Scholarships-For-Southern-Africans
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Dear Prospective Scholar, The Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust (CCELAT) and its alumni have complied this booklet to assist you on your study journey. The booklet is divided into 5 sections: Section 1 - An overview of Canon Collins Trust Section 2 - General guidance on applying for a scholarship Section 3 - Advice on scholarship interviews Section 4 - Scholarship opportunities available through Canon Collins Trust Section 5 – Additional scholarship opportunities Masters and PhD level, as well as some Bachelor level scholarships The information in this booklet draws on Canon Collins Trust’s 35 years of rich experience in awarding and administering scholarships, and supporting scholars. We hope you find this booklet a useful resource, and wish you every success with your postgraduate scholarship journey. The CCELAT team and alumni Southern Africa June 2020 SECTION 1 Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust Access to educational opportunities is severely unequal in southern Africa. Canon Collins Trust believes that education, and higher education in particular, is empowering for individuals and transformative for society. Southern Africa’s development depends on strong leadership in key fields, which is why the Trust is committed to postgraduate scholarship programmes for southern African candidates. Since 1981, the Trust has supported more than 3,500 scholars from 14 southern African countries. Currently, the Trust runs 13 postgraduate scholarship programmes, and supports over 100 scholars to study at 30 universities in South Africa, the UK and Ireland. Canon Collins scholars are at the forefront of research, activism and leadership in southern Africa. We enable talented individuals to pursue postgraduate and doctoral studies to help shape southern African knowledge economies through dedicated research, whilst combatting critical shortfalls in national development strategies. Our mission is to offer an increasing number of scholarships to expand our presence and welcome more aspiring researchers and activists into our ever-growing network of change agents. For more information about Canon Collins Trust visit our website: www.canoncollins.org.uk SECTION 2 General guidance on finding and applying for scholarships Finding the right scholarship and applying successfully is the first step in your exciting postgraduate study journey. Below are a few tips to help you find a scholarship that best suits you, and apply with the best chance for success. Finding Scholarships Use key words such as “southern Africa”, “southern African”, “sub-Sahara”, “sub- Saharan”, “Scholarships”, “Masters”, and “PhD” (or your desired level of study). You can also use key words that relate to what you want to study, for example “social development scholarships”. If you are the first person studying in your family you can search “first-in-family” scholarships. Useful websites Below are some of useful websites where you can find further information on a range of scholarships on offer (in addition to those in this booklet) • www.scholars4dev.com • http://allbursaries.com/ • https://scholarship-positions.com/ • https://www.wemakescholars.com/other/ford-foundation/scholarships • https://www.canoncollins.org.uk/sites/canoncollins.org.uk/files/list_of_alternati ve_funding.pdf • https://www.humanrightscareers.com/magazine/5-fully-funded-phds-in- human-rights-2020-2021/ • https://www.opportunitiesforafricans.com/category • https://www.scholarshipsads.com/ NB: Scholarship details and availability change constantly! We recommend that you do further research to verify information against your needs. Choose a scholarship that best suits you and your needs There are hundreds of scholarships available – each with different locations of study, entry requirements, funding offers, time periods and subject choices. It is important to narrow your search. Be honest about what will best suit you. Ask yourself if the scholarships meets your needs. Consider your eligibility for the scholarship criteria. Choosing the right scholarship is not only about what is best suited for you, but also about whether you will be successful. Make sure your application is well written and supported with all required documentation. Consider applying for local scholarships first. Scholarships offering smaller awards may give you a greater chance of success. Opt for scholarships with narrow eligibility criteria. Apply for less popular scholarships. The Application Different scholarships have different application requirements and deadlines. Apply early for as many suitable scholarships as possible, and don’t underestimate the time and effort needed to craft a good application. Ensure that you submit all the required documentation, and that your application is proofread, corrected and submitted before the closing date of submission. Common application requirements: Completed scholarship application form Letter of motivation / Statement of purpose / Essay (more detailed guidelines on how to write these below) Curriculum