51猎奇

51猎奇 Scholarship Services
Toggle navigation DE

3. Preparing your application

Very far in advance

Perhaps you know that you will need financial support in the future or would like to participate in a scholarship program. Now would be the time to find out about possible options and identify their selection criteria. For example, if achievement and commitment are important criteria, you can start strengthening these areas of your profile early on.

Far in advance

As soon as you have found the right scholarship program(s), you should find out which documents are required for the application. You should not wait until the last few days before the deadline to start requesting documents and letters of recommendation!

In advance

Take your time to prepare your written application. Inform yourself thoroughly about the scholarship program(s) and think about why you are a suitable candidate. Prepare a first draft of your application a few days before the deadline so that you can give it to someone (you are welcome to give it to our advisory team!) for review.

The written application

Your written application will most likely consist of documents about your study history (grades, certificates, etc.) as well as a CV and a letter of motivation. Here are our top tips on the form, style and content of these documents:

Form & style

  • Keep the format uncomplicated and within the printable range (black and white).
  • Use a typical serif font.
  • List entries in reverse chronological order (newest items first).
  • Avoid gaps. Time frames should be clearly indicated (e.g. August 2021 - March 2022).

Content

Recommended categories/headings:

  • Education (first category)
  • Internships/work experience
  • Social engagement (if you have enough points for a separate category)
  • Extracurricular activities
  • Prizes/awards/scholarships (if applicable)
  • Hobbies (to show additional facets of your personality)
  • Languages (with level of proficiency)

Highlight the points that fit well with the profile of the scholarship program. 

Form & style

  • Stick to the page/space limit (if none is specified, no longer than one page)
  • Decide on a clear structure for the topics you plan to cover
  • Start each paragraph with a topic sentence, which is then elaborated within the paragraph
  • Check thoroughly for spelling and grammatical errors

Content

  • A letter of motivation should reflect your unique personality and story (no generic AI formulations).
  • Make it clear why you are applying for the particular scholarship program and why you are suitable.
  • Do not repeat your CV, but add to it.
  • Do not hesitate to describe challenges you have faced or are currently facing.
  • Describe how you have overcome or are actively overcoming certain challenges.
  • If financial support is an important factor, you can state this openly and explicitly explain what financial support would mean for your studies and life.

A possible structure: 

  1. Start with your current goals and motivations (why you chose your degree program, why you are involved in certain activities and why you are applying for the scholarship).
  2. Go back in time and explain specific stages and experiences in your life that have led you to this point (try to include short but vivid examples to make your story/profile memorable).
  3. Finally, return to the present and give an outlook: How will the scholarship help you pursue your current and future goals (both financial and non-material factors) and how/why do you want to contribute to the scholarship program and its goals?

Our counseling center supports you in all phases of preparation and writing - make an appointment .

Letter of recommendation

If you need to submit one or more letters of recommendation, follow these tips:

Ideally, the authors of your letter of recommendation have had the opportunity to get to know you academically/professionally and can also write about your personality. For example: the teacher of a seminar in which you actively participated in discussions or gave a successful presentation. 

What if you don't know a teacher (well)? 

If you have just started studying in a department with large, anonymous lectures, you may not yet have had the chance to get to know any lecturers well. This should not stop you from asking for letters of recommendation. In this case, provide the context through which you know the person and provide them with information (more on this in the "content of the request" section below).

Ask for the letter of recommendation early on. Your professors and lecturers will probably be happy to provide you with a letter of recommendation, but they are busy people who need time for this task. We recommend asking in person during an office hour. If this is not possible, a well-structured, polite email is also suitable. If there is no prompt response, wait 3-5 days before contacting them again.

When asking for a letter of recommendation, explain:

  • the context through which you know each other (if necessary).
  • why you are applying for the respective scholarship program.
  • what criteria the scholarship program is looking for.
  • by when and how the letter should be submitted.
Offer to provide additional materials upon request: Your CV, letter of motivation, work or exams you have completed under this person's supervision, maybe even bullet points on why you are a good fit for the scholarship - you want to make it as easy as possible for the recommending person!

Interviews and seminars

Many scholarship programs make an initial selection of candidates on the basis of written applications. A second stage of the application process consists of either an interview with an individual or a selection committee and/or an invitation to a selection seminar. 

You can assume that the interview will be a friendly exchange in which you will have the opportunity to describe your motivations and experiences and explain why you are interested in the scholarship program.

What is taken into consideration?

Formalities:

As with any job interview, you should arrive early, look well-groomed, greet your interviewer with a handshake and maintain eye contact during the interview. Bring a copy of your application documents with you.

Preparations:

You should show that you have familiarized yourself with the goals and values of the scholarship provider.

Motivation/enthusiasm:

Your interviewer wants to see that you pursue things with enthusiasm - in your studies (subject interests) and in your engagement and extracurricular activities; also convey what inspires you about the goals of the scholarship program.

Selection conferences and seminars are usually all-day or weekend-long events where you and several other applicants come together for interviews and group activities. You may be asked to prepare a short impulse presentation as a starting point for a discussion with the other applicants. In such situations, it is important that you just be yourself. Getting to know each other is the main goal and you should interact with your fellow applicants in a collegial rather than competitive manner.

If you are invited to a selection seminar, we can offer you personalised coaching to help you prepare. We also offer regular workshops for those preparing for such formats. Find out about the next workshop and/or contact us directly for a consultation.

Goethe-Universit盲t Frankfurt
Studium Lehre Internationales

Visitor address: 
Campus Westend
PEG Building, Room 2.G179
Theodor-W.-Adorno-Platz 6  
60323 Frankfurt am Main

Postal address:
60629 Frankfurt am Main

Inquiries:
stipendien@uni-frankfurt.de

Telephone hotline: 069/798-3838
Mon.鈥揊ri. 09:00鈥�12:00 and
Mon.鈥揟hu. 13:00鈥�16:00