Top 10 Scholarship Interview Questions & Answers with Examples
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Reaching the interview stage of the college scholarship selection process is a massive achievement! But how do you prepare? In this article we’ll cover 10 common scholarship interview questions and tips on how to answer them, with specific examples.
During my senior year of high school, I interviewed for A LOT of scholarships and won enough funding to pay for both my bachelor’s and master's degrees! Below are some of the most common questions I was asked during interviews as well as best practices for formulating your answers. Let’s get started!
1) Tell me about yourself
This is usually the first question asked by interviewers, and it often sets the tone for the rest of the interview. What you don’t want to do is go into detail about where you were born, how many siblings you have, or ramble through every extracurricular activity you did in high school. Instead, plan your answer beforehand like it’s an essay prompt. Begin with a broad statement of your goals and then go specifically into a few relevant goals and achievements. Highlight your “why” and support it with specific details of your accomplishments and skills. For more info on how to identify your “why,” read “How to Write an Impactful College Application Essay.” An easy framework for structuring your answer to this question is:
Past: review major accomplishments, involvements, and/or experiences that support your stated aspirations
Present: explain what you are doing now to pursue your goals
Future: end with what you hope to be/achieve in the future
Example: I’m an aspiring middle school math and science teacher with a passion for STEM education. When I was young, my grandpa and I would spend time in his workshop conducting simple science experiments. Looking back, they were very basic, but exploring nature and physics in this way sparked my passion for exploratory math and science. I’ve already started my journey to becoming a STEM educator by volunteering at my local Boys & Girls Club during Power Hour. In addition, I founded a student organization at my high school called STEMentors. We visit local elementary and middle school classrooms to facilitate fun and safe science experiments in hopes of igniting the same passion in others as we have for STEM. In the future, I hope to be implementing some of these experiments in my own classroom to promote a more hands-on approach to learning!
2) What is your greatest strength/weakness?
This one can be a bit difficult. When talking about a strength, this is not the place to be humble. However, make sure you provide specific examples to support your claim. When choosing a weakness, pick one that you are actively taking steps to correct. You want to show the interviewers that you are self-aware and make the effort to correct your flaws. Things to avoid: inability to meet deadlines, inattention to detail, being late.
Strength: I’ve always been very effective at conflict resolution and working well in a team. Last fall when I was assigned to a group for our senior capstone project, I helped administrate the delegation of tasks and often took the lead in facilitating group discussion. When two of my team members had a disagreement about the content that should be included in their portion of the final presentation, I acted as a mediator and assisted them in reaching a compromise that both teammates were satisfied with.
Weakness: An area I would like to improve in is time management. Missing assignment deadlines is not an issue, but I often postpone working on a project or writing a paper if it is not due for a couple of weeks. There have been a few times when I’ve had to work late into the night to finish an assignment due the next day. Since this is a preventable issue, I’ve created a calendar system where I plan the incremental completion of assignments. On the day I receive an assignment, I divide it into subtasks and set deadlines for myself throughout the time before it is due. I’ve also started reading the book Atomic Habits to learn other effective ways of breaking the habit of procrastination and forming constructive ones.
3) Why do you deserve this scholarship?
Ooooo, I’ve always hated this one. The key is to really think about your answer to this question before the interview. Consider:
Why you want this degree
Your passions
What unique skills or qualities do you bring to the table?
Any obstacles you have overcome
Your goals and persistence in achieving them
Consider how your experiences, goals, and values align with the values of the scholarship program. After all, they want to know they’re giving money to someone who reflects THEIR values.
Example: I understand the goal of this organization is to improve local education quality by supporting passionate teachers that inspire children to excel. Through my volunteer experience at the Boys & Girls club as well as my leadership experience as head of the STEMentors club mentioned previously, I believe I have shown that I not only share this passion but am actively pursuing your organization’s goals. What’s more, when I graduate, I plan to return and teach in this area. By awarding me this scholarship, you will not only be promoting the success of a passionate educator, but pouring back into your own community.
4) Who is a role model that you admire?
The purpose of this question is to show the traits and qualities that you value and wish to possess. Your role model is a reflection of the person you intend to become, so who you choose reveals a lot about you. You can choose a family member, mentor, teacher, counselor, famous person, historical figure - the options are endless. When talking about them, focus on the positive qualities that you admire or why the individual is still admirable in spite of their flaws.
Example: As a history buff, I’ve found myself continually drawn to Queen Elizabeth I. Her life is inspiring because she emerged as a powerful leader of her country in spite of numerous situations where the odds were stacked against her. Her legitimacy to the throne was questioned by the Catholic Church throughout her life, yet she maintained her poise and religious tolerance. When her advisors pressured her to choose a husband who would rule as king, she responded that she was “already bound unto a husband which is the kingdom of England.” She was the queen who inspired her troops as they faced the invasion of the Spanish Armada, and she was the queen who led her country into the greatest Golden Age it had ever seen. Elizabeth was a woman who knew how to gain respect in a male-dominated culture and time. She valued her duty to her country over her desire for companionship because she knew the privilege and responsibility she had been entrusted with. In spite of difficult and often questionable decisions she had to make, the stability and prosperity she brought to her country is unquestionable, and it’s this effective leadership in the face of opposition that I admire.
5) Why are you interested in this university/program?
The real question being asked here is: Why are you a good fit for this university/program? Include what you admire about the program curriculum and location, because these will both impact the next four years of your life. In addition, focus on what YOU would add to the program. They already know their program is amazing; you don’t have to tell them that. Instead, consider why you would make a good fit. How do your values align? What unique perspective can you offer?
