As a former Fulbright Scholar (2007-09) from Pakistan I feel obliged to inform Pakistani students about one of the world's most prestigious Scholarship awards that has recently been announced in Pakistan for year 2011.
I just thought to put this information for all interested candidates in a very informal way. If you are not in rush, you can go through following information else if you prefer you can directly visit Fulbright USEFP website from here.
Million Dollar Question:
Ask yourself, What do I get out of this Scholarship?
The answer is pretty simple and attractive, yes indeed I must say, very attractive! You earn a Master, Ph.D. or both degree(s) from any University in the United States without requiring you to spend a single penny of yours, or should I be more specific and say 'A SINGLE PAISA of yours!'. It funds tuition, living stipend, airfare, health insurance and of course textbooks as well!
My Objective For Now:
As of now, my prime objective is to keep you updated on the latest announcement, but later I would try to share my 'personal' thoughts with regard to various questions as to what are the most important ingredients one should focus on in order to get hold of Fulbright Scholarship.
Scholarship Announcement by USEFP For Year 2011
The United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) had announced Master's and Ph.D. Scholarship Program for year 2011 almost like a month ago, generally it is announced around three months to the closing date. Closing date for year 2011 program is May 18, 2010'. Please visit for this year's program at Fulbright Scholarship for year 2011
I'm Interested, But How and Where to Start From:
1. Check your eligibility for the Scholarship Program.
2. If you meet the eligibility requirements, you should plan for GRE Exam and start preparing for it. Take a look into the availability of the GRE test dates at your local or nearby testing centers. USEFP has a special section on GRE/TOEFL on their website which gives you detailed information on the GRE Exam and the Testing Agency, namely Prometric Testing Center. Please visit:
GRE Exam for Fulbright Scholarship
3. Take your application VERY SERIOUSLY and start filling it out gradually and well in advance, cause it is not going to take just few days, rather weeks. Surprised? Yes, you should be, only if you are serious about it. There are reasons why you should take it seriously, cause this is the most important document which they grade and your chances of getting selected are heavily dependent upon how well you score in your APPLICATION, and the rest of top two factors include your Academics and GRE Score. I would shed some more light on these things in my later posts.
This is a great opportunity for all youngsters to attain Higher Education from world's top-notch schools in US! If you feel like going abroad on Scholarship, you must avail this chance, and later should think about contributing towards development of Pakistan.
For detailed information about USEFP's different scholarship programs please visit usefpakistan
Source: http://aastech.blogspot.com/2010/03/usefp-fulbright-scholarship-for-masters.html
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Learning beyond text
IIM Faculty set to follow 3 Idiots
Sureshbala
The 3 Idiots has touched the people of IIM-A. Inspired by the movie, the faculty members at IIM-A are teaching students to learn about life from beyond the textbooks and curriculum in an elective course called ‘Learning What is Not Taught (LWNT)’. The course took off on Saturday.
Executive director of Tata Sons Ltd R Gopalakrishnan who is the lead instructor of LWNT said, “What the students learn in the classrooms is only the beginning of learning. The rest of the lessons are to be learnt from what life teaches them.”
He said that the early success in terms of earnings by young professionals creates a illusion that they have achieved a lot and better than their predecessors. It also results in over confidence. But life is not just being successful in terms job and money. It’s more than that. Using the clips from the movie, the students will be shown how the act of running after success brings failure.
The elective course will witness video recordings of lectures by personalities like Narayan Murthy, Arun Maira, Vijay Mallya and Rahul Bajaj who will speak about their life experiences through the videos and interactive sessions of various other visiting faculties.
The step taken by the leading Management Institute will definitely inspire the academic industry to follow the same suit.
Source: http://cat.learnhub.com/news/799-iim-faculty-set-to-follow-3-idiots
Sureshbala
The 3 Idiots has touched the people of IIM-A. Inspired by the movie, the faculty members at IIM-A are teaching students to learn about life from beyond the textbooks and curriculum in an elective course called ‘Learning What is Not Taught (LWNT)’. The course took off on Saturday.
Executive director of Tata Sons Ltd R Gopalakrishnan who is the lead instructor of LWNT said, “What the students learn in the classrooms is only the beginning of learning. The rest of the lessons are to be learnt from what life teaches them.”
