Education for national and international students in Finland is centered around a student’s learning needs and the demands of industries in real-life work settings. Many global reports have ranked the country’s various educational institutions as top-class and worthy of recognition. To let international students who are financially weak or deserve awards, the government and universities in the country offer scholarships so that education is not compromised. Students who believe that they can do justice to this offer have to fill out an application form and submit a statement of purpose for the same. This statement is attempted in the form of an essay written from the point of view of the student about why they should be accepted into the country with a scholarship gift in hand. Sop for Finland scholarships are formal documents that have to follow a format to avoid confusion of points. It is advised that a student should start writing their SOP months before filling out their application so that ample time is there to make corrections and rectify writing errors. If you too want to get your SOP checked or written in a foolproof manner, you can contact professional SOP writers who have the expertise in writing this document.
What is the SOP for Finland scholarships?
The SOP for Finland scholarship is a document prepared by the student with the intent of getting their profile accepted for scholarship programs by the country’s government or university. Depending on the course that you want to study in Finland, you have to emphasize different points that show the skillset and knowledge you have developed in them. While a business/marketing student will focus more on talking about the professional responsibilities they have undertaken; a bachelor’s or master’s student can stick to their educational qualifications over the years. Previous academic performance is anyway the principal factor in granting you a scholarship from Finland. The value of academic excellence in the country can be understood by the fact that if scholarship awardee students do not manage to score the expected credit points, then their scholarship will be null and void. This obliges the student to submit their tuition fees like other students or withdraw themselves from the course.
Points to follow while writing your SOP for the Finland scholarship
Brief Introduction– Begin writing your Statement of purpose by defining the motive of your application; this includes the name of the scholarship program and why you want it ( to cover your tuition fees). Talk about the course for which you have applied in Finland or any interesting experience that made you choose this field of education. The writing style of your introduction should be engrossing so that the reader does not presume your SOP to be a general application which is similar to hundreds of other such documents. Do not write your introduction paragraph in more than 150-200 words.
Introduction to your Academic History– Academic history includes high school or any other degree, diploma, or certificate course that you have done while studying in your home country. You have to share your performance (scores) in them along with the reasons that prompted you to study them.
Presenting your skills- Write about the professional, academic, or other subject-related skills that you have acquired from your experiences over the years. For example, a student who has applied for an undergraduate course from Finland can write in their scholarship SOP that, “During high school, my teachers always assigned me the duty to make data and analysis reports of class expenditure on field trips and other educational programs. I enjoyed carrying out this responsibility bestowed upon me and presented my work using graphs and economic equations. This helped me understand how to scrutinize human behavior in terms of demand and supply of things required while being on a budget for certain occasions”. Do not hesitate to write about your non-academic ventures too as they will help in establishing your identity as an all-rounder student who has been actively present and takes part in events and social activities.
Grip over course knowledge- Showcase the knowledge and awareness you have for your applied course in Finland. This will show that you have a clear idea of what you want to learn and what you are already aware of. For example, “When my economics teacher made me a part of a seminar on the ‘Role of data in understanding national and international consumption of goods’, I learned a lot about different types of graphs and presentations with tables and texts. However, I faced difficulty in doing the actual procedure because of my inefficiency in calculating transaction costs and incentives. I believe that my undergraduate degree from the University of Eastern Finland will equip me with an in-depth understanding of these topics”.
Show your achievements– It is one thing to give details of your academic and professional work and a complete other to stress and highlight the achievements that you have gained from them. If you have been a scholar student in your school or college or have excellent results in a subject, then mention it in your academic background. Recognition, verbal or written praise from an authority, or other forms of awards can be a part of your sop for Finland scholarship. For example, “ When our school organized a debate on international politics that focused on ‘Role of countries in contributing to war and famine, our team of four students stood first for our approach towards human suffering, the effect of self-centered ideologies of politicians, etc.
The link between past-present-future education- Students must establish a tangible link between their previous education and the future education for which they are moving to Finland. A change of subject can indicate that you are not yet sure about what you want to study and lack a focused approach in terms of academics. Concepts and topics of all subjects are related to each other in different levels of degrees. Thus, there are higher chances of performing well in a subject that you have been studying for a few years now.
Examples of soft skills– Demonstrating your soft skills through concrete experiences/examples from your real life will uncomplicate your personality for the scholarship officials. It will assist them in understanding your approach and skills while handling problems, your intention towards specific goals, and your demeanor while facing tough situations. Some examples of soft skills can be cooperation in teams, emotional intelligence, the capability to solve problems, etc. At all costs, students should avoid writing about them in baseless sentences without giving any proof.
Deserving qualities for scholarship– Scholarships are largely given as awards for work well done. Before submitting your application, proofread it carefully to see if your scholarship SOP comes across as one that deserves the promised grants. A useful tip that you can follow before starting to write your SOP is to research the eligibility criteria and expectations of your Finland universities for students who desire a scholarship. Further, craft your entire scholarship SOP around the points that you have researched.
Key interest points– Your scholarship SOP is supposed to be an embodiment of your exceptional qualities and achievements. Interesting points that are relevant to your course of study should keep the officials hooked to reading your application further. Use formal and influential writing skills while avoiding any form of decorative or over-aesthetic language. Remember that interesting points do not mean unnecessary twists and turns that leave the reader confused about your motive for foreign education. A simple yet engaging SOP is highly preferred for scholarship purposes.
Overall strong profile- Hundreds of international students write scholarship SOPs for courses in Finland. Only a handful of those who stand out from otters in their academics, skills, and motive, get their hands on good programs that ease their stay in the country and relieve them of financial burdens. Ensure that your SOP is written in one such manner only so that it is easy for your application to be accepted.
Some significant scholarships offered by Finland
Finland Doctoral Scholarships- This scholarship is offered to non-European Union students who are capable of doing research work for their Ph.D. It is funded by the country’s education and culture department. Alongside your tuition fees being covered by the university, you will also be eligible to receive 2000 Euros in the form of grants.
University of Helsinki- The standard tuition fees for this university can go u to 18,000 euros with added living and maintenance costs. Postgraduation students can get a waiver on their fees of either 50% or 100%. If expected credits are gained by the students during the first year of their program then the scholarship policies get renewed for the next years too. Make sure that you write a stellar SOP as the selection of students is based on previous academic records and SOP only.
Oulu University- Bachelors and Masters students with noteworthy high achievements are entitled to apply for scholarships from this university. The amount received by each student can differ because of their chosen courses. For this scholarship too, if students fail to get at least 60 credit points in their first year then they have to pay the complete tuition fees for the remaining years or discontinue studying in Finland.
Conclusion
International students from the Indian diaspora in Finland are increasing each year. In-demand courses taught in English, experienced teachers, and networking options available to students are the key reasons for this transition of choosing Finland-type European countries instead of Canada or the USA. To tackle the hefty costs of the country, university and government financial aid to international students has increased manifold. The deciding factors for the selection of scholarship-deserving students are academic achievements and a well-presented SOP. Such a document is not worth trifling with and should be attempted with due diligence. Keep your SOP between 500-800 words only while attempting to cover all the important information.
Many students feel that they should not draft this document and must contact professionals who do it. We, at Contentholic have been providing Professional SOP Writing Services in India for more than 13 years. Each year, thousands of students contact us to get their SOP done. Our SOP Writers in India write every SOP as per the profile of the student and make it personalized. Therefore, if you want to study in the country of Finland on a scholarship, then you must apply for it with a well-written Statement of Purpose. Get help from our SOP writers Online and fly to Finland to study in your dream university.
