How to write an essay on your Career Goals for your Bursary Application
When applying for a bursary opportunity, candidates may be asked to write an essay about their career goals. This essay is vital as it will show the scholarship committee that by choosing you, they will be using their money wisely by investing in someone whose education will benefit the future.
Do you have a definite plan? Will a tertiary education benefit that plan? These are the answers that the review committee is looking for.
Here are some tips on how to write a career goal essay, to ensure that you stand out from the rest:
1. Be sure to write about career goals that are relevant to the bursary/ scholarship. This does not mean that you should lie about your career goals because you think its what the review committee wants to hear, but rather, find a way to relate your goals to the objective of the award.
2. Be specific about your career goals by avoiding vague or general statements as this could portray an unprofessional image or lack of drive. The review committee wants to ensure that you will be a worthy educational investment.
3. Elaborate on how your education will aid you in achieving your career goals. A scholarship or bursary will aid you in achieving academic success, be sure to show a connection between the two as this will further aid in proving why you deserve this award.
4. If you have multiple goals, hone in on those you feel the most strongly about. Long essays will allow you to elaborate on backup plans you may have, but be sure to not get carried away. You want the review committee to see where your focus lies and what your main goal is.
ALSO READ: our tips on writing a motivational letter for your bursary application
5. Be sure to avoid cliché statements as they can make you seem to like every other “average Joe”. Rather, elaborate on what talents and experiences make you unique and how your qualification will allow you to use those gifts to succeed.
6. Elaborate on solutions, and not problems. Whilst it is necessary to mention the struggles and hardships you have experienced, be sure to also mention how you overcame and learned from them. Furthermore, use that as an opportunity to show how those obstacles lead you to achieve your career goals.
7. Write with fluidity and ensure that all your thoughts run in chronological order. A good way to achieve this is to start with your degree and end off with your progression toward career growth
8. Once you are done writing, revise your essay, take a rest, and then do a final revision. This is a rule for all essay writing. When writing an essay, you want to write a rough draft from start to finish. You then want to revise/ edit it, to ensure that there are no grammatical errors and that your thoughts flow in a way that the reader can understand. Next, you MUST take a break. This break allows you to “reset” your thoughts so that when you come back to review your essay and look at it with “fresh eyes.”
ALSO READ: our tips on preparing for a bursary interview
Essay word lengths and how to utilise them:
- 100 word length: In this kind of essay, you need to get to your point as quickly as possible whilst still ensuring that you are covering all the necessary information. To achieve your goal of writing a stellar essay, be sure to cut back on a lengthy intro and backstory so that you can have more time to get your point across. Be sure to use concise and comprehensive statements so that you can deliver the most information within your given word limit.
- 250 word length: With this length, you have more room to discuss the finer details of your career goals. Use this opportunity to elaborate on past experiences that inspired your goals. You can take this time to use one paragraph to talk about your short-term goals and the following about your long-term goals. Just remember to ensure your essay ties in with the overall objective of the scholarship/ bursary award.
- 500 word length: With this word limit you have room to elaborate on more than just your goals. Use this opportunity to maintain the theme of the award, ensuring that each paragraph flows into the next and elaborates on your career path and objectives. Be sure to avoid disconnected statements and do not make your essay excessively wordy just to maintain the word count. Your overall goal for this essay length is to ensure that the review committee has a clear understanding of your educational goals, you as a person, and your professional aspirations.
ALSO READ: how to get a reference letter/ testimonial for your bursary application
Examples of different length essays:
Example of a 100 word length essay:
Example of a 250 word length essay:
Example of a 500 word length essay:
See which bursaries are open for application here
Read our other tips and articles here:
Read our top tips on submitting your bursary application for the best chance of success.
Read our tips on how to write a bursary motivational letter here.
Read about how to prepare for a bursary interview here here.
Read about the various ways to get free education in South Africa.
Read about the National Benchmark Test (NBT) for University Entrance.
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This post was last updated in September 2022.
SA Bursaries wishes you the best of luck with your application! Please remember to SHARE this page with anyone you know who may be in need of bursary funding.