A big factor in my decision-making process for my master’s degree was the additional debt I would acquire. I had always said I would go straight into working after my undergraduate degree but, when I found out about the requirement of a master’s to work high up in my chosen field, I realised my plans would have to change dramatically. When I looked up the financial logistics of studying for the degree, I was shocked to find out how much more master’s degree tuition fees are, on top of the fact that most student loans (for home students) don’t even chip into living costs. No safety net of a maintenance loan for us anymore!
I was a lucky recipient of multiple bursaries during my undergrad at another university and I wasn’t sure if the same kind of financial support for students would be available elsewhere. Fortunately, I came across the Global Leaders scholarship on the University of Bath website. The award is for master’s students only, and offers £5,000 towards the tuition fees of 45 students across the faculties of Engineering & Design, Humanities & Social Science and Science. It is awarded based on “academic excellence, exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, and future leadership potential”, as well as “excellent team working skills” and “a strong vision for the future”.
My top tips for your application
In terms of the actual application process for this award, it is straightforward and accessible to all, with an online system that guides you through the different questions to fill in. However, I would recommend spending a significant time on the main questions, which change each year. They are generally based on your subject choice, times you have demonstrated the qualities outlined above, and your future goals. The selection board receives lots of applications, so making sure yours truly represents your passion for your subject and your future is incredibly important to help your profile stand out! Here’s my top tips for writing your application:
- Take your time considering your responses. Expand on your thought process. For the question “Why Bath?”, don’t just put “because it’s at the top of the league table.” Think about why that’s important to you. Is it the better employment prospects resulting from this, or the quality of teaching, or something else? It’s a good idea to look at the module list for your course and write about which ones pique your interest the most.
- Create a mind map. I was asked to write about times I have shown my leadership skills. It’s hard to think of things on the spot, so visually laying out your experiences and achievements, and writing down what you learnt from them, is a really helpful way to get the ball rolling. It’s also very useful to be able to draw links between your points so your paragraph reads smoothly and isn’t just a bullet point list.
- Think about the future! Consider how the master’s course will help you achieve your goals. First, outline your goals again, a mind map might be useful. What hard and soft skills will you gain from studying at Bath? What transferable skills will be relevant for your future? What kind of impact do you want to make in the future? How are you going to do this? I did research into what the alumni of my course went on to do, and drew inspiration from them.
There are more blogs on this award- here are two from some international students who are Global Leaders scholars:
- Wanlin Li on 'How the Global Leaders Scholarship built up my confidence to go back to university'
- Zihan Zhou on 'How the Global Leaders Scholarship changed my life'
I hope I have helped shed some light on the process of applying for the Global Leaders scholarship! It seems a daunting task but, really, you’re just writing about your passions and your future ambitions. In the end, the most important thing is that you convey your genuine interest and enthusiasm for your subject and your future. Best of luck!
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