Winning Research Proposal for Scholarship Application Submission

Applying for scholarships can prove to be an extremely tedious task for some people, but for others, who prefer smart work over hard work, the process can actually prove to be quite enjoyable. There is a big list of documents needed to be ready in order to apply for the scholarships and one such document is a Research Proposal.

While preparing for scholarship applications, a number of things count as important which increase the overall worth of an application. While a few documents for scholarships are only demanded as a formality, a few others are actually regarded as crucial to determine which ones from the pool of applicants actually deserve the scholarship.

One such crucial document required for Master’s degree applicants is a study plan and for doctoral degree level scholarships is a research proposal.

Research Proposal Definition:

A research proposal is a formal academic document proposing a research project with objectives, novelty, and execution plan with funding, assistance, and time requirement. It mentions the aims and objectives of a proposed project, its dependability, methods for carrying out the research, and the potential impact of the project on the environment.

Such a document is generally proposed with an aim to pitch potential sponsors to invest in the project under consideration. However, research proposals are also demanded by scholarship panels to shortlist candidates for scholarship programs.

Importance of a Research Proposal for Scholarships:-

A research proposal for scholarships manifests the intellectual capabilities of a scholarship candidate. Not only this, but it also indicates the level of familiarity a candidate breeds regarding the field of research.

It also depicts candidates’ problem-solving skills, as a research proposal for scholarships contains the methods that are to be adopted in case there arise any hurdles regarding the execution of the plan.

So, to conclude we can say that a research proposal for scholarships holds vital importance because it helps the scholarship application reviewing panel to create a judgment on how capable a candidate is for a particular scholarship award.

Format of a Research Proposal for Scholarship Application:-

There is no hard and fast rule as to how a research proposal for scholarships is to be drafted.

However, there are certain sections that are a must to be included in a research proposal for a scholarship. And to comprehensibly explain them, we have chalked out the standard format for research proposal for scholarships below:

#1 Create Cover page:-

Every good research proposal starts with a cover page. This section must contain enough information that provides the reviewers sufficient information about the researcher or student and his proposed project.

It should contain the following subsections:

Proposed name of the research project
The name of the researcher or scholarship applicant
The name of the project supervisor
The name of his affiliated department or institute name
The name of the funding organization or scholarship-providing organization.

#2 Write Abstract:-

The next section of a research proposal for scholarships is the abstract portion. In the abstract, the theme of the research project is discussed along with the factors which encouraged the researcher or scholarship applicant to conduct research on the topic.

#3 Table of contents (TOC):-

Then comes the table of contents.

In this section, all the important headings or portions of the research proposal are listed along with their respective page numbers.

#4 Write Introduction:-

The introduction of a research proposal for scholarships is the opening section of the document.

The introduction should be drafted in such a way that it fully introduces the topic under consideration, provides a brief background of the topic, and lists the tormenting factors of the research along with listing their solutions in brief.

The following points should be included in a research proposal:

The audience, for example, the research will benefit scientists, economists, or common people
Basic details about the subject matter
New insights were brought up by the proposed research project.

#5 Research Design Methodological Approaches to be used in the Execution of the Study:-

Under this section, all those research design methods which are to be used in the execution of the study are mentioned.

This should include the methods adopted while preparing the research proposal for scholarships to determine which approach would work best in the particular case study.

#6 Proposed Research timeline:-

This part is not compulsory in the case of research proposals for scholarships but is beneficial for research proposals used for funding purposes.

In this section, a timetable, pie chart, or bar diagram is drawn to show the division of time between various processes of the research project.

#7 Estimated research budget:-

The estimated funds required for the execution of the research project is to be stated herein. It may include the breakdown of funds requirement at different stages of the research being conducted.

#8 List down Expected Challenges, and Execution Plan to Handle them

It is one of the best strategies to expect the unexpected. Therefore, the best research proposals are those which clearly indicate the expected challenges and the short execution plan to handle the unexpected stuff on the go.

#9 List of references:-

Lastly, all the sources from where you have collected data for your case study or all those books or sites which you have referred to are to be listed at the end of your research proposal for scholarships.

#10 Proof Read your Proposal of Research

Once your proposal of research is completed; make sure to proofread it multiple times in order to improve it by removing errors, uncertain information, and adding more suitable supporting data into it.

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Secrets for Drafting an Impactful Research Proposal for Scholarships:-

By keeping in mind the following tips, your research proposal will surely make an impact on your scholarship application:

Include charts and bar diagrams to make it presentable
While constructing the cover page, remember that the first impression is the last impression
Include a list of references to increase the worth of your research proposal
If your introduction is lengthy, subdivide it into segments such as aims and objectives, background, etc.
Revise and recheck it to remove any unwanted typos and grammatical errors.