How Did You Find The Process For Applying For A Maths Scholarship? 

The application process was very simple. With the initial application form, which in essence is a job application form, completed, I was invited to an interview down in London.  The interview took a very similar form as one for a teacher training course.  All information about the interview was provided, including the interview questions that will be asked and a topic to create a presentation on.  Everything was laid out to make the day as simple and stress-free as possible.

Upon arriving in London, everything was as described.  I was greeted upon entry and led straight into a group discussion.  This not only allowed the scholarship team to see how we would interact with each other but also let us relax a bit from the ever-present anxiety of going to an interview.  Following the group discussion was the face to face interview.  This was led by two members of the institute of mathematics who posed the questions to discover whether maths is a passion. 

The face to face interview consisted of the questions that had been sent beforehand so it was clear what was expected.  After this was the presentation task.  Giving a couple of minutes presentation as to why a particular area of mathematics is useful in real life contexts.  I found it really interesting, not only answering the questions as it gave me a chance to think about the area in detail, but also listening to other applicants’ presentations and getting to hear what they had researched about their given areas of mathematics. 

The presentation was the end of the interview process and I was pleased to get confirmation of acceptance for the scholarship the very next day.  The ease of the application process resulted in me recommending, and persuading, another maths undergraduates to apply for the scholarship who found the process to be straightforward, and who also then was awarded the scholarship for their teacher training this year. 

By Ashley Warnes