be a part of this scholarship community. What drew them to this organization?
But if you think you need to reemphasize an important point, this is the time to make a final statement.
How Should I Introduce Myself in a Scholarship Interview?
Begin with a confident greeting, state your name, mention your current academic status, and express enthusiasm for the opportunity to discuss your qualifications.
How Do You Answer Scholarship Interview Questions?
Provide concise, focused responses that highlight your achievements, goals, and how the scholarship aligns with your aspirations. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for behavioral questions.
What Is an Example of a Weakness for a Scholarship Interview?
Choose a weakness that you’ve actively worked to improve, demonstrating self-awareness and commitment to personal growth. For instance, discuss overcoming a fear of public speaking through practice and training.
What Should I Wear to a Scholarship Interview?
Opt for professional attire, such as business casual or formal wear, to convey a polished and respectful appearance. Dressing appropriately demonstrates your seriousness about the interview.
How Do You Ace a Scholarship Interview?
Prepare thoroughly, research the scholarship organization, practice common interview questions, and showcase your achievements confidently. Maintain good eye contact and body language during the interview.
What Is a Sample Answer for a Scholarship Interview?
Craft a response that aligns with your experiences and goals. For instance, when asked about leadership, discuss a specific situation where you took initiative, the actions you took, and the positive results achieved.
What Questions Should You Ask at the End of a Scholarship Interview?
Inquire about the scholarship selection timeline, the committee’s expectations from successful candidates, and express gratitude for the opportunity to interview.
What Is the STAR Method for a Scholarship Interview?
The STAR method involves presenting a Situation, Task, Action, and Result when answering behavioral questions. This structured approach helps you provide detailed and impactful responses.
Final Words
Practicing for these questions will not only make your answers better, but it will help to give you confidence before the actual interview.
During your scholarship interview, try to relax and have a real conversation with your interviewers. The interview is not designed to be an interrogation.