The selection process for the St. Paul’s Foundation Scholarship Programme has been designed to assess candidates in a broad and thorough manner, while promoting a positive experience at every stage. For this reason, strict compliance with the guidelines and the correct submission of the required documents are essential to ensure the validity of the application and a smoother experience throughout the process. In this article, you will find an overview of the required documents and important details about each one.
School Report Cards (mandatory)
Applicants must submit a photograph or scanned copy of their most recent school report cards, including all grades from the academic years 2024 and 2025. The documents must clearly show the student’s full name, year group, and all information must be legible.
These documents are essential for the Foundation to analyse the candidate’s academic performance over time, allowing for an evaluation of their progress, consistency, and commitment to their studies.
It is important to note that academic transcripts will not be accepted. Although they are official documents, they do not replace report cards, as they do not provide the level of detail required at this stage of the selection process.
Handwritten Essay (up to 200 words)
The candidate must write, by hand, an essay in English, choosing only one of the following topics:
- What do you like most about yourself at the moment? Why?
- What makes your life story unique?
- How would your friends describe you?
This stage aims to assess not only the candidate’s command of the English language, but also their ability to reflect, organise ideas, and express motivation. For this reason, it is very important to present original and authentic ideas, using the essay as an opportunity to express yourself through writing.
Typed essays or essays written in any language other than English will not be accepted. Please note that the text must be clearly handwritten, written in blue or black pen, and must include the candidate’s signature at the end of the page (where the text finishes).
Introduction Video (up to 90 seconds)
The video must be recorded exclusively in English and aims to present the student in a more personal and spontaneous way. In the video, the candidate should introduce themselves and explain why they wish to receive a full scholarship. If the student has special talents, such as sporting or musical abilities, these may be mentioned or demonstrated in the video, although this is not a mandatory requirement of the process.
Some important tips for recording the video: choose a quiet location, free from background noise that could interfere with the audio, ensuring your speech is clear. Try to record in a tidy environment with a neutral background, avoiding visual distractions. In addition, record the video in landscape (horizontal) format and make sure the camera is well positioned, with you centred in the frame, to ensure good composition.
This stage helps the Foundation to better understand the candidate’s motivation, clarity of goals, and overall profile, complementing the information provided in the written documents.
Each stage of the selection process has been carefully designed to allow for a fair and coherent assessment of candidates. Therefore, carefully following the guidelines, respecting the required formats, and meeting all deadlines is essential to ensure the validity of the application and the transparency of the entire process.