Welcome to the webinar on the Office of Major Scholarship Advising. This webinar is intended for students and alumni who are looking for exciting opportunities to further their education and professional development by applying for a major scholarship or competitive internship.


This is part I of the webinar. It introduces the office of major scholarship advising and explains what major scholarships can offer. This part also provides information about what it takes to win a major scholarship and what types of students are most competitive. 


The Office of Major Scholarship Advising at PFW is similar to offices at many private and public institutions of higher education. It offers advising to students and alumni so that they have the best chances possible in competitive scholarship competitions. Over the years, OMSA has helped numerous PFW students win scholarships. You can learn more about successful students in Part II of this Webinar.


Hi! IÕm Dr. Borbieva. I have been director of OMSA since 2020. I have been a professor at PFW since 2009. I teach anthropology. I am also an alumna of a major scholarship program: I was a Fulbright student recipient in 2003, and used my Fulbright to conduct research in the Kyrgyz Republic.


A few words about what OMSA doesnÕt do.

OMSA is not a foundation or lender. It doesnÕt give money to students. It is an advising office. 

Most major scholarships that PFW students would apply for canÕt be used to pay for tuition or living expenses while studying at PFW. There are a few exceptions: The Goldwater scholarship supports undergraduates in STEM majors, and the Gilman supports undergraduate study abroad. If you are looking for grants to pay for your study at PFW, please talk to the financial aid office and advisors in your home department or college. 

OMSA also doesnÕt match students with local internships. The PFW Career Development Center is there to help you find local opportunities. OMSA supports students applying for highly competitive, national internships. 



What OMSA does do.

OMSA provides information about major scholarship competitions to the entire campus, including announcing deadlines for major scholarship competitions.

OMSA works with PFW students and recent graduates to identify opportunities that are appropriate for them. Thousands of major scholarships exist, and I can help you sort through them. 

OMSA help students prepare applications. Most major scholarship competitions expect that students have worked closely with advisors and mentors on these applications, and especially on the essays and personal statements. Students who have not had assistance on those sections of the applications tend to be less competitive.

Finally, some competitions require that a student apply through their institution and get their institutions to nomination them. When this is the case, OMSA works with the scholarship foundation to give PFW students the institutional endorsement they need. 


By this time, you may be wondering, Òwhat is a major scholarshipÓ?
Major scholarships are very competitive. Fewer than a third of applicants are successful in these competitions. Major scholarships attract diverse applicants from all over the country and some internationally. Major scholarships support opportunities that can greatly add to your education and professional development, moving you more quickly toward your career goals.


Major scholarships usually do not support 

PROFESSIONAL or PRE-PROFESSIONAL DEGREES. Campus resources exist to advise you on preparing for and funding professional degrees, like a law degree, medical degree, or MBA. Consult your academic advisor. One exception is students moving into the teaching profession. Several major scholarships support future teachers. See Part II of this webinar for more. 

GRADUATE WORK AT PFW. Many major scholarships support Ph.D. study, but very few support MasterÕs degree study. At this time, PFW does not have Ph.D. programs. For money to support your MasterÕs degree at PFW, consult the Financial Aid Office or your academic advisor.

NON-US CITIZENS. Most of the major scholarships require US citizenship or residency, but there are exceptions. If you are not a US citizen, please tell me. It is my policy never to ask a student their immigration status, but it helps me to know, so that I can tailor my recommendations accordingly. 



Major scholarships offer exciting opportunities, but applying for them is a lot of work. Make sure that you are a good fit for a major scholarship before you invest time in applying. 
First, to be competitive for a major scholarship, you should have a high GPA (over 3.7 for most competitions), and you should have demonstrated your commitment to your education through other academic accomplishments and activities, such as conference presentations or posters, doing independent research, working with professors on their research, and winning academic honors.
Beyond having achieved a lot academically, you should also genuinely want to achieve more, and have some ideas about your goals and ambitions that you hope to achieve one day.
Another thing to consider is that major scholarship opportunities will often take you out of your comfort zone: you might be living n another country, learning a foreign language, or engaging in difficult research work. Are you the kind of person who enjoys that kind of challenge and adventure?
Finally, to be competitive, it doesnÕt hurt if you have had a leadership role in a professional or extracurricular context or to have shown your consistent dedication to certain causes that relate to the scholarship. Many students worry that by working and not getting involved in student groups, they are less competitive, but that is not true if you have learned important skills or demonstrated relevant professional qualities at your job. If you do want to join student groups, consider joining 1 or 2 groups that are really active and making a difference in the community over joining ten groups or groups that are not very active.