Tuần 5 khóa Are you a Scholarship Winner?

1. 2006 – 2009 National University of Singapore – BA (Psychology)
2013 – 2015 Penn State University – MA (Psychology/Sociology)
Fulbright scholarship
Australian Development Scholarship/ (Leadership…)
2016 – 2018 University of Amsterdam – MSc (Development/Political Science)
Amsterdam Excellence Scholarship
2019 – 2023 University of Aberdeen – PhD (Citizenship, Civil Society, and Rule of Law)
European Commission’s Marie Curie Actions grant
The journey…

2. 2006 – 2009 National University of Singapore – BA (Psychology)
Welfare, poverty, LGBT issues
2013 – 2015 Penn State University – MA (Psychology/Sociology)
LGBT identity politics and social movement
2016 – 2018 University of Amsterdam – MSc (Development/Political Science)
Influences of foreign aid on the adherence to liberal democratic norms of LGBT NGOs/activists
2019 – 2023 University of Aberdeen – PhD (Citizenship, Civil Society, and Rule of Law)
Shifting norms and values as motivation for counter-authoritarian civic actions
The journey…

3. Where and when personal story matters…
- Bachelor, master’s
- ‘Development’ scholarships vs ‘excellence’ scholarship (often mixed in different degrees)
Personal stories for ‘development’ scholarships often about…
- A systemic problem that you want to solve
- Personal experience that reflects a systemic problem
Problem and (direction for) solution getting more specific/technical as you go
higher/deeper
- Bachelor
- Master
- Short course/fellowship

4. Characteristics of a ‘strong’ motivation essay …
- Honest, true
- Defines who you are/you have spent a long time thinking about it
- Goes from the personal to the systemic/solution will help you AND others
- Story within story – A led to B, B led to C… actions and thoughts
continuously evolving
- Commitment to solving a problem – words vs deeds
- Simplicity, focused
- Strategic – content vs language
MUCH MORE THAN AN ESSAY CHECKLIST!

5. “How to identify your cause”
“How to link your cause to your study and career goal”
Cause
Study plan and career goal
Actions – volunteering,
activism, …
Contemplation
Scholarship application
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