
This post will walk you through the benefits of sacrificing a few of those precious study hours to apply for scholarships for 2021, how to find the right scholarships for you and some practical tips for your application.
Applications close 30 September 2020, so let’s get going!
A scholarship is a payment made to support a student's education, so the most obvious benefit is that you have financial assistance to go towards university fees, living costs, textbooks and field trips. Scholarships are rewards for academic achievement (and for other things) so winning one is often a very real acknowledgement of all your hard work!
But there are some other benefits you may not be aware of, which will vary from scholarship to scholarship, and at UNSW, there is huge range of equity and merit scholarships available to help support you.
From an engineering student’s perspective, it’s interesting to know that some scholarships are sponsored by companies, which could mean that you don’t have to stress about finding your Industrial Training placement – this is the work experience we all have to do as part of an engineering degree. Having worked with one company over the course of your degree may also provide you with a great advantage if you want to work with them after graduation.
Some scholarships also come with mentoring opportunities with someone who has been through uni and figured out the workplace. As a student and young engineer this is one of the most valuable experiences you can have. Scholarships also provide you with a network of like-minded students. If you’re new to Sydney or don’t know anyone else at UNSW, the scholarships community is a great way to meet people and make friends.
At UNSW there are many different categories of scholarships, so it’s best to apply for as many as you are eligible for: rural, interstate, Women in Engineering, Co-op, high achievers, general engineering scholarships, university-wide scholarships (like the UNSW General Merit Scholarship) and many more. Co-op scholarships have their own website and application portal (www.coop.unsw.edu.au), and you can find all the others on the main UNSW scholarship website (www.scholarships.unsw.edu.au).
On the main site, you can search by ‘Faculty’ (Engineering) and ‘Other Criteria’ (Female/Rural/Industry Linked, etc) or by keywords, but it’s best not to narrow the search down too much or you might miss some! It’s also a good idea to select the ‘High School Leaver’ criteria to help you weed out the ones you can’t apply for.
Finally, there is a range of Women in Engineering Scholarships for incoming first years and they are all covered by one application! You can find them using the code UGCE1400. If you’re chosen for an interview, the selection committee will look at the preferences in your application to determine which scholarship you’d be most suited to.
Now for some very practical tips for your application – there are hundreds of people applying for some of these scholarships, so these are a few ways to make sure your application is great!
Most scholarship applications for 2021 are open now until the end of September, so get in early and find everything you’re eligible for. A scholarship can really help you out at uni, so apply for as many as possible, and apply early so you’re not rushing your applications. And remember to follow these tips to assist you in submitting the best application possible.
Good luck! And we hope to see you at UNSW!
By Lucy Barrie