Too Much Competition? Why You Should Still Apply for Scholarships

Scholarships go to people who apply, not to people who only think about applying. Yet many capable students never submit an application because of three thoughts:

• “This scholarship has too much competition.”
• “There are very few seats.”
• “I do not know if I will even get admission.”

If these sound familiar, this article is for you.

Every scholarship has competition

There is no scholarship in the world without competition. Your job is not to remove the competition. Your job is to do your own work well.

Focus on what you control

• Prepare your documents carefully.
• Find the right university and programme.
• Choose scholarships that match your profile.
• Submit a complete, well-written application before the deadline.

Our scholarship application checklist and 12-month timeline help you organise this work.

Let go of what you cannot control

How many seats exist is not in your hands. How many people apply is not in your hands. Who is selected is not in your hands. Worrying about these things only uses up the time you could spend on your application. Do your part with full honesty, and leave the rest.

What is the worst that can happen?

A rejection. And a rejection does not mean you failed. Treat it as the first step of your scholarship journey.

• One application rejected? Apply somewhere else.
• A second rejection? Apply to a third.
• Keep going. The student who never applied has no chance of winning at all.

Turn a rejection into a stronger application

• Read the selection criteria again and mark where your application was weakest.
• Ask for feedback if the provider offers it.
• Improve one document at a time, starting with your motivation letter or research proposal.
• Widen your list. Apply to several scholarships across different countries instead of one famous programme.
• Apply again in the next cycle if you are still eligible.

Avoid the errors in our list of top mistakes in scholarship applications.

Stop looking for excuses. Look for opportunities

Start preparing today for your next applications. These programmes have upcoming cycles:

• Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC)
• CAS-ANSO Scholarship in China
• Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s Scholarships
• Türkiye Bursları in Turkey
• Stipendium Hungaricum in Hungary

No one can promise you a scholarship. What is certain is that an application you never send cannot be selected. Do your work honestly, send it, and move on to the next one.

What the numbers really mean

Big scholarships are competitive, and it is better to know the numbers than to guess. The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme offers 400 fellowships a year. Gates Cambridge offers about 70 awards in its international round. Around 180 Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are expected for 2027/28. For the Commonwealth Scholarships in Pakistan, HEC lists 26 nominations for master’s and 30 for PhD study.

These numbers look small beside the number of applicants. But the total hides something important. Many applications are removed early because the person was not eligible, missed a document, wrote a general essay or submitted late. The real competition is among the complete, eligible, careful applications, and that group is much smaller.

You are not competing with everyone

A scholarship is not one race. It is many small ones. Awards are often divided by country, by field, by level or by university. A physics student from Pakistan is not competing with a law student from Brazil for the same place. Within your own group, the question is simple: are you eligible, and is your application among the clear and complete ones? Both are in your hands.

Raise your odds with what you control

• Eligibility: apply only where you meet every rule. This alone puts you ahead of many applicants.
• Completeness: every document, in the right format, before the deadline.
• Fit: choose awards whose aims match your real plans.
• Evidence: replace adjectives with facts and numbers.
• Feedback: ask one teacher or senior to read your essays.
• Number of attempts: six to ten good applications give you far better odds than one.

Apply where fewer people apply

Everyone knows the five most famous scholarships. Fewer students look at these:

• University scholarships and tuition waivers that are given with admission
• Funded PhD positions and research assistantships
• Countries that are less popular with students from your region
• Partial awards that you can combine with savings or a small loan
• Awards for one field, one region or one type of applicant

A less famous award pays for the same degree.

A fair way to judge your chances

Answer these questions honestly for each scholarship on your list:

1. Do I meet every eligibility rule, with proof?
2. Are my grades at or above the stated minimum?
3. Can I show two or three results that match the selection criteria?
4. Does my goal match what the scholarship wants to achieve?
5. Do I have enough time to prepare a careful application?

Five yes answers: apply with confidence. Three or four: apply, and work on the gaps. Fewer than three: choose a better match this year and build your profile for the next.

How to handle a rejection, practically

1. Give it one day. Disappointment is normal. Do not decide anything while you are upset.
2. Find the stage. Were you removed before the interview, or after it? The answer tells you whether to fix your documents or your interview.
3. Compare with the criteria. Read the selection criteria again and mark your weakest one.
4. Change one thing. A better test score, a clearer plan, a stronger referee or more experience.
5. Set the next date. Put the next deadline in your calendar the same week.

Thoughts that stop students, and a better view

A one-month action plan

• Week 1: write your profile in five lines, and shortlist six awards whose rules you meet.
• Week 2: prepare your core documents: CV, transcripts and a first draft of your statement.
• Week 3: ask your referees, get feedback on your draft and rewrite it.
• Week 4: submit the first application, two days before its deadline. Then start the second.

Three myths about competition

Myth 1: only students with perfect grades win

Grades matter, but most scholarships publish several criteria. The Hong Kong PhD Fellowship Scheme, for example, looks at academic excellence, research ability and potential, communication skills and leadership. A clear plan and real experience can lift an application with good, but not perfect, grades.

Myth 2: you need connections

Large scholarships use written criteria, several readers and panels. Nobody can promise you a place, and anyone who offers to "arrange" one for money is not telling the truth. What helps is a referee who knows your work well and writes about it in detail.

Myth 3: one rejection means you are not good enough

A rejection tells you about one application in one round. It does not measure you. Many scholars were selected on their second or third attempt, after they fixed one weak part.

What successful applicants do differently

• They read the eligibility rules first, and they do not spend time on awards they cannot win.
• They start months early, so their documents are checked, not rushed.
• They apply to several suitable awards in both the autumn and the winter season.
• They ask one honest reader for comments and act on them.
• They submit before the last day.
• They keep a record of every application and improve the next one.

None of these needs special talent. They are habits, and you can start them this week.

Frequently asked questions

Is it worth applying if only a few awards are available?

Yes, if you are eligible and the award fits your plans. But do not rely on one award. Apply to several.

Do scholarships prefer students from famous universities?

Selection criteria are about your results, your plan and your potential. A strong record from any recognised university can win.

How many times can I apply?

Most scholarships let you apply again in later years. Check the rules of each one.

Should I apply if I meet most, but not all, of the eligibility rules?

No. Eligibility rules such as country, age, degree level and work experience are fixed, and applications that miss one are removed first. Preferences are different. If a page says something is "preferred" or "an advantage", you can still apply without it.

Does applying early improve my chances?

For scholarships reviewed on a rolling basis, yes. For others it does not change the score, but it protects you from portal problems and gives you time to fix mistakes.

How do I stay motivated during a long wait?

Keep a simple tracker, and always have the next application in progress. Our guide on how many scholarships to apply for shows how to plan a full season.