He said that the early success in terms of earnings by young professionals creates a illusion that they have achieved a lot and better than their predecessors. It also results in over confidence. But life is not just being successful in terms job and money. It’s more than that. Using the clips from the movie, the students will be shown how the act of running after success brings failure.
The elective course will witness video recordings of lectures by personalities like Narayan Murthy, Arun Maira, Vijay Mallya and Rahul Bajaj who will speak about their life experiences through the videos and interactive sessions of various other visiting faculties.
The step taken by the leading Management Institute will definitely inspire the academic industry to follow the same suit.
Source: http://cat.learnhub.com/news/799-iim-faculty-set-to-follow-3-idiots
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
A Lady's courage
Disability couldn’t deter Zara from doing PhD!
Physical disability can be sidelined provided one has the will and determination. A brilliant example of this is the life and academic achievements of a deaf girl from Lahore who is doing PhD in special education from Johns Hopkins, a prestigious university in the USA.
In her message from USA, she said that she was thankful to God and everyone in her family, friends, professors and those who have been in her life for support and made things easier to her to excel in her studies. According to the data provided to this correspondent from her near and dear ones, Zara Hussain, a deaf but outstanding student, daughter of Iftikhar Hussain and Salma was born in Lahore in 1981.
When she was about a year old, her parents had discovered that she was deaf. It was not easy for them to accept this bitter reality, especially when Zara was their first child. They consulted many physicians to get her cured but to no avail. She was admitted to a school for primary education where she was only deaf child in her class and it was difficult for the teachers to treat her normally as they used to do so with other child students.
Zara did her high schooling from W.T. Woodson School (USA) where her father was posted in the Pakistani mission. She passed her high school with high grades and won ‘Role Model Award for American Deaf Children.’ She also learned CUED Speech, a system of communication used with and among deaf or hard of hearing people. She was also editor of the children magazine in her school at Virginia. She also wrote a guide for the deaf children studying at the American schools that was highly appreciated by the teachers and is now being used as a ‘Handbook for Deaf Children.’
When her family moved back to Pakistan, she got admission in Kinnaird College, Lahore, where she graduated with her major subjects including English Literature, Journalism and Psychology. After completing her bachelors, she got admission in the Punjab University and chose special education as her subject for masters. She topped all the four semesters and in recognition of her achievements former Punjab chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi awarded her a gold medal and cash prize worth Rs100,000.
Zara also represented Pakistan in ‘Annual Disability Conference 2004’ held in Washington DC. Despite resistance from the organizers, she displayed a stall through personal efforts, using only the ‘Punjab University, Pakistan’ as a label.
Though her mother wanted her to go for Information Technology or Computer Sciences but she got an HEC scholarship and went to the United States for doing her PhD in special education.
Her hobbies include socializing, especially with those people who work for the cause of special persons. Much of her time is utilized sitting on the computer and browsing the Internet and writing proposals for well-being of the deaf community.
She has a plan to set up an institute for the deaf community after completion of her PhD, initially in Islamabad and Lahore and then to spread its branches across the country with the aim to provide level playing field to help them shine in their areas of study and contribute effectively in the national development.
The academic achievements of this brave and talented young student needs attention of the government that must acknowledge and encourage such youths that can become a role model for many others in the society.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=223215
Physical disability can be sidelined provided one has the will and determination. A brilliant example of this is the life and academic achievements of a deaf girl from Lahore who is doing PhD in special education from Johns Hopkins, a prestigious university in the USA.
In her message from USA, she said that she was thankful to God and everyone in her family, friends, professors and those who have been in her life for support and made things easier to her to excel in her studies. According to the data provided to this correspondent from her near and dear ones, Zara Hussain, a deaf but outstanding student, daughter of Iftikhar Hussain and Salma was born in Lahore in 1981.
When she was about a year old, her parents had discovered that she was deaf. It was not easy for them to accept this bitter reality, especially when Zara was their first child. They consulted many physicians to get her cured but to no avail. She was admitted to a school for primary education where she was only deaf child in her class and it was difficult for the teachers to treat her normally as they used to do so with other child students.
