Designing Scholarship Applications to Expand Access
When it comes to scholarship programs, applications are the essential tool that connects students to opportunities. However, the way we design and develop these applications can either encourage or unintentionally hinder access for students. In this post, we’ll explore strategies to promote equitable access to—and successful completion of—applications for these valuable opportunities.
Why Are Applications Important?
Applications are more than just forms to fill out—they’re tools that allow organizations to collect critical information, determine eligibility, and identify students who align with the goals of your scholarship or program. But with so many data points being collected, applications can become overwhelmingly complicated, creating barriers for students rather than helping them.
Some of the information typically included in scholarship applications may consist of:
Basic student and parent contact information
Demographic data
Educational background and academic records
Financial need and family financial information
Accomplishments and activities (at school, in the community, at work, and at home)
Character references and recommendations
Essays (written, video, or short-answer)
Consent forms (FERPA, media, electronic signatures)
Even for scholarships that cover just a portion of education costs, the complexity of these applications can be overwhelming, especially when there are additional barriers like internet access, time constraints, or difficulty reaching recommenders.
Unintentional Barriers: Real Examples
Scholarship application processes can unintentionally create barriers that reduce completion rates. For instance, UNCF conducted and published a study showing how overly complicated application processes can reduce student participation. They found that 36 percent of students cited time constraints as a major obstacle, while 31 percent described the application process itself as too challenging to complete. Sixteen percent had limited access to the internet, 13 percent had limited access to recommenders, and 12 percent had limited access to required documents.
Where Do We Go from Here?
The key to improving application processes starts with intent. What is your program hoping to accomplish? Who are you trying to serve? By clearly defining your goals, you can design an application that aligns with your mission and provides the best experience for applicants.
Different intents require different approaches. For example:
Needs-based scholarships should prioritize financial need and other relevant demographic data.
Programmatic scholarships may focus on academic achievement or specific skills.
Emergency funds may require quick, straightforward applications to provide immediate relief.
Must-Have Application Questions
Regardless of the type of scholarship, there are essential questions that every application should include:
Basic student information
Eligibility assessment questions
Questions that align with your program’s intent
It’s also important to consider what can be removed or streamlined to make the process easier. For instance, non-essential questions could be shifted to later stages of the selection process, or eligibility could be automated to reduce applicant frustration.
Identifying Students Based on Intent
Applications should aim to identify students who best fit the criteria of your program. This might mean tailoring questions to better reflect the needs and experiences of today’s students. For example, instead of asking for extracurriculars, you might ask, “How do you spend your time outside of school?” This allows students to discuss work, family responsibilities, and other commitments without feeling penalized for not being involved in traditional school activities.
Some sample questions that help get to the heart of a student’s experiences include:
“Describe a typical day in your life.”
“Many students face challenges along their educational journey. What hurdles do you think might get in your way, and how do you plan to handle them?”
“Please share one challenge in your life and how you overcame it. What did you learn about yourself as a result?”
“Is there anything we haven’t asked about you that you think is important for us to know?”
Understanding Today’s Students
It’s essential to recognize the diversity of today’s student population. Many students may be financially independent, have children, or work full-time while attending school. Recent research has found that 74 percent of students today exhibit at least one of these traits. Acknowledging this diversity in your application process ensures that you're meeting students where they are and not excluding those who may not fit the traditional student mold.
Diverse Needs and Backgrounds
Scholarship applications should be accessible to students with diverse needs and backgrounds. Below are a few key considerations:
Ensure the application platform is compatible with screen readers and accessible for students with visual impairments. This can include providing alt text for images, ensuring color contrast for readability, and using easily navigable and keyboard-friendly designs.
For students who may not speak English as their first language, or those with varying levels of proficiency, provide translations of the application in commonly spoken languages and offer multilingual help resources and instructions to support applicants.
To accommodate students with cognitive disabilities, simplify the language in questions and instructions and offer both written and video response options so students can express themselves more comfortably.
Application Tech Tips
Choice questions: Using these helps determine if an applicant is a fit with your program’s intent and can streamline the process by automating eligibility checks.
Identity questions: Make sure your application is inclusive of all students by providing appropriate options and respect for individual identities. We recommend allowing them to self-describe.
Automating eligibility and matching to opportunities: This helps ensure students don’t waste time on opportunities they’re not eligible for. Make as many questions as possible choice questions to support easier screening and matching.
Increasing Accessibility Through AI
AI can significantly enhance the accessibility and efficiency of scholarship applications. Key ways AI can help include:
Provide real-time assistance during the application process through AI-powered chatbots.
Offer suggestions for structure, grammar, and clarity in applicants' essays and short-answer responses.
Provide them with prompts they might use to generate ideas for their content.
Focusing on Communications
Clear communication is key to successful application processes. Here are some tips:
Provide instructional text to guide applicants through the process.
Avoid jargon.
Use encouragement throughout the application, such as "Students just like you have received this scholarship!" or gentle reminders to complete sections.
Make it clear what the selection criteria are and what you’re truly looking for, so students understand why they’re being asked certain questions.
Assessing Your Application Process
To ensure your application process is effective, it’s important to test it. Survey applicants, talk to students about their experiences using it, hold focus groups, and review aggregate data after each cycle to assess what worked and what didn’t.
Final Tips
If you revise your application, also consider revising your selection criteria to align with the changes.
Train evaluators properly to ensure they understand the nuances of the new application process and can fairly assess all applicants.
Need More Help?
At Students First Consulting, we specialize in helping organizations design thoughtful and effective scholarship processes, including applications. If you’re looking to improve your process, or need help with any part of the application design, feel free to reach out. Schedule a consultation today.