Example: For one, I resonate with the motto of NC State University: “think and do.” I’ve always been a person known for taking action on ideas, so I’m naturally drawn to a university that values innovation and equips its students to take creative action. Also, I checked out the curriculum of the Statistics department and I’m impressed that the curriculum is shifting toward data science. I’ve dabbled in coding and I’m passionate about social justice, so I’m excited to develop my skills with computational statistics courses and offer my unique perspective on how statistics can be used to work toward social justice around the world. And finally, I think Raleigh is an ideal city to live in because of beautiful weather and a diverse cuisine. More importantly, it’s an emerging hub for tech jobs, so professional opportunities in my field won’t be hard to come by.
6) What are your career goals?
Your objective when answering this question is to show you have a plan. Now, let’s be real - you’re 17 or 18 and you probably haven’t nailed down exactly what you want your future to look like yet. That’s okay. Making a plan does not mean you’re bound to it for all eternity. Strike a balance between broad and narrow. You don’t want to speak so broadly about your goals that it appears you have no plan, but you also shouldn’t go too narrow so that you limit your options to only one very niche position. Finally, show the interviewers how this program/university will help you achieve those goals!
Example: My ultimate goal is to establish my own language school that focuses on project-based learning and building a language portfolio. Traveling to other countries due to my dad’s military career has taught me that a language is best learned through experience and problem solving. Most of the basic phrases I learned in Japanese came from simple tasks such as ordering food, figuring out the public transit system, and visiting the grocery store. Tasks like these can be transformed into interactive classroom projects, and I believe the extensive language and education programs offered at this university will allow me to develop my language and teaching skills to become an effective teacher - first at a private language school or community college, and ultimately as an instructor at my own establishment.
7) Tell me about a mistake you made
This question shows the interviewers that you are introspective and self-aware. When recounting a mistake, focus on what you learned from the experience and how your current behavior has changed because of it. You want to show how your character has developed and that you react to mistakes with positive action.
Example: Last year I was taking a lot of AP courses and was really concerned with maintaining my grades as well as juggling all of my after-school activities. It wasn’t on purpose, but I began to neglect my friendships. My closest friends noticed that I rarely had lunch with them anymore or made time to hang out. That year was very isolating for me and hurtful to them, and it was only after the chaos of classes was over that I realized what had happened. Fortunately, my friends were very understanding, but now I schedule time to grab lunch or at least make a phone call no matter how busy I am. Using a planner and scheduling time for tasks and appointments has both organized my life and helped me make time for maintaining important relationships.
8) What has been one of your greatest achievements?
This may be one of the easier questions to answer, but it’s still worth thinking about your response beforehand. Consider highlighting an achievement that demonstrates perseverance, a community effort, or a personal struggle. It’s even better if you can include all of these elements!
Example: A couple of years ago I started volunteering for an organization that provides free services to immigrants to the United States. We offer things such as job-finding help, housing assistance, English classes, and family mentors. Since I speak Spanish, I was asked to be a translator in a series of interviews with Spanish-speaking families to evaluate the program. I was nervous at first because I had never translated before and I was concerned I would be too slow. Ultimately, I accepted, and being a part of those interviews was one of the most impactful experiences of my life. I was able to hear so many powerful stories and how our organization had helped so many families adjust to life in the US. The information we gathered was compiled into a detailed publication that was sent to donors, and I’m proud to have been an integral part of keeping our organization’s work funded.
9) What is your favorite book and why?
This is one of my favorite questions because it’s fun to answer. It’s supposed to be an interesting question, so think about your answer beforehand. You want to show you’ve read more than “Green Eggs and Ham” and that you enjoyed it! Interviewers want to know more about your personality, what you resonate with, and that you take time for deep thought. Whatever book you choose, remember to tie it back to how it affected you. How has it impacted your reality?
Example: I would have to say that my favorite book is “Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini. On a large scale, I appreciate that it allowed me to step into the lives of people who live in a country primarily associated with war and terrorism in the media. The themes of love, brotherhood, betrayal, and redemption humanized the people of Afghanistan in a way that would have been impossible given the images of war and the Taliban portrayed in the news. Also, I was continually shocked by the fierce loyalty of Hassan toward Amir, since he suffered betrayal multiple times and ultimately, death. Living in a highly individualistic culture, this kind of loyalty is difficult for me to fathom. It’s this loyalty that I strive to show my family and closest friends - the kind that puts them first when it would be easier not to.
10) Is there anything you would like to add?
Cover anything you didn’t get to talk about during the interview
Reiterate an important point
Tie it back to your “why”
Remind them how your values align with theirs
This is an opportunity to cover anything you didn’t get to talk about during the interview, so don’t pass it up! If you feel like everything was covered, take this time to reiterate an important point you made earlier. Leave the interviewers with what they should remember most! Usually, that means you should restate your “why” and remind them how your values align. Close with gratitude for the opportunity to interview.
Example: Yes, I think my achievements and involvements speak for themselves, but my experiences are the driving factor of my success and goals. This scholarship program values freedom and civil rights. My parents came from a country where freedom and civic activity are not rights, but privileges for the few. These issues are very personal to me, so know that if I receive this scholarship, this organization’s money will go towards creating a free world, not just a free nation. I want my research career to expose oppression around the world, and I believe a double major in international studies and political science will be the first step to achieving that dream. Thank you for your time and consideration.
These tips are useful for answering many scholarship interview questions, not just the ones listed. For tips on how to ace any question the interviewer throws at you, see “How to Write an Impactful College Application Essay.” Although the article is about writing essays, the principles I outline there are vital to a successful interview as well. It also includes more details on the number one tip that I’ve mentioned throughout this article, “start with why.”
Good luck on your interview! Plus, enter your email below to access my free workshop on how to graduate from college without debt!