Zara did her high schooling from W.T. Woodson School (USA) where her father was posted in the Pakistani mission. She passed her high school with high grades and won ‘Role Model Award for American Deaf Children.’ She also learned CUED Speech, a system of communication used with and among deaf or hard of hearing people. She was also editor of the children magazine in her school at Virginia. She also wrote a guide for the deaf children studying at the American schools that was highly appreciated by the teachers and is now being used as a ‘Handbook for Deaf Children.’
When her family moved back to Pakistan, she got admission in Kinnaird College, Lahore, where she graduated with her major subjects including English Literature, Journalism and Psychology. After completing her bachelors, she got admission in the Punjab University and chose special education as her subject for masters. She topped all the four semesters and in recognition of her achievements former Punjab chief Minister Ch. Pervaiz Elahi awarded her a gold medal and cash prize worth Rs100,000.
Zara also represented Pakistan in ‘Annual Disability Conference 2004’ held in Washington DC. Despite resistance from the organizers, she displayed a stall through personal efforts, using only the ‘Punjab University, Pakistan’ as a label.
Though her mother wanted her to go for Information Technology or Computer Sciences but she got an HEC scholarship and went to the United States for doing her PhD in special education.
Her hobbies include socializing, especially with those people who work for the cause of special persons. Much of her time is utilized sitting on the computer and browsing the Internet and writing proposals for well-being of the deaf community.
She has a plan to set up an institute for the deaf community after completion of her PhD, initially in Islamabad and Lahore and then to spread its branches across the country with the aim to provide level playing field to help them shine in their areas of study and contribute effectively in the national development.
The academic achievements of this brave and talented young student needs attention of the government that must acknowledge and encourage such youths that can become a role model for many others in the society.
Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/print1.asp?id=223215
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Scholarships by HEC
Applications are invited from outstanding Pakistani Nationals for the award of scholarships for higher studies leading to Phd. The scholarships will be awarded for spring 2010 session in HEC identifies world top ranked disipline wise universities of USA UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, Singapore etc.
Eligablity criteria as advertised by HEC:-
Candidates must have a minimum qualification of MSc., MA, MBA, B.E/B.Sc. Engg or equivalent (a total of 16 years education).
A maximum of two second-division passes throughout the academic career.
Not less than 50% marks throughout the academic career.
Maximum age on Tuesday September 15, 2009: 40 years for full time regular faculty members of public sector Universities/Colleges and employees of the public sector R & D organizations.35 years for all others.
Applicants must have already secured admission into a PhD program or Master’s leading to a PhD in the specified disciplines in the HEC identified world top ranked discipline wise Universities. The list of these universities & disciplines is available at HEC website (www.hec.gov.pk/ossphase2batch5).
Applicants who are applying for Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technology and Business Education must submit GRE/GMAT score. GRE score should be sent directly through ETS to HEC using the institution code GI 9054. GMAT score will be acceptable only for the candidates for Business Studies.
Applicants who are applying for Veterinary Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts & Humanities need to have minimum cumulative 50% academic marks as per HEC Academic Evaluation Formula (HEC-AEF). The HEC-AEF is available at HEC website.
The students already registered/enrolled for programs leading to PhD or PhD in HEC identified institutions abroad may also apply.
The candidates who are already availing any other HEC / Government scholarship offer are NOT eligible to apply.
Application Procedure
Prescribed application form will be submitted along with the following documents within the closing date of application i.e. Tuesday September 15, 2009.
1. Photocopies of all educational testimonials.
2. Photocopy of CNIC
3. CV/Resume
4. Attested photocopy of GRE/GMAT score, if available. GRE score report in original must also reach HEC by Tuesday September 15, 2009 directly through ETS, USA to Institution code GI 9054. This is applicable only for Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technology and Business Education disciplines
5. Photocopy of confirmed admission for PhD or Master’s leading to PhD Program at one of the HEC identified universities (list is available at HEC web site).
6. Statement of Purpose (One page)
7. Research Proposal
8. NOC from the employer (only for Government employees)
Note: - All above documents should be in proper order and stapled
Important Note:
1. All scholarships will be awarded on open merit.
2. Confirmed and unconditional admission letters should clearly state that admission is in PhD or MS/MPhil leading to PhD.
3. Candidates having direct admission into PhD will be preferred.
4. Those who have already applied for the Overseas Scholarship in previous phases and have not been awarded scholarship are required to re-apply.
