The Personal Interview - The Most Common Types of Questions in an Interview with Funding Institutions

After applying for a scholarship and being successfully selected normally a personal interview follows. Interviews are conducted in many different ways. Some interviewers use pre-written questions so they can directly compare answers. Others adopt a more conversational approach in order to get a better understanding of the candidates' personalities.

Describe your own CV

You will often be asked to summarise your CV. This question can be asked in many different ways. For example, the interviewer could ask: „Tell me a bit about yourself”. You should focus on your experience and achievements to date when asked this question.

You should start with your degree. Talk about what you achieved, and when you received it. Of course you won’t have time to tell your whole life story. Instead you should focus on the most important milestones. Highlight areas of your CV that are relevant to the objectives of the organisation to which you are applying. And give your interviewer time to ask questions about what you are saying.

Why you should get the scholarship

Another question that is frequently asked is why you should receive the scholarship, so you should be prepared for this question. Your answer should highlight your strengths, but should not make a direct comparison with other candidates. For example, don’t say you are the most socially committed candidate. Instead show your experience in this field. The strengths that you highlight should be in the order of importance to the scholarship. You should avoid vacuous statements though. Instead try to explain each of them with a few examples.

Financial need is another central part of the answer to „Why do you deserve this scholarship?” - but only part of it. Explain both the level of your need and the concrete impact the money would have on your studies, and connect this to the goals of the specific scholarship and how they relate to your own life. It also helps to acknowledge that there are many deserving applicants and then show what sets you apart from the crowd - for example a strong academic record combined with substantial community involvement.

Reflect the views of the organisation

Many organisations and funding institutions have a clear focus. For example, they might be politically oriented so an interviewer might ask you about your political position. You won’t normally be asked to comment directly about the party, but political issues can be discussed.

Current topics in the newspapers

Many interviewers ask questions about topical stories in the news. When doing this they are trying to find out if you’re interested in the events of the day, and if you can argue clearly and structurally. This helps them learn something about your personality. So make sure you know what is happening in the news so you can engage in this sort of discussion. It is embarrassing if you only learn about a particular topic during the interview.

Stand by your strengths and weaknesses

Interviewers like to learn about your strengths and weaknesses so they can see whether you are able to judge realistically. Of course you will want to leave a positive impression so you should focus on your strengths. But make sure you include weaknesses as well as you don’t want to be perceived as being unable to accept criticism. And make sure they are genuine weaknesses.

You should first list three strengths with examples. Then you can name your weaknesses, although make sure they have little value to the selection criteria for the scholarship. It is best to say that this was primarily a weakness in the past which you have worked on. And explain what you have learned from this weakness. But avoid the most common mistakes.

Structuring your answers: the STAR method

A reliable way to prepare concrete, well-structured answers is the STAR method, widely used to answer behavioural interview questions. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. First describe the Situation - the specific context, project or challenge you faced. Then explain the Task - the responsibility that was assigned to you and your own role in it. Next set out the Action - the concrete steps and strategy you chose. Finally state the Result - what you actually achieved, ideally with a tangible outcome. The point is to use one specific event rather than a general description, drawn from a previous job, a volunteer role or any other relevant experience. Applied to scholarship interviews, this structure lets you back up statements about your strengths, your engagement or your goals with a real example the interviewer can follow.

Goals for the future

You will often be asked about your future plans. Your interviewer wants to see how determined you are, and they want to assess your decision making abilities. Do not be uncertain or say that you haven’t thought about it yet. If you are not sure you should still give some options. And highlight the one that you are most keen on.

Interviewers are also checking whether your plan is specific, realistic and achievable - and how the scholarship itself would help you get there. A convincing answer covers both short- and long-term educational and career goals, becomes concrete when you have a clear ambition, and shows that you have a proper roadmap for your success. A staged answer works well: where you want to be in five years, in ten, and in fifteen. For German programmes such as the Deutschlandstipendium, the motivation letter is the place where you set out your career goals and the role the scholarship would play in reaching them.

Do you have any questions?

Many interviewers end with asking if you have any questions. Saying no is not a good answer. This can leave an impression that you don’t care, or that you are not prepared. So try to prepare two or three thoughtful questions - for example about how the programme fits your profile, the culture of the institution, or the network and future perspectives it offers. This shows genuine interest and initiative.

There are also questions you should avoid at this stage. Do not ask about the amount of the funding, payout modalities or when exactly you will hear back - these signal the wrong priorities. Equally, avoid anything you could have found on the organisation’s website or in the programme description, as it suggests you have not prepared. Keep your questions open and experience-based, for example about the non-financial side of the programme, regular meetings between scholarship holders, networking opportunities or the experiences of former recipients.