Vitae (CV)/Resume Copies of transcripts / past degrees Letter/s of recommendation Financial information Copy of passport / identity document Proof of English language proficiency Consider the crafting of scholarship applications as an ongoing task. Don’t be discouraged by a delayed response, as processing applications takes time. Stay focused. Guidelines for writing a letter of motivation / statement of purpose When writing a letter of motivation or statement of purpose consider the following questions and proposed structure for this document. (Remember that this is not a template and should be adapted for the requirements of the scholarship in question.) • Length – approximately 1 page (250 – 350 words) • Who are you? Where do you come from (your family and socio-economic situation); where did you go to school / study? (Paragraph 1) • What do you want to study and where? Why do you want to study this course? What led you to choose this course and university? Any defining moments (e.g. you attended an event, were involved in a life changing experience, met a particular person who influenced your thinking…) (Paragraph 2) • Where do you see yourself (in 1-3 years and/or 5-10 years from now) after completing the course? What do you want to be doing? And how will this course have contributed to that? (Paragraph 3) • What will you do to contribute to your field / community / country after completing your studies? (Paragraph 4) • Why do you need this scholarship specifically? What are you prepared to do? (If the scholarship is offered by a company, why is this company an ideal place to start your career?) (Paragraph 5) SECTION 3 Interview Tips Scholarships are often very competitive and meeting the requirements does not necessarily guarantee you an interview. If your application is shortlisted for the interview stage, plan ahead and prepare well for your interview. Doing research is critical to the success of your interview. Start by reviewing the requirements for the scholarship, and your submitted application. (Make sure you keep a copy of everything you submit.) The application questions can give you good insight into what might be asked on the day, and reviewing your answers will help to refresh your memory. You should also research the organisation or institution offering the scholarship. Have a look at the ‘About Us’ page of their website, past events or other programmes they offer. This will give you a good understanding of their priorities, and the kind of scholars they are looking for. The questions below are common ones that you may encounter in an interview. Think about what might be an adequate and appropriate response that addresses the question in sufficient depth. Avoid being vague, and give concrete examples where possible. While planning and preparation are essential, your responses should still be spontaneous, rather than a ‘learned speech’. Take the time to practice your responses, perhaps with a friend, to ensure that you will float through the questions on the day. Most frequently asked questions: 1. Tell us something about yourself. 2. What kinds of activities are you involved in? 3. How would your friends / teachers / employers describe you? 4. What is your greatest strength/weakness? 5. Tell us about a mistake you have made, and what you did to overcome it. 6. Tell us about a personal achievement that makes you proud. 7. What do you want to accomplish in your life? 8. Where do you see yourself in five – ten years from now? 9. Why do you want to study at your chosen institution? And why this particular course? 10. How do you plan to use your scholarship? 11. We only have a limited number of scholarships to offer. Why do you deserve the scholarship? 12. What can you do for our organisation/university? What would be your contribution? 13. Is there anything else you would like to ask or add? Some questions you might ask: What does your organization hope to accomplish in providing this scholarship? What other programmes does your organization support in order to achieve your objectives, and how can I get involved? Can you tell me what characteristics your ideal candidate would have? Are there any other academic resources that the scholarship provides? Does your organisation sponsor any programs for job placement or connecting with alumni? Are there any resources or opportunities available through the organisation after I graduate? Make sure that the answers to the questions you ask are not obviously available on the website. This would show that you have not done your homework! During the interview All your planning and preparation is about to pay off! There are however, a few things to remember during the interview that will help to ensure your success. 14. Be on time! 15. Offer a firm handshake, smile and keep your head up high. 16. Stay calm and be yourself. Give honest answers. 17. Eye contact is very important. 18. Breathe! Allow yourself to pause, and talk at an appropriate pace. Try to avoid words such as “um” and “like”. 19. Think before you speak. It is important to be attentive and listen carefully. 20. Respond in a clear and concise manner. 21.