Maybe you have a great interest in Chinese history and culture. Maybe you are in search of an institution with cutting edge technological resources for its students, or maybe you just need a new experience away from home. Whatever the reason, studying in China will provide you with the opportunity to do this and much more.
However, if you hope to acquire a scholarship to study in China, one of the requirements to do so is to create a study plan for China. You may be curious as to what a study plan is and how to go about creating one. This guide is aimed at helping you navigate and create the best study plan for China.
What is a study plan?
A study plan refers to an organized schedule that students create outlining study periods, learning goals, and objectives . Study plans are great tools aimed at helping students stay organized in regards to their studies by creating set times for studying as such building their devotion. Study plans also help students stay accountable to their academic goals and outcomes. The China Scholarship Council, CSC, will require prospective candidates to create a study plan while applying for a scholarship to study in China
When creating a study plan for China, you will need to consider a few things, such as your goals and interests, your learning objectives, and even your beliefs about China and the Chinese culture.
What to write?
You should start by introducing yourself by giving your full name and any past academic references. For instance, if you are applying for a post-graduate program, it is crucial that you state any academic achievements that you?ve made: if you ranked top in your class or won any relevant academic award.
As earlier stated, the CSC will need to know how you plan to study before awarding you with a scholarship. Therefore you must establish some academic goals for yourself. These goals must answer a number of questions such as what you want to study as well as your reasons and motivations for the same. How you plan to achieve the goals you will set and why it is important to you.
You must remember to answer these questions in a manner that is personalized to who you are as an individual as this gives you a unique edge over everyone else. You must also remember to be detailed and give information relevant to the requirements.
Set your Educational Goals
Now that you know what to write, your next step is to decide on your goals. This means stating both what you want to study and the reason you want to study in China.
For example, I would like to pursue a post-graduate degree in History in China because of China?s rich cultural history.??
However, it is not enough to just state what you want to study; the CSC is also interested in your motivation for making that choice. Here, you must personalize your response to ensure that it fits your application. This can be achieved by writing down what motivated you to choose that particular institution and course.
For example, my great grandparents were of Chinese descent, and I have always been deeply fascinated by their lives and the historical background from which they descended.??
This allows you to narrow down your motivations while giving a reason why that institution is a good fit for you.
Think long term
As a student, it is important to think long term about your education. This involves finding ways to connect your current studies to the future of your life and that of others.
For instance, if you are taking up post-graduate studies that involve research, you?ll want to think about how that research will influence the lives of your community.
Even beyond academia, the program you apply should have a direct impact on what you do.
For example, studying Mandarin so as to become a language teacher and as such aid the cause of globalization.
How Will You Do It
Now that you have decided on the goals you hope to achieve; it is important to present how you plan on going ahead to achieve the set goals. Many people can dream, but having a solid plan for success will set you ahead of the rest.
For example, if you plan to learn the Chinese language to teach it, then spending time with locals is a big part of how you are able to practice the language, and as such can be a better teacher.
In addition to finding ways to improve your skill set, anticipating possible challenges and figuring out how you will overcome them will also go a long way in both impressing the CSC as well as avoiding possible pitfalls for you.
For instance, a foreign student studying Chinese history and culture may be having a limited world view when it comes to Chinese culture.
However, taking time to see parts of the country and immersing themselves in some of the traditions so as to acquire a deeper understanding of the culture will go a long way in helping one work around that.
Put a Timer on it
When you make a time chart, you are basically listing out the most favorable and least favorable times to study. Creating a time chart for your activities helps show your dedication to your studies as well as how you plan to carve out your time given the scholarship.
As such, you must set a timeline for the goals you have decided on in the course of your study.
Establishing a schedule or a methodology also serves as reminders for you, which in the long run, make you look and become more efficient and organized. It also helps in building that much-needed accountability for your goals by ensuring you stick within your deadlines and avoid the dreadful feelings of anxiety when time catches up with you and you cannot deliver on a project.
