Looking for a scholarship is no different  from looking for a job. The Reason being that some of the scholarships pay as much as a job. Most post graduate scholarships are funded by a research grant. The professors managing these grants hire students under scholarship schemes to work on a project. The organizations that provided the grants want results and a return on their investment.
Therefore, in order to award scholarships to students, the professors look for qualified students that have experience in the area where the research will be conducted.
More specifically, because they are under pressure for results, the professors transfer the pressure to scholarship recipients working on the research work.
What I am indicating in a nutshell is that to be awarded certain scholarships, you must have requisite experience demonstrable my your resume showing progressive experience in the area of the intended research work.
However, some professors can award scholarship grants on the bases of potential of the students to do the work. This thus means that you must have an impressive academic record or a good working experience.
Other scholarships that are available can be from government institutions,non-profit organizations or individuals. The requirement for these type of scholarships may not be as competitive as the research grants or Post Doc scholarship positions. The major scholarship requirement may come inform of essay or statement of interest. We will be discussing the details of what makes a good statement of interest in our next article. You can also read other scholarship tips that helps you prepare your mind before applying for scholarship