I've been invited to a scholarship interview
Prepare your four or five best stories, know your plan inside out and practise out loud with someone who'll push back.
In short
Start here, today. Write down the five questions you'd least like to be asked, and draft three or four bullet points for each answer. This takes about 20 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
0 of 6 steps done
Reread your whole application
Panels often ask about something you wrote. Know every claim in your essays and CV, and have more detail ready for each, such as what happened next or what you'd do differently.
Prepare four or five stories
Choose stories that show leadership, a challenge or setback, impact on others, working with people unlike you, and why you chose your field. Tell each one simply: the situation, what you did, the result and what you learned. Keep each to about a minute and a half.
Know your plan in detail
Be ready to name the courses or researchers that matter to you, what you'll do after the degree and how you'll get there. If the scholarship expects you to return home, be clear about how and where you'll use what you learn.
Practise out loud
Ask a friend, mentor or careers adviser to run a mock interview and push back on your answers. Record yourself once. You'll hear the filler words and long openings straight away, and the second run is always better.
Get ready for an online interview
Test your camera, microphone and connection the day before, find a quiet room with light in front of you, and keep a few notes nearby without reading from them. Join a few minutes early.
Ask a good question, then follow up
Prepare one or two genuine questions, for example about the scholar community or support during the degree. Afterwards, write down what you were asked while it's fresh. It helps for other interviews, whatever the result.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- You're thrilled to be shortlisted and nervous about the panel.
- You're not sure what they'll ask beyond what's already in your essays.
- Your answers sound clear in your head and ramble when you say them.
- You've never had a formal interview, or never in this language.
Why this happens
By the interview stage, the panel already believes you're strong on paper. The interview checks that the person matches the application: that you can explain your plans clearly, think on your feet and show the qualities the scholarship is about. Many panels include people from outside your field, so clear, plain answers matter more than technical detail.
Most questions come back to a few themes: why this degree and university, what you've achieved, a challenge you handled, how you'll use the degree, and why you're right for this scholarship. If you've prepared real stories for each theme, you can adapt them to whatever you're asked, which is far less stressful than trying to memorise answers.
When to bring someone in
Careers services often run mock interviews, and past scholars are usually generous with advice about their panel. A one-to-one session with Ify can be a practice interview with honest feedback.
Find the right person, or talk to Ify