Wrap it up
At this point, you have introduced yourself, stated your reasons for choosing the institution and your course. You have also expressed why you want to study in China, how you plan to do so and even created strategies to deal with the possible challenges you might face along the way. It is at this point that you may want to add why this scholarship is so important to you. Here, your goal is to show the CSC that the opportunity means a great deal to you, and you would do whatever is in your power to ensure you achieve your goals.
For example, you could say, I am deeply grateful for your consideration. This opportunity will go a long way in helping me achieve my future aspirations as well as allow me to grow both as an individual and a member of the larger Chinese community. I will work tirelessly to fulfill my goals and show that offering me this chance was a good choice.??
What else
Now that you have a good idea of what writing a study plan involves, it is important that you remember to consider a few of the following things;
Personalize your work
Personalizing your work ensures that it remains authentic to you. When you write a generic plan, the CSC will know, as it is their job to sift through a massive number of applications. You must also remember that when you personalize, you are creating a plan that is unique to you and your strengths as well as your needs. It also appeals to the humane side of the panelist reading through your application. You, however, have to remember to stay professional and genuine.
Stay Reasonable
When people are desperate, they tend to do unreasonable things and make promises or assurances they cannot keep. You can avoid falling into this trap by being reasonable while creating a study plan for China. For instance, when creating your schedule, don?t list out seven or even eight hours of study with no breaks so that you can seem hardworking. This will not work and will often result in burn out, which will frustrate your course of study.
You are much better off creating a reasonable study plan with pre-scheduled study periods breaks in between to ensure that you do not get frustrated by your own plan. A reasonable study plan will also encourage you to stay on track when it comes to the set study times as skipping sessions can cause anxiety. It can also make you more likely to continue skipping them, which in the long run, affects your efficiency.
Keep the Language Simple
It can be tempting to try and seem knowledgeable by filling your study plan for China with jargon from your field of study. This rarely ever gets the desired effect and can sometimes make you come across as snobbish and off-putting. As such, it is critical to keep the language in your study plan as simple as possible such that someone outside of your discipline or area of specialization can understand clearly all the points you are trying to put across.
Plans written in simple language also go a long way in speaking to the kind of person you are as most people prefer someone who is able to put forth their ideas in a manner that is simple to comprehend.
Have a Well-Detailed Plan
This application is what will introduce you to the CSC. As such, you want to ensure that is has all the relevant details It is as such vital that you provide as much information as you can about what you want to study and how you plan to go about that. This information helps the CSC better understand who you are as a candidate, and this understanding will definitely affect their decision. It also sets you apart from the rest of the aspirants who are vying for the same slot you are.
There is, however, a limited number of words you can write the actual study plan. As such you must be careful what details you put there. Nonetheless, they allow you to attach relevant documents and papers, and this provides you an opportunity to continue to set yourself apart from the rest.
Here is good sample of study plan
Applied Environmental Sciences
Proofread your plan
After putting in the work of creating a study plan, you must edit it. Submitting unedited work that is full of typing errors can be the hole in your otherwise perfect plan. It is, therefore, paramount that you go through your work and check for grammatical errors or other small mistakes that could have been made while creating a study plan for China.
When you have gone through it sufficiently, give it to someone you trust who is also likely conversant with a study plan such as your teacher or professor. Doing this will allow them to capture errors you might have missed while going through it the first time. They might also have some pointers on ways to improve your plan, especially if they have previous experience with the same.
Now You Know
If you have made it this far, then you can consider yourself amply prepared to create a study plan for China. As long as you use the steps highlighted above, you should be able to see that writing a study plan is not an impossible task. Going forward you must ensure that any study plan you write while applying for a scholarship in China should also include a list of personal ambitions and goals to attach and serve as proof of activities you have been a part of.
In addition to this, your past qualifications must also show and your motivations and reason for choosing China should also come into play. Do not forget that the commitment you show to your goals and dreams must also be presented astutely in the plan.
Nevertheless, writing a successful study plan just needs a focused candidate and the right kind of tips and tricks and you are a shoe in. We wish you all the best as you create your own study plan. Contact us today to answer any questions or for more information.
Useful links:
Types of Scholarships available to study in China
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