Varsha Kalyanasundaram, originally from India, is studying MEd Psychology of Education at Manchester. She was awarded the GREAT Scholarship and was jointly sponsored by the University and the British Council. In her blog, she shares her advice for prospective students who are thinking about applying to a scholarship.

What’s your top advice for the applications process?

I found out by looking for scholarship opportunities on the website and came across the GREAT scholarship. I was automatically considered for the scholarship; there was no separate application process. My course is based at the MIE (Manchester Institute of Education) and the University already had places allocated for the department at that time, so it was a fairly straightforward process. The main eligibility requirements were that I had to be an international student, had to have an offer from the University, and had to be self-funded.

I would say that university is not just for academia; scholarship committees are looking for a well-rounded student, so try and engage in any extracurricular activities/work experience alongside your studies, even if it’s once every week. It’s also important to spell out what you learnt from this experience in your personal statement and how you’ll use this in your prospective studies. So, while it’s great to say I worked at ‘X organisation’, take one step further and talk about how that shaped you as a person and how you’ll apply this experience to your degree. Also, trust yourself and what you’ve got to offer. It’s natural to compare yourself and think that you’re not ‘good enough’ to apply, but you’ve come this far and have lots of experience and achievements that you might think are not significant, but are exactly what the scholarship committees are looking for!

How did the scholarship make a difference to your studies?

The scholarship made a great difference overall. It helped ease some of my financial concerns, especially being an international student.  On a more personal level, the scholarship helped me trust myself more and my abilities, and led me to believe that I am capable of achieving anything I put my mind to, so I’m really grateful to the University for the award.

What are your plans for after graduation?

I hope to gain some work experience and then pursue a PhD in the Social Sciences. My time here in Manchester has helped a great deal; I wouldn’t want it any other way! I’m enjoying my studies – my course is academically engaging, my lecturers have always gone above and beyond to help, and their feedback has been invaluable. I’m confident these experiences will really shape and help
me in the future.

One thing I would tell myself before I began my studies here is to trust myself more. So, really reflect on how far you’ve come – you’re more capable than you think. Also, there’s always something going on in Manchester, so try and attend different events happening in the city!

Related