Scholarship Tip Two: Don’t Apply to Every Scholarships

It may seem logical to apply to every scholarship that comes your way, but follow our advice and apply to only a few grants. This will not only save you time and effort, but it will also increase your chances of receiving a scholarship.

This advice adheres to the Pareto Principle, sometimes known as the 80/20 Rule. Applying this theory to scholarship applications, it is prudent to apply to only 20% of available scholarships with an 80% likelihood of success.

Let us try to put this into context.

You are an African, namely a Nigerian, looking for a Masters in Development Studies scholarship in Germany. You were able to uncover ten scholarships for Africans to study in Germany as a result of your search.

Following the recommendations above, you will strive to concentrate your efforts on applying to 2-3 scholarships that will give you the best chance of success.  The challenge now is, how do you choose which scholarships to apply for?

The following criteria can be used to answer this question:

1. Which of the ten scholarships you discovered are primarily aimed at Nigerians?

2. Which of the ten scholarships best match your qualifications?

3. Which of the ten scholarships prioritizes the study program for which you are applying?

The perfect scholarship for you is one that is aimed exclusively at Nigerians, has qualifying restrictions that match your qualifications, and, if possible, prioritizes Masters in Development Studies or comparable programs.

Applying for a scholarship that is a good match for your citizenship, qualifications, and hobbies provides you a greater chance. Furthermore, applying to only a few scholarships provides you more time to write an excellent scholarship application letter, fulfill all of your application criteria, and submit your application on time.

This is not meant to be a rule; you are always free to apply to as many scholarships as you like if you believe it will improve your prospects. The usual recommendation is to apply for scholarships that are relevant to you rather than applying for any scholarship that comes your way.

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