What to do after a scholarship interview?

When you’re waiting to hear whether or not you’ve got stressful, frustrating, and agonising time – and just doing nothing doesn’t help. You may feel that the decision is out of your hands and that you’re powerless to do anything else without appearing desperate. However, there are actions you can take that will not only help your mental health but also provide you with an advantage over other applicants.

Before you leave

As the interview comes to a close, courteously ask about the next steps: when will the committee be making a decision on awarding this scholarship and, if you were interviewed by more than one person, with whom you should follow up with. Before you leave the building, ask for business cards from the interviewers or contact details from the receptionist. If the interview was conducted via Zoom or other digital platform, you can ask for email addresses.

Send a thank you

One of the first things you should do is send a thank you to those who interviewed you. Personalise your message by mentioning something specific from the interview. It’s always a nice touch to send an old-fashioned paper note; if that’s not possible, or it’s a high-tech company and mailing a letter or card seems inappropriate, an email letting them know that you appreciate their time is also acceptable. Another possibility is to send a message of thanks through LinkedIn.

Additional material

Another way to follow-up is to send additional material. Perhaps something came up during the interview around which you could send pertinent information that the interviewers may not be aware of. Or you may now be clearer about what the interviewers are looking for. But be careful about making this a “re-do” event. Only send new information and don’t use it as an opportunity to correct the answer to a question you may have flubbed or explain what you think may have been misunderstood. It’s critical that your approach here is appropriate and professional. Be respectful and don’t push too hard.

Keep positive while you wait to hear about your application, and good luck!