Scholarship alumni are the most underused resource in the application process.
They have been through the selection process you are about to face, they know what questions the interview committee asks, and they know which documents caused problems. They know what the motivation letter actually needed to say. And most of them, if approached correctly, are genuinely happy to share that knowledge with the next generation of applicants.
The challenge is not that alumni are unwilling to help. It is that most students either never reach out, or reach out in ways that make alumni uncomfortable or feel taken advantage of.
This guide tells you exactly how to find scholarship alumni, how to approach them, what to ask, and how to build a genuine connection that benefits both of you.
Why Scholarship Alumni Contact Matters
Inside knowledge that is not publicly available. Alumni know which essay criterion was hardest to satisfy, what the interview room felt like, what the committee seemed to weight most. This information does not appear on any official scholarship website.
Credibility in your application. Some scholarships — Chevening in particular — evaluate networking as a distinct criterion. Being able to describe a genuine conversation with a Chevening scholar in your networking essay is concrete evidence of deliberate networking.
Moral support. Scholarship applications are stressful and isolating. A conversation with someone who won the scholarship you are targeting — who felt the same uncertainty and got through it — is genuinely valuable beyond just the practical information.
Long-term professional network. The alumni you contact today may be your professional colleagues, references, or collaborators in five years. Scholarship alumni communities are among the most powerful professional networks in the world.
Where to Find Scholarship Alumni
LinkedIn — Most Effective
LinkedIn is the primary tool for finding scholarship alumni. Use these search strategies:
Search by scholarship name:
- Search “Chevening Scholar” + your country
- Search “DAAD Scholar” + your field
- Search “Fulbright Scholar” + your university
- Search “Commonwealth Scholar” + your country
Search by alumni group: Many scholarships have official or unofficial LinkedIn groups:
- Chevening Alumni Association
- DAAD Alumni Network
- Fulbright Alumni Network
- Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows
- Gates Cambridge Alumni
Join these groups — members are often actively engaged and willing to share experiences.
Search by university + scholarship: “[University name] + Chevening” or “[University name] + DAAD” often surfaces alumni who studied at your target institution.
Official Alumni Networks
Most scholarship programs maintain official alumni directories or networks:
Chevening: alumni.chevening.org — searchable by country, sector, and year DAAD: daad-alumni.de — DAAD alumni network searchable by country Fulbright: fulbrightscholars.org — alumni directory Gates Cambridge: gatescambridge.org — scholar community Commonwealth: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk — alumni directory GKS Korea: niied.go.kr — alumni network
Register on these platforms even before you apply — they provide access to alumni who have specifically opted in to supporting future applicants.
Facebook Groups
Several scholarship communities are most active on Facebook:
- Chevening Scholarship — Official Group
- DAAD Scholarship for Developing Countries
- Fulbright Foreign Student Alumni
- Commonwealth Scholars Network
- GKS Global Korea Scholarship Community
Post in these groups asking for alumni willing to share their experience — many will respond.
University Alumni Events
UK, German, Korean, and Japanese Embassies in developing countries regularly host scholarship information events — often featuring alumni speakers. Attend these events. The post-event networking opportunity is more valuable than the presentation itself.
How to Approach a Scholarship Alumni
The biggest mistake students make is sending a message that asks for too much too soon or one that feels like they are being used for information.
The wrong approach: “Hi, I am applying for Chevening. Can you please tell me everything about the application process and review my essays?”
This message asks a stranger for significant unpaid work in a single message. Most people ignore it.
The right approach is a 3-stage process:
Stage 1: The Initial Message (connection request)
Send a brief, specific connection request or first message. Do not ask for anything yet.
LinkedIn connection note: “Hi [Name], I came across your profile. I see you are a [Year] Chevening Scholar from [Country]. I am preparing my application this cycle and would love to connect. No obligation, just keen to follow your work.”
Short. Specific. No immediate ask. Respectful of their time.
Stage 2: The Conversation Starter (after they accept)
Wait 2–3 days after they accept your connection. Then send a genuine message showing you have done your research on them.
“Hi [Name], thank you for connecting. I noticed you studied [program] at [university] through Chevening in [year] — which is exactly the path I am hoping to pursue. I have been researching the program for several months and have my application mostly together. Would you be open to a brief conversation at some point. 20 minutes over a call or just a few questions via message? I would be grateful for any perspective you are willing to share.”
Specific. Time-bounded. Easy to say yes to.
