Many major scholarships do not stop at a motivation letter: they also ask for a study plan or a research proposal. That document often decides the outcome, because it shows the committee exactly what you will study and why you deserve the funding. This guide explains how the three documents differ, what some scholarships actually ask for, and how to build each one.
Three different documents
| Document | The question it answers | Usually for |
|---|---|---|
| Motivation letter / Letter of intent | Why you, why this programme, and what will you do afterwards? | All levels |
| Study plan | What will you study, in what order, and how does it serve your goal? | Bachelor's and master's |
| Research proposal | What is your research question, how will you answer it, and in what time? | Research master's, PhD and fellowships |
Do not mix them up. If a scholarship asks for two separate documents, do not repeat the same text in both. For the motivation letter, read the guide to the DAAD motivation letter.
What some scholarships actually ask for
| Scholarship | Requirement |
|---|---|
| DAAD Research Grants for doctoral candidates | A detailed research proposal of up to 10 pages in total including a description of your previous research, written by you after discussing it with your adviser in Germany, a separate timetable, and a letter from the host institution that refers to your specific project |
| Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) | A study or research plan; many Chinese universities ask graduate applicants for at least 1,000 words in English or Chinese |
| Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship | The "Field of Study and Study Program Plan" form, the most important paper in the first screening, also used to place you at universities |
| Türkiye Scholarships | A letter of intent whose content is one of the selection criteria, along with grades and activities |
The rule: read your scholarship's call line by line. The page or word limit, the language and any official template are formal requirements that can sink an application.
How to build a study plan
- Your background in a paragraph: what you studied, and the course or project that led you to this field.
- A clear study goal: the exact area you will study; not "engineering" but, say, "water resources engineering in arid regions".
- Why this country and this university: name real courses, labs or professors in the programme, not general phrases about "quality education".
- A timeline: what you will study each year or semester, when your thesis starts if there is one, and the language year if required.
- After graduation: how you will use what you learn in your country or field, with a specific, realistic goal.
How to build a research proposal
- A working title that is clear and specific.
- The problem and research question: the gap you address and why it matters now.
- Short background: what earlier research found and where you stand; do not turn it into a long literature review.
- Methods and data: how you will collect and analyse data, the tools or labs you need, and why the host has them.
- A realistic timetable split into phases.
- Expected results and impact on the field or your country.
- A short reference list of the key sources.
DAAD, for example, assesses the project's originality and relevance, your choice of host and first contacts there, and the feasibility of your plan and timetable. Those criteria fit most research scholarships.
Tips that make the difference
- Contact a supervisor before writing: a proposal discussed with a professor at the host university is much stronger, and some scholarships require a letter from them.
- Start from the scholarship's priorities: if it targets development goals or specific fields, link your project to them explicitly.
- Be specific and feasible: committees prefer a small project that can be done over a vague, huge one.
- Write it yourself: DAAD requires you to prepare and write the proposal yourself. Université Laval allows AI only for editing, summarising and structuring, not for generating ideas.
- Check language and layout: spelling and formatting errors look careless.
Mistakes that sink an application
- Generic text that fits any university and any country.
- Going over the page or word limit, or ignoring the official template.
- A project whose tools or data the host cannot provide.
- Copying the motivation letter word for word into the study plan.
- Copying proposals published online; committees spot them easily.
For the recommendation letters that go with the plan, read the guide to recommendation letters for scholarships.