Sometimes the University-specific forum here at CC will have information about the particular scholarship at a university.
So check out the colleges & universities forum here and if you know the name of the scholarship, you can search that particular university’s forum using key words. Looking at threads from previous years may give you a sense of the competitiveness of a particular scholarship.
Both my kids received scholarships - one kid applied at a university that had auto merit based on scores and the other kid applied at one that didn’t have auto merit. Both were awarded first round merit soon after admission and then later were invited to apply for the higher level of scholarships. In each case, essays and in-person interviews were part of the process.
However, each university will have their own process! Good luck!