A Study Schedule is a document that is sometimes required by the admissions committee and it needs to be submitted along with the scholarship application too. It is sort of an organized schedule that is meant to outline and timeline a student’s learning objectives, study time, academic duration and research projects.

A study schedule helps a student remain organized with their studies and extracurricular activities. It provides a balance between these two. When a student applies for a scholarship he/she can be asked to submit a study timeline document that depicts the student’s objectives for studies and learning.

1. Steps to Write a Study Schedule:

A Study schedule should include the following things:

1. The student’s full name
2. The latest educational qualification of the student.
3. Learning goals and objectives.
4. Anticipated results from taking up a course.
5. Future goals (small and big)
6. Any alterations in study habits that the student intends to make.
7. Strengths of the student
8. Weaknesses of the student and ways to tackle them.

Format of the Study Schedule:

A complete study schedule should have the following key components or steps to be included:

1. Purpose of Study:

In the starting paragraph of a study plan, a student will have to define what attracts him or her to a certain institution or program. They will have to express in an elaborate manner how a certain program or scholarship will help them achieve their future goals. Remember that a study schedule for a scholarship opportunities needs to sound more convincing than a study plan for a university or college.

1. Ultimate Academic Objective:

Answering this question will allow the student to describe the reason behind pursuing higher studies in a particular field. Is it the advancement of knowledge or the betterment of job prospects? Describing these objectives will help the student and the scholarship committee understand how taking up a particular program will create better career prospects for them.

1. Reason for not taking up a similar program back home:

Here, the student will have to outline why he/she is not doing the same program in his/her home country. The reason can be that their home country doesn’t offer the same program. Some students prefer to go to a western country to leverage that education in an eastern country as the western countries supposedly have a better educational system.

1. Similar programs in home country:

If the scholarship applicant’s home country is offering the same or similar course, the student will have to clear out why he/she does not prefer to take up that course. They can certainly draw out differences between both educational systems to make an effective case.

1. Employment Opportunities of the Program of Choice:

You can explain the employment prospects that your program of choice brings. Perhaps you are interested in a certain job or career that requires the qualification that you are applying to. Through this, you can make a compelling case of why the scholarship committee should choose you over potentially hundreds of other applicants.

1. Study Habits and Strengths of the Student:

Most of the students make this mistake of writing too much information in this section of study plan. On the contrary, it is strongly advised to keep this straightforward one to two liner statement by enlisting strengths, and habits of the student. Students can outline what kind of study habits they have adopted to increase their knowledge retaining abilities. They can also describe the strengths that make them perform better than the others. This will help them stand out among other applicants as they can very well possess some qualities that others may not.

1. Weaknesses and Obstacles:

Here the students have to very carefully define some of their weaknesses that they have and how they are planning to overcome those. They also have to talk about some of the obstacles that they may face over time in the future and their plans to overcome those. The scholarship committee will consider the applicant as unorthodox and it will add to the applicant’s credibility and straightforwardness.

1. Research Plan:

If the scholarship applicant is taking up Ph.D. studies, they will need to pinpoint the research question that they are interested in. They have to be precise and to the point in terms of explaining it. Students often make the mistake of going on and on about their research proposals in their study schedule. This wastes the time of the scholarship committee as there is a separate document that needs to be submitted for the research plan with the name ‘research proposal’.

Remember:

After drafting the study plan, show it to a trusted person like your professor. You are supposed to talk about yourself without sounding like you are blowing your own trumpet. Be realistic, honest, and straightforward and leave no room for grammatical errors or typos. Keep the word limit in mind and be cautious as to not exceed it.

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