Stage 3: The Questions (prepared in advance)
When they agree to talk or respond, have specific questions ready, not generic ones.
Weak questions:
- “What was the scholarship like?”
- “How did you write your essays?”
- “What tips do you have?”
These are too broad to answer helpfully.
Strong questions:
- “In the leadership essay, was the committee more interested in your professional leadership or community leadership?”
- “Did you contact any universities before submitting, or did you finalize university choices after the scholarship?”
- “Was there anything about the interview that surprised you that you wish you had known beforehand?”
- “Is there anything you would do differently in your motivation letter if you applied again?”
- “Which of the four Chevening essays do you think carries the most weight in selection?”
Specific questions get specific, useful answers.
What to Ask — By Scholarship
Chevening:
- Which of the four essays was hardest to write?
- How specific were you about your three university choices?
- What happened in the interview — was it panel or individual?
- How important was the networking essay relative to the others?
DAAD:
- Did you contact a German professor before applying — how did that work?
- How specific was your motivation letter about the return plan?
- What was the review timeline like in your country?
Erasmus Mundus:
- How many programs did you apply to simultaneously?
- Was your motivation letter significantly different for each consortium?
- Did the selection panel focus on the research proposal or the personal statement more?
GKS Korea:
- What was the Embassy interview like?
- How important was the study plan relative to grades?
- Did you have Korean language knowledge before applying?
Gates Cambridge:
- How did you find and contact your potential supervisor?
- Which of the four criteria felt most evaluated in the interview?
- Was the personal statement or research proposal more important in your field?
After the Conversation — Follow Up Properly
Send a thank you message within 24 hours. Brief and genuine not effusive.
“Thank you for taking the time to speak with me the context on the interview was particularly helpful. I will let you know how my application goes.”
Keep them updated. If you get shortlisted, interviewed, or selected message them. People genuinely enjoy hearing that they helped someone succeed.
Return the favor. When you win your scholarship be the alumni who makes themselves available to the next applicant who reaches out. This is how these networks sustain themselves.
What NOT to Do When Contacting Alumni
Do not ask them to review your full application. Reviewing a complete scholarship application is hours of work. You can ask for feedback on one specific essay if they offer, but never as an initial request.
Do not send mass messages. Copy-pasted messages asking multiple alumni the same generic questions simultaneously are detectable. Each message should be individually written.
Do not ask for contacts or referrals immediately. “Can you introduce me to someone at the scholarship committee?” in a first message is presumptuous. Build the relationship first.
Do not disappear after getting information. If someone takes time to help you, acknowledge it, thank them, and update them on your outcome.
Building a Long-Term Alumni Network
The scholarship alumni you contact during your application are not just a resource for this cycle. They are the beginning of a professional network that will support your entire career.
The scholars you contact this year, if you maintain genuine relationships will be colleagues, collaborators, references, and advocates over the next two decades.
Invest in these relationships as relationships, not transactions. Ask about their work. Share relevant opportunities or articles. Engage with their LinkedIn posts. The people who do this build networks that open doors for the rest of their careers.
Free Tools for Your Scholarship Application
- 📄 Free SOP Generator — Build your application documents
- ✍️ Free Personal Statement Generator
- 💌 Free Motivation Letter Generator
- 📑 Free CV Builder
- 📜 Free Reference Letter Generator
- 📖 Free IELTS & TOEFL Practice
FAQ — Contacting Scholarship Alumni
Q: Is it appropriate to contact scholarship alumni?
Yes, most alumni are genuinely happy to help future applicants. The scholarship community is built on paying it forward. Approach respectfully and specifically.
Q: What is the best platform to find scholarship alumni?
LinkedIn is most effective for professional contact. Facebook scholarship groups are more active for informal conversation. Official alumni networks (chevening alumni, DAAD alumni) are most likely to connect you with people specifically interested in supporting applicants.
Q: How many alumni should I contact?
2–3 is ideal. One might not respond. Three gives you perspectives from different backgrounds, fields, or years which is more valuable than one person’s experience.
Q: What if an alumni does not respond?
Completely normal, people are busy. Send one follow-up after 1–2 weeks. If still no response, move on. Never send more than two messages to someone who has not responded.
Q: Should I mention that I contacted alumni in my application?
For Chevening, yes, absolutely. The networking essay specifically asks about how you network and maintain connections. A genuine conversation with a Chevening scholar is concrete evidence. For other scholarships — mentioning it in an interview as evidence of your commitment to the program is appropriate.