4 questions to an SI scholarship holder
Applying for an SI scholarship requires some effort. We asked Lesley Hakunavanhu, one of our SI scholarship holders, a few questions about the process and what to pay attention to in order to submit a successful application.
What advice would you give to students who wants to apply for the SI scholarship for global professionals?
Make sure to read the instructions carefully at the webpage of the Swedish Institute. There are many documents you need to prepare and submit, take your time to plan and organise them so you do not forget anything. Following the application description is key, as your application will be dismissed if this is not done properly.
Lesley Hakunavanhu received an SI Scholarship for his studies at our Master’s Programme in Applied Environmental Science.
”The more clearly you describe the connection between your experiences and your study programme, the more interesting your application becomes.”
What part of the application would you recommend to put the most effort in?
The motivational letter is very important as this is your chance to convince the Swedish Institute that your achievements and goals are aligned with their critera. Make sure to emphasise your successful accomplishments, but remember to be humble and self-critical as well.
I would also recommend you to spend some extra time on describing how your chosen study programme can be connected to one of the global sustainable goals as this question is added in the application this year.
Is there anything you should avoid when applying?
Avoid plagiarism. Of course you can look for inspiration in other peoples’ applications and motivational letters, but make sure to use your own words and do not copy someone elses. This will lead to your application being disqualified.
Also make sure to stick to the templates provided, and do not add more text that there is space for or any other information than what is asked for.
Can you submit several applications?
Yes, if you have applied for several Master’s programmes which are eligible for the SI scholarship (check the list at the Swedish Institute webpage) you can submit separate scholarship applications for each programme, as you might want to emphasise certain skills in connection to the specific study area.
Let's say you are going to study environmental science and have previous experience from working as a volounteer within this field where you were resonsible for leading a project. Make sure to focus on this in your CV, the leadership experience part, the work experience part and in your motivational letter. The more clear the connection is between your experiences and the study programme, the more interesting your application becomes.
