Advice to students on preparation of application for a scholarship of Orange Tulip Scholarship 2018/19

Accepting applications for scholarship program, Orange Tulip Scholarship, OTS, 2018/19, which enables Russian students to gain a unique experience of studying and living in Holland, started November 1, 2017 year and is in full swing. But pretty soon, in early April, the majority of universities-participants of the program will be accepting applications. And the most recent applications the universities will no longer accept at the beginning of may, 2018 .

The decision on the awarding of scholarship the OTS Dutch universities are taking on their own, however, applications from Russian students to participate in the program come to them only through the official program coordinator in Russia Nuffic Neso Russia.

We asked the representative of Nuffic Neso Russia Elena Agafonov to tell about the most important points connected with the preparation and submission of documents for scholarship about the common mistakes and pitfalls encountered by students, and other important issues related to the awarding of scholarships.

EI: Elena, Hey. We are grateful that you agreed to answer important questions about OTS. Time before the deadline there's not much left but to meet the deadline is quite possible. What applicants should pay special attention not to waste precious time? What is important to consider when preparing an application for a scholarship?

A. E.: Preparing to apply for a scholarship of Orange Tulip Scholarship, be aware that this is only possible after submission of documents to the desired University. We simply cannot accept the application for the scholarship, if the applicant does not provide evidence that he is already enrolled in the University or that its documents are reviewed at the University.

It is also important to understand that the scholarship of Orange Tulip Scholarship applied only to certain programs and universities listed on our website. To request her for a training program or University is not listed, it is impossible.

EI: a set of documents for the scholarship include CV. What are the basic requirements for a high quality CV?

E. A.: the Goal of CV is to give an overview of the main stages of life of the candidate. Well-composed CV should be informative but concise – no more than 1.5-2 pages A4.

In CV in a convenient and understandable form, you must explain where, when and what he studied people, where and whom to work (if he already has experience). All resulting qualification, the certificates and the like should also be indicated in the CV. Information needs to be clearly structured and set out, in chronological or reverse chronological order.

If you do not want to completely create a document yourself, you can use this online editor as Eurpoass CV. Its use is widespread in Europe generally and the Netherlands in particular, so this format is not exactly there.

EI: Elena, another one of the documents in the application for a scholarship recommendation. In Russia they are providing is not a widespread practice. One candidate for the scholarship it is better to get recommendations?

E. A.: For admission to the University and participate in the competition for a scholarship and this applies not only to Orange Tulip Scholarship - indeed, sometimes the right advice.

As a rule, as a sponsor acts as the scientific Director or a teacher who knows the student. After all, in fact, a recommendation letter is nothing more than a positive characteristic of a potential student. And to give a response, the sponsor must have sufficient knowledge of the student. He should tell about the academic abilities, accomplishments, and the strengths of the individual student.

In some cases, the host University may accept a recommendation from colleagues or the supervisor. For this reason, you should always check with your University requirements for a recommendation letter and who should act as a Recommender, and how it should be decorated. To the design and form of sending letters from different universities may have their own requirements, we should be very careful.

Profile of the ideal teacher-Recommender

Recommendation letter for a foreign University

EI: Elena, ask the question that worries many students: what are the reasons you can be denied scholarships OTS?

E. A.: the Most obvious and simple reason why candidates get rejected in the award of scholarships is that they are just not fully meet the requirements of the applicants. For example, have a high enough rating in the diploma. It also happens that they just did not fulfill some formal requirements are not sent at the right time documents or are not registered in any University system.

And if the above to varying degrees, dependent of the applicant, the other more serious cause of failure in the awarding of scholarships is that the application of the applicant was for some reason weaker and less attractive in comparison with other applicants is always more than scholarships.

In some cases, universities also pay attention to the presence of international experience, or leadership abilities, and other things being equal, the scholarship goes to those who are different from other applicants on these parameters.

EI: please Tell us about the problematic points in student applications – what is the most difficult?

E. A.: One of the most important things is, of course, a motivation letter, depends on it very much - especially if on other indicators, applicants are not inferior to each other.

In his letter to the University applicants should clearly say about their abilities, achievements and goals. Should justify the selection of University and training programmes, and tell us what you want to achieve and how it will help you in studying at the University. But perhaps even more important to talk about what you have experience and knowledge that could benefit the host University, its teachers and future classmates.

Of course what you write in the motivational letter is very important, but do not underestimate the importance of its proper execution. As a rule, should not exceed volume of 1-1,5 pages A4.

The volume is of secondary importance, and it is better to listen to the famous phrase "brevity – the sister of talent". At the selection Committee won't be time to read a "treatise" on 10 pages - especially when you consider that one scholarship OTS can be 15-20 applicants.

In addition, the letter should have a clear and logical structure – so the information is easier to read and perceived to be easier to understand what you want to convey to him.

EI: Russian Neso office is accepting applications for fellows, and then passes them for review to the universities. At what time they report its decision to award the scholarship?

E. A.: As a rule, the universities report on the decision in a period of 2 to 4-5 weeks after receipt of applications. Definitely the results will be announced by the end of may – beginning of June as in the interests of the University to know who's going to learn from them and time to issue them a visa.

According to Dutch law, a student visa may be issued to the student only took his University. It takes about a month and a half, so in the summer months, universities do this, and at the end of August-September newly students usually come to the Netherlands to study.

EI: Elena, thank you very much for the useful advice and comments. What guidance would you give to young people who this year decides to try their hand in getting OTS?

E. A.: We are often faced with the fact that people want that we assess their chances for admission or for scholarships, which often is simply impossible. Nobody knows who, together with you will qualify for one place or scholarship. Scholarship is always a competition! The only thing we can confidently say about the Orange Tulip Scholarship is that applicants is much less than the scholarships, which can serve citizens of all countries outside the EU.

So my main advice is not to read tea leaves, do not try to assess their chances for scholarships, but to act. You should start with an introduction to the requirements for applicants and the official information about the scholarship. Usually this will be enough to evaluate whether or not you meet the most important criteria. If Yes, then without wasting time take care of making and sending documents.

And if you are taken for preparing the documents for the scholarship, then treat it as seriously as possible – literally, every word in your documents has a weight and can play a crucial role. The better and better the applications for the scholarship – the more chances to receive it, however nothing can guarantee it to you. So if you want to get a scholarship – go for it and apply effort!

EI: Elena, thank you again for useful information. And I would like to wish the students to be careful with the paperwork, to write a brilliant cover letter, to meet deadlines and, of course, to be a scholar OTS 2018/19.

Find out more in our section on higher education in the Netherlands and on the official website of Nuffic Neso Russia.