5 basic tips to keep your academic scholarship

If you’re reading this, you probably secured a scholarship to go to university — or hope to. Scholarships are a great way for more young people to access education regardless of their financial ability, but they do not come easy. So while it’s great that you’ve managed to clinch that scholarship, your responsibility to keep it really only begins now. Here are five ways you can do that.

Keep up with classes and grades

To keep this scholarship, you must fulfil the academic requirements stipulated by your funder and university. This may seem obvious, but it bears reiterating because it is your main responsibility as a scholar. It shows you are committed, disciplined, and trustworthy — traits valued by every employer and company.

Get involved on campus

As a scholar, you are more than a student. You are an ambassador. Many scholars find themselves attracted to serve in the student council, but there are lots of other ways to sharpen your leadership skills.

Expect to be a part of study groups, club activities, social outings, and numerous other engagements on a day-to-day basis. It is your responsibility to juggle them while staying on course with your studies. Pro-tip: live on campus, or close by.

Jimena and Ana, both Spanish students in Erasmus programme, are seen in their apartment after receiving a food bag and some sanitary items from the link association. Your scholarship funder should care for you in the same way. Source: Ludovic Marin/AFP

Represent your funder

You may also be asked to help organise events or attend them as a representative. Whether it’s a formal dinner or a workshop, these are opportunities to get your name out there. Use them as opportunities to build connections with alumni, stakeholders, and financiers; when you graduate, these are the people that will help you chart your career path.

Give back when you can

Maintaining a scholarship throughout three or four years of study is no small feat. At the same time, you will feel drawn to enrich the lives of those around you. When this happens, you can volunteer your time and energy to those who need it more: a struggling coursemate, an impoverished family, even stray animals. Who knows — you could just find your passion this way.

Guide your juniors

You are not the first to hold this scholarship, and you will not be the last. That’s why you should aim to become a mentor or friend to your fellow scholars, especially the juniors looking for guidance in their first year. Your role? Help them make connections, navigate university life, and curate the experience they want for themselves. Chances are, someone would do the same for you when you begin this journey.