
By Daniel Nnam
Three days after being admitted to Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Africa for a Master’s in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Joel Adebayo, a 2021 first-class graduate of UNILAG, received a full scholarship offer from the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program. This scholarship covered his tuition fee of $57,435 per academic year, provided a settling allowance of $250, a brand-new laptop, and monthly stipends of $450, totalling $2,250 over the semester. In addition, his flight ticket was paid for, and he was accommodated in a 4-star hotel for two weeks after his arrival.
Getting a scholarship opportunity similar to Adebayo’s is a dream that can be actualised by any student who understands the process and meets all requirements.
A major misconception, however, that discourages students from applying for scholarships is that they are reserved for only first-class students. Adebayo clarifies that while a first-class grade helps to increase one’s chances of getting approval, it’s not the only criterion. Therefore, students who may not have strong grades should look out for other criteria where they excel and amplify those areas in their application.
“Excellent grades count, but if you know that’s your weak spot, amplify your story and documents to highlight other areas you thrive in,” Adebayo advises.
Having cleared that misconception, Adebayo explains the two major phases of getting a scholarship: the research and application phases.
The research phase often begins with a search for the best schools that offer the postgraduate program you are interested in. Once you have identified one or more schools, you’d also need to conduct thorough research for information gathering. According to Adebayo, things you should look out for include the nature of their programs, admission requirements, application deadlines, scholarship opportunities, and financial aid. This information helps to keep you better informed, just as it helped him discover one of the best Universities offering his desired course.
“Initially, I was aiming for the campus in Pittsburgh for a direct, fully-funded program, and I also wanted a scholarship. So I continued my research and saw that, oh, they have a campus here in Africa. Immediately, I looked them up and found that they offered my program, electrical and computer engineering, with a major in robotics. I was like, okay, makes sense.”
Further down the research phase, Adebayo, ably aided by his friend Caleb, also discovered the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship Program.
“After that, I started checking out the different scholarship packages that they have. And I discovered that, they have the Mastercard Foundation Scholarship. I read about the whole scholarship package. I’m like, wow, this is amazing. This is definitely the school I want to go to.”
Next, after the research is the application phase, where you gather all necessary documents, craft compelling essays, and submit your materials to the school. These documents may include an academic Curriculum Vitae (CV), Statement of Purpose (SOP), short essays, and letters of recommendation. Most schools also require video essays and at least a pass in a language proficiency test and an aptitude test.
Adebayo did a couple of things to improve his chances during his application. One was to print out questions from each application section and draft responses tailored to the Mastercard Scholar’s requirements (as he discovered during his research).
“So every one of the questions I was answering on the school portal was filled out in such a way that it portrayed me as the person the Mastercard Foundation Scholar Program is looking for. I discovered that they want people in leadership who have the potential to give back. So, in my SOP, essays, and even my academic CV, I had to ensure that I had the volunteering section where I highlighted roles that I had volunteered in.”
Adebayo also reduced redundancy by ensuring he was not overstating any information during his application.
“I also tried to minimise redundant information in the sense that if my academic CV is talking about XYZ, I will try not to repeat it in, maybe, my SOP or another short essay they asked for.”
For undergraduates who are looking to gain a scholarship to pursue a higher degree, Adebayo advises starting early to seek scholarship opportunities, getting acquainted with them and their requirements, and beginning to meet those requirements. He also advises starting the application process during the final year of undergraduate studies.
“Start getting yourself familiar with the process and requirements,” he says. “Knowing these requirements way earlier gives you more chances to prepare.”
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