Studying abroad can be financially challenging for many meritorious students who often opt out due to the expensive course fee, visa charges, accommodation and food expenses. Therefore, scholarships help many to pursue their dreams.
News18 ‘Scholarship Guide’ brings the best and most prestigious grants for Indian students to study in foreign countries, with most of them covering flight tickets, accommodation and course fee; and some also providing stipend.At the end of the day, it all comes down to balancing finances and applying for the “right educational loan” says 25-year-old Varun Kumar, who works at prestigious United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA).
Kumar, who completed his engineering in instrumentation and control from St Joseph’s College of Engineering, Chennai, says he applied to several universities in the UK and US, and pursued MSc in Robotics and Autonomous System at University of Bath, UK, based on GREAT scholarship which funded his tuition fee, resulting in a ‘loan-free’ education.
“The final decision was a balancing act between finances and quality education… That is when I applied for the GREAT Scholarship and noticed the University of Bath — one of the top-ranking universities in the UK for engineering — was also willing to nominate me for the scholarship. This meant that once I secured the scholarship, my entire educational expenses were covered, and I came into the UK loan-free and with less burden which meant I can focus more on my education and looking for jobs. GREAT Scholarship laid the platform for me to enter into the UK in supporting me financially,” Kumar explained.
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Scholarship Journey
Kumar came to know about the scholarship through an Open Day talk held at local British Council library in Chennai in 2019 and decided to apply for it immediately. The road between deciding to apply for a grant and getting it was long.
“The first step was an online application process through the scholarship portal. The application portal required a personal statement to detail on my aspiration to study in the UK and uploading various educational, extra-curricular certificates, awards to further strengthen my application, two strong recommendation letters from undergraduate university professors. I also had to contact the participating UK universities to nominate me for the scholarship to further strengthen my chances on winning,” explained Kumar.
His application was shortlisted and he was called for a telephonic interview. “I still remember that I was both confident and nervous at the same time. The conference call lasted around an hour and the interviewers were delegates from the British Council, DRDO and other top organisations in India. They made me feel comfortable and it was more of a conversation than an interview to better understand my motive and aspirations to study in the UK and whether I would fit their requirements to win the scholarship. After a week or so, I received the confirmation via email, and I was over joyous and excited about travelling to the UK.”
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“The easiest part of the scholarship was definitely hitting the submit button and replying to the emails. The remainder of the whole process was meticulous as I had to ensure I made myself stand out from all the other applicants. Collating all my academic certificates, achievements, awards, recommendation letters and writing up my personal statement was time consuming but definitely supported greatly to my application,” he said.
Studying During Covid
Soon after joining the university, Kumar and his peers were met with uncertainty caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. One of his reasons behind choosing to study abroad was the emphasis on practical aspect of the education and the pandemic made it shift to online mode.
“It was already quite challenging shifting from a classroom-based teaching to a remote online teaching. Moreover, the way we interacted and learnt changed drastically where all our in-person lab sessions became simulation studies and face-to-face interactions with fellow peers and professors reduced to adhere to the Covid restrictions,” he said.
Despite being under the lockdown themselves, Kumar’s parents became a pillar of strength amid the uncertain times.
“I was constantly in contact with my parents in Chennai who motivated me and gave me confidence whenever I felt down. Learning to cook was one of the many ways I adopted to keep my mind active and alert. As I lived in a university dormitory, which had a shared kitchen with five other students, we were in our own bubble and kept ourselves motivated in stressful times. The university also greatly helped in opening up hotlines to talk to mental first aiders if we ever felt any distress or discomfort during that time.”
Despite having graduated in a Covid-hit economy, Varun managed to land a job at UKAEA.
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Working at UKAEA
“I applied for the UKAEA graduate scheme in November 2019. This was the time when Covid was slowly creeping up in the UK and discussions of enforcing a lockdown was in motion,” recalled Kumar.
The first step for the job too was an online application submission through the company portal followed by a self- recorded video interview where a series of questions would flash on the screen and your responses along with video will be recorded for a minute or two.
He received a confirmation email from UKAEA in 2020 after which he had to appear for an in-person interview at their office in Culham, Oxfordshire, UK.
The interview consisted of a series of personal questions, followed by technical questions testing his engineering skills, problem solving, and situational awareness. Later, he was asked to participate in a group activity with other candidates where they were given a particular task to complete as a team.
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“I received confirmation that I was selected and offered a job at the UKAEA RACE facility as a graduate engineer in robotics. The best part was they were willing to sponsor my right to work TIER 2 visa which was so difficult to secure during Covid as companies were constantly laying off employees. I was meant to start my job in September 2020 and was constantly ensured by UKAEA that my job was secure, and they wouldn’t let Covid affect my start date. This gave made me worry less about my job situation and focus on my studies more.”
Studying Beyond Academics
Looking back at his time at the university, Kumar said, “Apart from academics, I got to learn a lot while doing part-time jobs to help manage my daily expenses and also to understand more about the British work culture. It also helped me to manage my time better and make new connections.”
Suggesting his peers, who aim to apply for education abroad, Kumar said, “Don’t be dejected by failures. The first time you enter a foreign country can be daunting and overwhelming but ensure you give enough time to settle down and get a foothold. I would recommend start applying for jobs as soon as you enter the country as the application process usually takes a long time and they open a year before the actual start date.”
“I applied to nearly 100+ companies and I received many rejections, but I would suggest taking those rejections as a way to improve and correct your mistakes and make your application much suited for the job role.”
“Ensure you are active on LinkedIn as I found it was one of the best ways to reach out to employees and recruiters directly to get valuable insights about the company, you are interested in. I would also strongly encourage taking up a part-time job to manage your daily expenses and understanding more about the work culture of the country,” he added.
