Insider Tips: What Universities Don’t Tell You About Winning International Scholarships
At Scholarship Scanner, our mission is to simplify the search for UK university scholarships and offer expert guidance to help international students secure the best opportunities. So, we interviewed a Scholarships Assessor who reveals what universities often don’t share about the scholarship application process. Discover insider tips that can give you an edge in securing international scholarships at UK universities.
Question: Can you tell us about your experience in scholarships for international students?
Assessor’s Answer: "I’ve worked at two different universities, one ranked in the UK top 10 and the other in the UK top 30, and I’ve assessed thousands of scholarship applications in the last ten years!"
Question: Who is responsible for assessing scholarship applications for international students?
Assessor’s Answer: "A range of different university staff are involved in assessing and awarding scholarships for international students. Some scholarships are evaluated by academic staff. However, due to the huge volume of applications for study abroad scholarships, assessments are usually handled by the Admissions team or the International Recruitment team. Some universities now even have dedicated Scholarship Managers, whose job is to focus solely on assessing and awarding scholarships."
Question: Should students explain why they need the scholarship in their application?
Assessor’s Answer: "Unless we've asked you this, don't explain why you need the scholarship. While we understand the difficult circumstances that many international students face, most scholarships can only be awarded to applicants who meet specific application criteria - e.g. demonstrating academic excellence, work experience, or relevant extracurricular activities. It’s essential to focus on how you fulfil these criteria to secure the scholarship."
Question: What makes a scholarship application easier for you to assess?
Assessor’s Answer: "After the scholarship deadline has passed, we often have a short timeframe to assess and score all scholarship applications, so we can communicate our decisions to applicants promptly. This can mean reviewing hundreds of scholarship applications in a single day. To make it easier for us, ensure your application is concise, clearly answers the question, follows word limits, or adheres to any time limits if it’s a video submission. Presentation matters - make sure your application is clear and easy to read or watch."
Question: What are your thoughts on students using AI tools to help write their scholarship applications?
Assessor’s Answer: "Make sure your application is original. Don't rely on AI to write your application for you; it’s often very obvious when a scholarship application is generated by AI - and those applications don’t score well. Applications that include original answers usually score highly, which is crucial when considering how to increase your chances of winning a scholarship."
Question: Can you share any other tips for winning a university scholarship?
Assessor’s Answer: "Show that you've researched the university - its location, rankings, or any other relevant facts. This demonstrates that you're serious about us and that you've done your homework, making your application stand out."
Question: How else can I increase my chances of getting an international scholarship?
Assessor’s Answer: "Look ahead to the next round - are you prepared? Some scholarships, especially high-value ones, have multiple application rounds. If you pass the first round, the next one can arrive quickly. Most universities publish the dates for each stage on their website, so check ahead and prepare for future rounds if you can."
For more expert advice, read our articles on how to win a UK university scholarship. Scholarship Scanner’s comprehensive database for the January 2025 intake is ready to explore, and we’ll soon release new details for the September 2025 intake.