In January of 2020, I traveled with the ASEAN Youth Friendship Network (AYFN) to Seoul, South Korea on a funded travel opportunity.

Sometimes these opps ask applicants to submit a video application and I’ve received multiple requests to share my successful video application. Below you’ll find their video application guidelines as well as my actual video and transcription.

Pay attention to the following:

• How I included the research methods I use for every opp I apply to
• How I crafted a script before I made the video
• How I answered exactly what they asked very specifically
• How I tried to include my personality in the video
• How I tried to use simple video editing techniques to make sure my video would be unique
• any other qualities you may be able to see from my requirements!

Video Requirements

Annyeonghaseyo! My name is Gabby Beckford. I’m 24 years old and I live outside of Washington D.C., United States.

I have 3 sisters, a mother, a father, and a stepmother. When I was in college I studied Mathematics and Middle Eastern studies. Since I graduated 2 years ago, I’ve been working in Business Development for a large U.S. company.

I love to experience new countries and share them with the world with my videos, my writing, and the photographs I take, on my website Packslight.com.

For my strengths, I would say my confidence, my determination, and my creativity are very good!

Submitting a video application for an opportunity you're applying to? Check out mine that helped me win a fully-funded trip to Korea as an example! Click To Tweet

And for my weaknesses… I think I would have to say my one-track-mindedness. I can only focus on one thing and I sort of have tunnel vision. And maybe my patience. I really get excited and it’s hard to be patient and let things come in their own due time.

When I think about Korea I think about a culture that is very common around where I live but one that I do not know much about myself. I think about how similar Korean may or may not be to Chinese or Japanese culture, and it makes me want to find out for myself! I also think about what holidays the United States and Korea celebrate together, and which ones are unique to Korea that I might really like. And of course, I think about popular Korean things like boba-tea, KPOP, and KBBQ.

I love to travel. So I travel the world whenever I can. And it’s possible that one day I might be able to visit Korea by myself. BUT! When I saw the opportunity to visit Korea with an organization like AYFN I knew this was the best way for me to go. I want to visit Korea with an organization like AYFN because I love your mission.

On your website, it says your mission is “To connect young people around the world to know each other”. This is also my mission! I want to help encourage other young people to seek relationships with people of different cultures and to see the world.

Check out this example of a video application and save it for the future opportunities you apply to. Click To Tweet

I want to travel with AYFN to visit Korea wear hanbok, eat Kimchi, and practice Korean language with AYFN because I know that I will be able to say I experienced authentic Korean society, and I want to be able to share it with the world that organizations like AYFN exist and that they want us youths around the world to experience these beautiful Asian cultures

And with my travel blog and audience, I know that I can share my journey digitally with the rest of the world and hopefully encourage other people to visit countries like Korea and see what beautiful things there are to do there.

“Hi World! I wanna visit Korea with AYFN so I’ve applied to the Exchange Program Scholarship provided by AYFN. I love AYFN, I love Friendship.”