How to win a full tuition scholarship at top 100 management school without GMAT/GRE
--
Are you considering postgraduate studies in the business field and wondering how to pay for it? Let’s make it clear, tuition fees for masters in any business related field aren’t going to be cheap. The majority of universities provide some financial support in the form of different scholarships, but those are limited to top candidates.
But are those scholarships exclusively reserved for students with straight As and perfect test scores? I was awarded a full tuition diversity contribution scholarship (HKD$238,000/~USD$30,000) to study the MSc Business Management degree at Hong Kong Baptist University even though I did not have a GMAT, despite it being highly desired by my school.
In this article, I will share with you what you can include in your masters application to help you stand out and maximise your chances to win any scholarship.
1. Leadership Role
Most likely you have already spent 3 or 4 years studying for your bachelor’s degree. Did you get involved in any societies or associations? It doesn’t need to be anything as big as being a president of a student union. Maybe you were a part of a dancing society, participated in an investment club or were part of a sports club?
What matters is how highly involved you were and whether you held a leadership role. Universities love candidates with leadership skills. You don’t need to be a captain of a football team to have those skills, but you can use your extracurricular experience to showcase your leadership qualities when describing it in the application form. Participating in extracurricular activities shows to universities that you are an engaged student who is likely to contribute in a classroom.
2. International Exposure
In today’s world employers, universities and all different sorts of organizations appreciate candidates with international experience. If you studied abroad, did a semester exchange or even summer school in a foreign country it will not go unnoticed by an admissions team.
Universities love diversity as it has been proven by numerous researchers that having a diverse classroom has a positive impact on students. We learn from our differences. Your international perception will be welcomed here, so make sure you elaborate on your international experience in your application for masters.
Don’t underestimate even the smallest experience. Study abroad proves that you are capable of getting outside of your comfort zone and you are fully independent. It is especially important if you are applying for a masters abroad, as it will prove to the university that you are adaptable and can handle substantial time in a foreign country.
3. Work Experience
Another aspect that can make your application stand out is having any work experience such as an internship. This clearly shows that you are employable. You are likely to contribute more in the classroom as you can connect theory to practice due to your practical experience. You don’t have to have a fancy internship at a corporation in your CV to impress.
Any work experience will do as long as you properly explain how this experience will contribute to your master’s studies. Also, if you participated in any competitions, started a business or did a techaton in the past, share it on your application. It takes someone with determination to take part in such activities. Of course, it will be impressive to say that you have won a competition but participating will also land you a few extra points in the eyes of the admissions team. Think about it, if you are so proactive now, you are likely to do it at your new university, and this is exactly what kind of students universities are looking for!
4. Showcase interest
Whether you studied relevant subjects or not during your bachelors it’s important to show your business awareness. Most of my friends would mention recent news which relates somehow to the degree they are trying to pursue. Yes it’s good, it shows you are aware of what is happening in the world and you are proactively reaching out to learn about your chosen subject.
But if you want to go one step further, make sure you mention all the insight days and events you attended. Even if you applied for an internship with a well known Bank for example and did not get it in the end, mentioning it in your application could score you extra points. Attending insight days and industry related events, as well as career talks, show the admissions team that you are proactively trying to reach your goals. Don’t be afraid to mention those. It also shows that you are able to build your network and know how to behave in the social situation.
Writing a winning application form for masters is difficult in this competitive world. There are limited scholarships therefore in order to be successful you need to give yourself an edge and put yourself in the shoes of the admissions team. All the tips I shared with you are based on my own application which landed me my scholarship. I hope my sharing will help you clarify what you should write in your application form for a masters degree. As you can see it is possible to win a scholarship without GMAT so go ahead and apply!
- Link to the scholarship.
Good Luck!
