Good morning from the land of Antoni Gaudi! This is Daina Chakma, a young physician from Bangladesh, currently pursuing MSc in “Infectious Diseases and One Health” (IDOH). This is an Erasmus Mundus European Master’s, hosted by 3 universities from 3 different countries- Universite de Tours, France (1st semester), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain (2nd Semester), Hannover Medical School, Germany (3rd Semester), and Internship worldwide (4th semester).

To be honest, I didn’t have a detailed idea about “One Health” when I applied for this Master’s topic. I was only enthusiastic about infectious diseases outbreak as I worked in that field. However, this master’s has widened my perception about One Health and I can talk about it the whole day! One Health is a holistic concept that the health of people is connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. When we protect one, we help protect all!

But this post is not about One Health. You will definitely see me advocating One Health on upcoming days. Today, I want to share my scholarship journey with you all. I can’t thank Kamrun N. Koly apu enough for creating this amazing platform. She is a wonderful woman, who despite having a full-time job, goes the extra mile to lift women out there. Sabrina Saba Mumu is another amazing leader in the field of Public Health who was there by my side throughout my scholarship journey. I can’t tell you how blessed I am to have her as my friend!

I know group admins and moderators are compiling your FAQs, but I still wanted to share this write-up from last year. I would be happy to answer any questions you might have. I hope this post helps!

Many scholarships are fully funded, meaning they will cover your tuition fees as well as living costs and health insurance. You can apply for as many scholarships as you want that match your goal. All the scholarship websites have pretty straightforward guidance about the application procedure. Still, I am trying to put everything even more in a simpler way here. Please note that if you find something difficult to understand, you can always send a mail to the scholarship committee for further clarification. They reply as soon as possible and they’re always nice!

The most important thing about scholarship applications is planning and preparation. It would be really helpful if you take at least 6 months -1 year to get all your documents ready. The most important document you will need for your application is the Motivation letter which is also known as the Statement of Purpose (SOP). I can’t stress enough how important this is. You can’t change your undergrad CGPA. But you always can write a kick-ass motivation letter! So, emphasize this part. Spend weeks and months writing your SOP. I read this book “50 Successful Ivy League Application Essays” just to get an idea about how to write a successful motivation letter.

I am attaching a pdf link here –

https://pdfroom.com/…/50…/PkdNL6YB2Xr/download

Read these essays and their evaluation. You will get an idea of how to write your SOP. But remember DON’T COPY FROM THEM. You have to write your own story. The scholarship committee can always tell if you are lying or copying others’ words!

★ Erasmus Mundus Scholarship:

I will start with the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, one of the most prestigious scholarships around the world! This is a fully-funded scholarship.

Erasmus Mundus committee mostly offers Joint Masters Degree (EMJMD). That means each program is hosted by two or three European Universities. So you will be studying a different semester at a different university. For instance, the IDOH+ program is being held by three European universities – Université de Tours (UT), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), and Hannover Medical School (MHH). The good thing is, you don’t have to apply to 2/3 different universities for these programs. Only apply to the Erasmus Mundus Portal.

Here is the link to the EMJMD catalog –

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/emjmd-catalogue_en

One applicant can apply for any three programs from this list. Please note that each program has different requirements and different opening dates (Most of the portals open in December). Find your favorite programs, go through the website, and find out the requirements so that you can get everything ready in time.

If you need further help you can join this group –

https://www.facebook.com/groups/105556129476392/?ref=share

There are many pdf files in the docs section that you might find helpful.

★ Chevening scholarship:

Another prestigious scholarship, offered by the UK Government, mainly searching for young leaders around the globe. So you have to highlight your leadership skill! This scholarship is for various professionals which means you will need at least two years of working experience to be eligible for this scholarship. Also, you have to commit that you will go back to work in your home country for two years once you finish your degree.

This is the website for the Chevening scholarship –

https://www.chevening.org/scholarship/bangladesh/

This portal usually opens in September and closes in November.

With this scholarship, you can study in different well-ranked universities in the UK. Once again, each university and each program has different requirements. One applicant can apply for three different programs for this scholarship.

Here is the list of courses that are eligible for the Chevening scholarship –

https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/find-a-course/

Remember, you have to apply to the university website and Chevening website separately for this scholarship.

★ Commonwealth Shared scholarship:

This scholarship is also based in the UK and you will need a minimum of two years of work experience to be eligible for this scholarship. Like the Chevening scholarship, you have to apply to the university website and CSC website separately for this scholarship. Applications for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are now closed. It usually opens in November. One can apply for three different programs for this scholarship.

Here is the website link of Commonwealth Shared scholarship – https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships-filter-search/

√ A little tip here: Since it’s exhausting to apply to too many different universities, try to find programs that are eligible for both the Chevening scholarship and Commonwealth shared scholarship. So that you don’t have to apply to 6 different universities!

★Australian Award Scholarship:

This is an Australian government scholarship for professionals. You can apply for three programs in different Australian universities. On a brighter note, you don’t have to apply to the university website and scholarship portal separately. You can apply here (https://oasis.dfat.gov.au/) and mention three programs that you are eligible for. Once you finish your degree, you have to go back to serve in your country for two years. This scholarship chiefly focuses on development impact plans.

★ SISGP scholarship:

Swedish Institute Scholarships for Global Professionals (https://si.se/…/swedish-institute-scholarships-for…/) is based in Sweden. This is another scholarship for professionals who have at least 2 years of working experience. Usually, the SISGP scholarship portal opens on February 10 and closes on February 20. It focuses on SDG goals. So keep this in your mind while writing your motivation letter!

To begin with, apply for a master’s program at https://www.universityadmissions.se/intl/start (Swedish University website). One can pick 4 different programs from this website. Then apply to the SISGP scholarship website.

Please note that you have to pay 900 Swedish kronor to apply to the university website.

Also, for Bangladeshi students, it is mandatory to send their original Bachelor’s Transcript in an official university envelope by post (DHL) to Sweden( Address is written on the above-mentioned website).

This is the group you can join for further information – https://www.facebook.com/groups/40362240846/?ref=share

And here is a detailed guide to SISGP scholarship –

https://m.facebook.com/groups/301977063275093…

You can also check these videos for further guidance –

https://www.facebook.com/womensupportinitiativeforum/videos/2722728231338623/

https://www.facebook.com/doctorsh…/videos/736164597158712/

Last but not least: NO ONE IS GONNA SPOON FEED YOU. YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK!

I know, it’s a frustrating procedure. But don’t give up! YOU CAN DO IT!

Written by
Dr Daina Chakma
Erasmus Mundus IDOH Scholar