After you’ve applied for a scholarship, the selection committee may want to learn more about you through a scholarship interview. Most of the time, scholarship providers clearly state in the application that they hold interviews as a part of the scholarship process, so usually this won’t come as a surprise.
If you’ve been asked to take part in a scholarship interview, this is great news. It means that your application stood out from the many others that were submitted. The most important part now is to make sure you know what to expect.
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If it is an in-person interview, you will need to find out if it will be held locally or if you will have to travel. Some scholarships, like the Roothbert Fund Scholarship program, require that those selected for an interview travel to their headquarters in New York City as well as in the District of Columbia; New Haven, Connecticut; or Philadelphia. For their particular scholarship, students are not reimbursed for travel.
Interview travel and expenses are factors to consider when planning your scholarship interview. These will differ from scholarship to scholarship, and some organizations may offer travel grants to students who qualify.
The actual interview can vary greatly depending on the scholarship and the organization awarding it. For smaller scholarship providers and organizations, you may only meet with one person who wants to get to know you further. The interview may only last up to an hour.
When it comes to larger organizations and often for high-dollar scholarships, you may meet with an entire committee or with different individuals over the course of multiple interviews. Regardless of the form, generally they will let you know in advance of the interview roughly how long it should take and with whom you’ll meet.
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During the interview, you should expect to explain a little about your background and current academics and extracurricular activities. Also expect to explain more scholarship-specific information, like why you deserve the scholarship.
Sometimes, you may even have to explain how you’ll use the funds, if they’re awarded to you and aren’t specifically meant for tuition. You should also anticipate talking about your future plans, possibly including where you want to attend college, what you want to study and your career goals .
Some scholarships — especially those that require an artistic component, like a portfolio — may require you to discuss any work samples you’ve submitted to the committee. If the application required an artist’s statement, the interview is a good time to reiterate what you wrote in that statement. If this wasn’t required, the interview may offer you the opportunity to explain things like your subject matter, any artists or writers that inspire you, and your choice of medium.
[Read these tips on compiling a portfolio for art scholarships.]
Similarly, those seeking a theater scholarship may have to participate in an audition in addition to their scholarship interview. For example, Case Western Reserve University offers four full-tuition scholarships and two $10,000 scholarships to theater majors and minors, and both require an interview or audition. The university allows students to participate during its Theater Open House and Theater Scholarship Weekend or schedule a separate on-campus audition and interview. Students who are unable to make it to campus may submit an audition video or electronic portfolio of work.
While the interviewer or committee may be primarily asking questions, plan to ask a few questions yourself — this shows an interest in the scholarship opportunity and the provider and can also help you learn more about what may be required of you if you should win the scholarship. Your questions can range from the nuts and bolts of the scholarship — such as what GPA you’ll need to maintain or whether the scholarship is renewable — to broader questions about the organization. This is your chance to learn more about the organization’s history and to ask about previous scholarship winners.
After the interview is over, expect to follow up in a timely fashion. If you have the time, it is best to send a handwritten note to the interviewer or scholarship committee. However, sometimes the scholarship committee will make a decision quickly after completing interviews, which makes a thank-you email more timely and appropriate. Either way, following up to thank the interviewer or committee for their time and letting them know you’re available to share any additional needed information is an essential and final part of the interview process.
Usually, the scholarship providers will let you know the time frame in which they’ll make the decision — which can vary depending on the time of year and the number of scholarship applicants they have to interview. Winners will often receive a phone call, while those not chosen can usually anticipate receiving an email or mailed letter. However, this also depends on the scholarship; if you are unsure, reach out to the scholarship organization.
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