What you are not telling is what's the stated purpose of the Paris courses, which could give you a good hint for your essay. But a good essay on Paris would be the transformations that took place in the 80s and their later impact in the world of architecture, it's always good to know the ins and outs of history. 

How do you know this committee knows about your past travel experiences?  I would not mention it, but focus on 1) what makes you unique in needing this scholarship and 2) why the Paris program fits into your future goals.  Honestly, unless the scholarship is need-based, I would leave out any discussion of paying 2x the amount of other students and other money troubles.  Is there a specific topic that the Paris trip deals with that you are particularly interested in?  That would be very helpful.  (For instance, in a past studio maybe you did a project about urban interventions and Paris has a strong history of urban interventions.  Something like that.)

Hi eastcoast,

this sounds interesting. I'm an architectural graduate, and for the past 8 months I've been living off of scholarships from my national Arts Council. I am doing a variety of different pieces of research to explore how I can expand my practice. This is just to say I've sort of gotten my head around what is required.

1. Applying for scholarships requires that you communicate a remarkable level of specificity. It's ALL about this word. I could ask you why you want to go there. But this isn't hugely helpful. The question is WHAT is there that will allow you develop your practice as an architect. You need to identify your focus area of interest, and justify the trip based on its contributions to your practice. Are there particular paintings or sculptures in Paris that you need to study? Certain works by architects? The history of the city's urban design? I don't know what your interests are. But you need to identify them first. Then see how these interests are applicable to time spent in Paris.

2. People. Are there certain people in Paris (or the area) that interest you and are working directly on what you're interested in? Professors or practitioners? You could suggest that you are working on your own research project which you will develop into a research book on your return. Could you meet with these individuals to discuss your specific area of interest, and transcribe the meeting as part of your specific piece of research.

3. The word RESEARCH is key. Short of getting into research methodologies: think about things you can do to develop your area of interest. I've mentioned both existing artefacts in the city and people above. Is there anything else? What about the culture of life in the city of Paris? Is living this culture somehow relevant to embody the the experience of people in that city (to get you closer to understanding their unique perspective): say if you were exploring the paintings of Toulouse Lautrec, would living in Paris for a number of months be a useful way of getting to know the reasoning behind his work better. 

If you want to get the scholarship, take it seriously and frame it as a piece of research. And also you can do it! I agree with you: I do see far too much negativity on these forums towards fellow architects; it's a shame there isn't more of a culture of mentorship and respect in the profession.

If you need any more advice I'm happy for you to message me.