Common Scholarship Interview Questions

A scholarship oral interview is usually an open-ended question that requires a longer response. This interview is done by a representative from the scholarship body. Your response will determine if you are qualified or not and if your goals correspond with theirs. A lot of Scholarship schemes prepare interview questions to help them select the best candidate for the scholarship award.

So you must know how these questions are asked and suitable answers to give as well to enable you to qualify for the award. Having discovered students’ challenges in terms of Scholarship interview questions, I decided to write on this, to give you a proper guide on how to answer Scholarship interview-based questions.

Frequently asked Scholarship interview questions

1. Tell us about yourself

This question allows you to be in charge of the discussion. They want to know more about you and why you are outstanding. The interviewer wants something different that is unique about you and not a general notion. You can begin by giving a general description of yourself, before going further to give a distinguishing characteristic about who you are, something peculiar about you alone. This question gives room for you to tell them about your creativity and potential.

2. Why did you choose this school or program?

Let your answers give them points about your reason for choosing the program. Don’t go outside the scope, try to be convincing and your answers should sound direct and sincere.

3. Who is your role Model?

This is a sensitive question that requires a critical and well-composed answer because your response will tell them the kind of person you want to be in the future. Your role model is someone you look up to and wish to be like that person in the future because that person inspires you. The person might be a politician, family member, friend, religious head, or guardian, whoever the person is, the main point here is you want to be like them because there is something about them you admire a lot.

So when giving your response, say exactly who the person is and the reasons the person is your role model. Don’t copy someone else’s role model just talk about yours and be proud of it, you don’t need a specific role model to stand out. Your description of that person and the enthusiasm with which you say it will make them see the reality and sincerity in what you say.

4. What do you intend to do with your career?

You should be able to tell them your plans for your future and how you work earnestly with those plans to achieve your goals. You can also give reasons you chose a particular career and include what and who inspired you to focus on that field despite having different options.

Also, state how the scholarship will assist you in pursuing your career and also what you intend to do, and the impact you will create once you complete the program.

5. Why do you deserve this scholarship?

Take advantage of this question to win their heart. The truth is you actually applied for this scholarship for a reason, so state your reasons. Be sincere don’t twist or forge your answers. They want to know if you just want the scholarship as a means of earning extra cash or for selfish reasons.

6. What activities are you involved in?

To answer this question perfectly, state the activities you engage in outside your school activities. Talk about the creative work you do and some of the organization you belong to that has brought out the best in you.

7. What has been one of your greatest achievements?

Be real in your statement. Tell them about an important project you worked on and how accomplishing it changed your life and those around you positively. Let the interviewer feel how great you felt when you accomplished it.

8. How Would You Describe Yourself in Three Words?

Some interview questions will ask you to describe yourself in a few words or lines. Your response will tell how concise and direct you will be if you are given a job to handle. On this note don’t answer beyond what you were asked.

9. Tell Us About Your Weaknesses and Plans To Overcome Them?

When you’re asked about your weakness, it’s just the opposite of your strength. Don’t present yourself as being perfect. Nobody is perfect and you can’t deny you don’t have a weakness or weaknesses no one doesn’t.

So when answering this question just come out plain, state that area or areas you are battling with and what you’re currently doing to handle it before it overwhelms you. It’s better to be truthful about yourself than cook up a lie.

10. What Other Skills Do You Possess Excluding Academic Work?

Education is not the ultimate and will never be. If you want to stand out and be exceptional from others you must have other skills handy. Whatever you know you can learn in addition to your education do so. Tell them the skill you have, the interviewer from this question seeks to know how useful you can be outside the educational sector.

11. What Are Your Greatest Strengths?

This means that the potential in you that distinguishes you from others. You have to be precise with your answers and tell them about your Strengths and how it has made your life easier and better. You must be true about your greatest strength because it’s your distinguishing characteristic.

12. What Inspires You?

We are humans and certainly, there must be something or someone who inspires us. Life has a series of events both bad and good events. In all, we stand to learn one or two lessons from them, and somehow these experiences inspire us to push further. So from what you have experienced or what you come across daily, you can get something that inspires you.

13. What’s Your Dream Job?

Don’t be amazed when you are asked this question. Though you are a student still schooling. This question tells how focused you are and how you are planning for your future. The interviewer here wants to know your view in terms of jobs and why you chose that specific one.

14. What’s Your Biggest Mistake and Lesson Learned?

We all make mistakes at a certain point in our lives that doesn’t mean we are weak, it only shows that we are humans. This mistake allows us to learn and plan better to prevent such things from reoccurring.

Don’t be perturbed by their reactions when they hear your mistakes. They aren’t after your mistakes but they are interested in the lessons you have learned from them and how it’s affecting your life presently.

 Other possible Scholarship questions include:

1. How do you intend to utilize the scholarship funds?

2. Give us your description of a good college environment?

3. How did you choose a major?”

4. Give a brief description of yourself.

5. Tell us about your leadership experience.

6. What book do you love to read the most and give reasons.

7. What was your best subject in school?”

8. Tell us about your experiences in school.

9. What is your definition of failure?”

10. What drives you?”

11. Do you see yourself as a leader and why?

Conclusion

These questions and many more are what you are likely to be asked in a scholarship interview. Go through them properly and draft your answers as it concerns you. Don’t try to impress the interviewer, just be sincere in your response. These questions are not meant to scare you away or to make you fail but it’s to help you discover yourself and what you have in you.

They want to know if the award you will be given won’t be in vain and if it will not just help you achieve your dreams but you will be useful to the world at large. The scholarship is meant to help you build yourself in your career and other areas and also make you a creative and useful human in society so they expect the best. Do want you can and be accurate in responding. Good luck!

ALSO, READ How To Write a Scholarship Application Letter