postulant
/ˈpɒs.tʌlənt/ or /pɒsˈtʌlənt/Definitions
1. noun
A person who is a candidate for a particular office, especially a bishopric, or a novice in a religious order.
“She was a postulant at the convent and spent her days studying and performing chores.”
2. noun
A person who is a candidate for a particular status, especially a grant or a scholarship.
“He was a postulant for a prestigious scholarship to study abroad.”