Striking the Balance: miniseries chapter 1 - Writing a Funding Application

By the time I graduated with a 3 year undergraduate degree, I had eight scholarships, bursaries, and awards to my name. Some were awarded me by the Rhodes University Music & Musicology Department (RUMD), others by third parties like SAMRO, Golden Key International Honours Society, Grahamstown National Music Competition, and ABSA Bank in conjunction with the Isivivane Fund (RU). This year, I am on a full RU bursary, for the duration of my Honours Year, courtesy the Ada & Bertie Levenstein Bursary board. And I am a semifinalist for a Fulbright bursary, which funds a two-year Masters Degree in America, 2019-2020.

This list is evidence that I have written more funding applications than I have written blog posts! And lost some sleep, keeping up with all the submission deadlines, despite having an organized, bookmarked diary.

So, to save you students all some time (as you will write a funding application more than once in your life), I have decided to write a 4-part mini-series about how I organized my diary, prepped for the writing process, and wrote successful funding applications.

Let’s begin.

At the end of my first year, after a little rest, I started off my December holiday in front of my laptop screen, browsing the official RU and Golden Key International Honours Society websites, which had a substantial list of undergraduate & postgraduate funding opportunities for which I made opening & closing date post-it notes.

This step is one you MUST NOT delay in doing, particularly before a new academic/year starts, because these lists were not arranged by field or date, and are usually extensive. It took me a good two days to isolate the scholarships etc. which I would apply for, create folders within folders on my PC, and make notes and bookmark my diary with dates that specified when the applications opened, what documents they required, and on what dates submissions were due. Several submissions were due in the same week, or within the space of two weeks.

The next step, was to make a list of any skills, hobbies, experiences, academic achievements, leadership positions, community engagement experience, strengths and weaknesses that came to mind. At this point, don’t censor yourself. You never know what skill / experience might be pertinent to your job application one day. Save this word doc/put this piece of paper somewhere safe, once you’re finished with it.

Different scholarships, bursaries, and funding applications have different written requirements. For example, all my departmental music scholarships only required me to write an application letter, whereas Golden Key also required a copy of my ID, and an up-to-date list of my academic, leadership, and community involvement, and what I did and learned within each of these fields. The Fulbright application took me four days to complete, as it was practically 20 online pages of mini essays. Make sure that you add these requirements to the post-it that marks the opening date - this gives you time to get all the documentation together beforehand, rather than madly scramble around for them at the end!

Let’s start with the format of a simple application letter:

APPLICATION FOR SUCH-&-SUCH BURSARY

Your Name

I am currently a X year BA student, who will be moving into either a BA or BMus X year degree. My instrument is my voice, and it is what I ultimately aim to make a career in. I am a performer, and derive great energy from my audience whilst understanding I have to sustain my own, in order to maintain a presence on stage. I have sung in choirs, at school, provincial and national level, since I was in grade 4. In Matric, I was deputy head for both my high school choir and the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands Youth Choir; a choir which was named second best Youth Choir in the world in an Eisteddfod in Llangollen, Wales, in 2014. For my participation in performances and choirs, at the end of my matric year, I received honours for music, half colours for drama, as well as half colours for academics.

I enjoy singing and have been raised on a variety of genres, but I aim to hone my voice as a classical operatic coloratura soprano, with the training of Ms Jo-Nette Le Kay. My longer term ambition is to study singing at postgraduate level overseas, either at the Y, the Z, or the J schools of Music. At the end of my matric year, I had a very favourable audition with the head of the vocal faculty at the Y. Although I was a late audition, he said that I could not only sing, but I “made music”, singing with energy, vocal sensitivity, and intention. He wanted to put forward my candidacy with the board as a viable 31st place in an annual vocal student intake of only 30 students. Unfortunately, owing to illness, he was unable to do so in time. He suggested I do an undergraduate degree in music and then re-audition for a postgraduate degree with the Y, which would enhance my chances of success.

My reasons for applying for a scholarship are two-fold. Firstly, my father is a (insert career), and my mother is a (insert career). I have a sister who is matriculating next year, and my parents will thereafter need to find the funds for two sets of university fees.

I am a driven and hard-working individual who is prepared to work exceptionally hard for a career in music. During my school career, I went over and above, both extramurally and chorally, what was required of me; a training which has, and will continue, to sustain my ability to work long hours, sometimes for very little credit. First and foremost, singing is my love, and I perform to the best of my ability regardless of the audience turnout, or level of competition I face. I hope I am therefore worthy of being the/a recipient of this award.

Yours sincerely,

The Forest Weaver

The key thing in the first paragraph is to academically introduce yourself to the board, indicate that you reflect upon your field of study rather than mindlessly parrot-learn the syllabus, and list any pertinent field experience you had before entering your current institution of study. Concisely.

As I am a University music student, I began my letter with what level of study I was at, and a specification of what my major was (voice). I have found that it is always good to indicate that you understand the nuances and subtleties of the field you are studying / the technical (practical) training you are receiving. If you have had pertinent experience in your field at school level, put it in, because it shows you have a consistent track record of commitment to your field.

Paragraph 2: Starting with a brief statement on what your plan is, beyond graduation, immediately shows the board that you have a plan for your life. That you’re organized – have some “ducks in a row”.

Everyone has a mentor / teacher who has nurtured them, so ACKNOWLEDGE THEM! Teachers are so under-valued. It would haven taken far longer to be the opera singer I am today, were Miss Jo-Nette Le Kay not my vocal coach.

Third paragraph focuses on financial need. You’ve indicated you’re a thinker, an academic achiever, and a person with drive and passion. Now clarify why, with as little emotive language as possible, you & your family cannot afford the tuition.

Conclude with a strong paragraph about your strengths, and why you are a worthy candidate for the scholarship/bursary/grant.

In the next episode, we’ll discuss the best way to write about yourself with pride, not arrogance.