How to help students prepare their scholarship applications

The needs-based higher education grant is essential support for students facing financial difficulties. Awarded by the CROUS (Regional Center for Student Services) under certain conditions, it helps finance part of the costs associated with studies. Amount, eligibility requirements, payment dates, combining it with other aid... Discover everything you need to know to prepare your grant application and benefit from this welcome boost to your higher education.

Inform students about the procedures and deadlines

Organize information sessions

Holding information sessions is essential to help students understand the scholarship application process and eligibility criteria.

However, organizing truly effective sessions requires careful preparation. The content to be covered must be clearly defined, a format adapted to the target audience must be planned, and sufficient advance communication must be made to ensure good participation.

Communicating via digital channels

To effectively inform students about the procedures and deadlines related to scholarship applications, several digital channels can be used:

• Institution website: publish a dedicated page gathering all key information, deadlines and a link to the online application portal.

• Targeted emails: send reminders by email to students, with a message tailored to their status (first-year students, current scholarship recipients to renew...).

• Social media: regularly share information on the establishment's official accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram...) using eye-catching visuals and the right keywords.

• Digital workspace: add a clearly visible notification on the ENT to inform students upon their connection and redirect them to the dedicated page on the website.

Multichannel communication and targeted messages will make it possible to reach the largest number of students concerned and to support them in their process.

Regularly remind people of deadlines

To ensure students don't forget scholarship application deadlines, it's essential to implement a schedule of regular reminders. Targeted emails can be sent at regular intervals, for example, one month, two weeks, and then one week before the final deadline.

The institution's social media channels are also excellent for disseminating reminders. Posts with eye-catching visuals and key dates will capture students' attention. Adding a countdown timer to the scholarship website will maintain positive momentum until the very last minute.

Supporting students in preparing their application

Establish regular office hours

Holding regular office hours is essential to answer students' questions about the procedures and deadlines related to scholarship applications. Here's how to do it effectively:

Set aside regular time slots, for example a fixed half-day each week, when dedicated staff will be available to meet with students individually. Publicize these sessions widely through the institution's channels: notice boards, website, social media, and emails to students.

Provide a suitable space, ideally an office that allows for confidential discussions. Staff members on duty must be fully trained on procedures and specific cases to provide reliable and personalized answers to each student. Maintaining a log of frequently asked questions will also enrich the FAQ available to everyone.

To offer individualized support

For the most complex cases, personalized support can make all the difference. It allows for consideration of the specificities of each situation and provides tailored support.

However, implementing such a system requires rigorous organization. First, the students concerned must be clearly identified by cross-referencing various criteria: difficulties encountered, accumulated delays, particular personal situation, etc.

Once this assessment is complete, a single point of contact must be assigned to each student. This dedicated individual will be able to build a relationship of trust and close collaboration, essential for effective long-term support. Regular meetings will be scheduled to review progress and adjust the action plan as needed.

In parallel, the mentor will mobilize all necessary resources, both internal and external: enhanced educational support, adjustments to schedules, psychological assistance, and solutions to overcome material obstacles. The objective: to provide a comprehensive and coordinated response to the challenges encountered.

Create tutorials and how-to guides

To facilitate the process for students, it is essential to provide them with clear and practical explanatory materials:

• Step-by-step guides detailing each stage of the scholarship application process, from creating the student social file to submitting supporting documents. These guides should be illustrated with screenshots and concrete examples.

• Short, dynamic video tutorials showcasing the main features of the online application platform. The goal is to quickly familiarize students with the interface and demonstrate the key actions to perform.

• A FAQ compiling the most frequently asked questions from students, with precise and up-to-date answers. This FAQ should cover various topics such as eligibility requirements, scholarship calculation, and payment methods.

• Quick reference guides summarizing key points, such as the application timeline, the list of required documents, and useful contacts. These guides, which can be printed or viewed on a smartphone, will allow students to always have essential information at their fingertips.

By diversifying the resources and making them easily accessible on the dedicated website and social media, you will greatly simplify the process for students. Don't hesitate to have them tested and gather user feedback to continuously improve them.

Facilitating the obtaining of supporting documents

Provide school certificates

To issue enrollment certificates to students quickly, the institution must implement a simple and efficient process. Digitization and automation are key levers for streamlining this administrative procedure.

Once administrative registration is complete, the student certificate could be automatically generated and made immediately available on the student's online portal. This would allow the student to download and print it independently, without having to travel or wait for manual processing by the student services office.

In addition, sending the certificate by email with an attachment would ensure that students have the document even without logging into their account. This would prevent the institution from experiencing a surge in requests at the start of each academic year and avoid overloading the service, resulting in significant time savings for both parties.

Centralize requests for supporting documents

Preparing scholarship applications requires numerous supporting documents: tax notices, school certificates, proof of address, etc. Managing these applications on a case-by-case basis represents a considerable workload for administrative services and can delay the processing of applications.

Implementing a centralized, paperless system for collecting supporting documents would improve efficiency. A single portal accessible to both students and administrative staff would greatly simplify the process.

Ensure follow-up of cases

Implement a system of reminders

To effectively re-engage students whose scholarship applications are incomplete, several actions need to be implemented:

• Send personalized follow-up emails: write a clear and concise message reminding them of the missing documents and the deadline for completing the application. Use a kind and encouraging tone.

• Targeted follow-up calls: For the most critical cases or those with an approaching deadline, a call allows you to reach the student directly. Adopt a supportive approach and offer your help if needed.

• Set up alerts on the student intranet: add an alert message to the ENT homepage reminding students to check the status of their application. A direct link to the list of required documents will simplify the process.

• Organize dedicated office hours: offer specific time slots where students can come and complete their applications with the help of administrative staff. Publicize this support system widely.

• Publishing tutorials: Create short videos or visual infographics explaining step-by-step how to submit the correct supporting documents. Clear and instructive content will encourage students to complete their applications quickly.

   

Check the completeness of the files

Before submitting scholarship applications to the CROUS (Regional Center for Student Services), a rigorous check of their completeness is essential. Indeed, any incomplete application risks significantly delaying its processing and therefore the payment of the scholarship to the student.

To ensure a complete application, it is essential to meticulously verify that all required supporting documents are present: tax assessment notice, proof of enrollment, bank statement in the student's name, etc. Using a checklist summarizing all the necessary documents will help ensure nothing is overlooked during this verification process. If any document is missing, the student must be contacted immediately to provide it as soon as possible.

In summary, the needs-based student grant is essential support for students facing financial difficulties. To receive it, you must complete your Student Social File online between March and May, gathering the necessary supporting documents. The grant amount, paid from September to June, varies depending on your situation. Like Emundus, the Crous aims to simplify the application process so you can focus on succeeding in your higher education.