5. In-Service candidates should apply through proper channel. Advance copies will not be entertained.
6. Funding for a maximum period of 4 years will be provided for higher studies leading to a PhD.
7. Limited numbers of scholarships in selected disciplines only are available. Detail is available on HEC website.
8. Awardees have to execute a bond with the HEC to serve in Pakistan for 5 years after completion of study, preferably in an institution of Higher Education.
9. Incomplete and applications received after due date will not be entertained.
Last date of receipt of applications:
Application form, complete in all respect should reach the undersigned latest by Tuesday September 15, 2009 through registered mail or courier service. By hand applications will not be entertained.
Rana Shafiq Ahmad
Project Director
Higher Education Commission
H-9, Islamabad
Eligablity criteria as advertised by HEC:-
Candidates must have a minimum qualification of MSc., MA, MBA, B.E/B.Sc. Engg or equivalent (a total of 16 years education).
A maximum of two second-division passes throughout the academic career.
Not less than 50% marks throughout the academic career.
Maximum age on Tuesday September 15, 2009: 40 years for full time regular faculty members of public sector Universities/Colleges and employees of the public sector R & D organizations.35 years for all others.
Applicants must have already secured admission into a PhD program or Master’s leading to a PhD in the specified disciplines in the HEC identified world top ranked discipline wise Universities. The list of these universities & disciplines is available at HEC website (www.hec.gov.pk/ossphase2batch5).
Applicants who are applying for Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technology and Business Education must submit GRE/GMAT score. GRE score should be sent directly through ETS to HEC using the institution code GI 9054. GMAT score will be acceptable only for the candidates for Business Studies.
Applicants who are applying for Veterinary Sciences, Biological Sciences, Social Sciences and Arts & Humanities need to have minimum cumulative 50% academic marks as per HEC Academic Evaluation Formula (HEC-AEF). The HEC-AEF is available at HEC website.
The students already registered/enrolled for programs leading to PhD or PhD in HEC identified institutions abroad may also apply.
The candidates who are already availing any other HEC / Government scholarship offer are NOT eligible to apply.
Application Procedure
Prescribed application form will be submitted along with the following documents within the closing date of application i.e. Tuesday September 15, 2009.
1. Photocopies of all educational testimonials.
2. Photocopy of CNIC
3. CV/Resume
4. Attested photocopy of GRE/GMAT score, if available. GRE score report in original must also reach HEC by Tuesday September 15, 2009 directly through ETS, USA to Institution code GI 9054. This is applicable only for Physical Sciences, Engineering & Technology and Business Education disciplines
5. Photocopy of confirmed admission for PhD or Master’s leading to PhD Program at one of the HEC identified universities (list is available at HEC web site).
6. Statement of Purpose (One page)
7. Research Proposal
8. NOC from the employer (only for Government employees)
Note: - All above documents should be in proper order and stapled
Important Note:
1. All scholarships will be awarded on open merit.
2. Confirmed and unconditional admission letters should clearly state that admission is in PhD or MS/MPhil leading to PhD.
3. Candidates having direct admission into PhD will be preferred.
4. Those who have already applied for the Overseas Scholarship in previous phases and have not been awarded scholarship are required to re-apply.
5. In-Service candidates should apply through proper channel. Advance copies will not be entertained.
6. Funding for a maximum period of 4 years will be provided for higher studies leading to a PhD.
7. Limited numbers of scholarships in selected disciplines only are available. Detail is available on HEC website.
8. Awardees have to execute a bond with the HEC to serve in Pakistan for 5 years after completion of study, preferably in an institution of Higher Education.
9. Incomplete and applications received after due date will not be entertained.
Last date of receipt of applications:
Application form, complete in all respect should reach the undersigned latest by Tuesday September 15, 2009 through registered mail or courier service. By hand applications will not be entertained.
Rana Shafiq Ahmad
Project Director
Higher Education Commission
H-9, Islamabad
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Useful resources for freshers
Study Abroad and GRE etc
http://www.edulix.com/
http://www.i20fever.com/
http://number2.com/
http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/~nmadnani/grefaq.pdf
http://www.gre-exams.com/
http://www.urch.com/forums/admissions/
http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~swetha/swetha_app.pdf
http://whichuniversitybest.blogspot.com/
http://www.geocities.com/ashish_iitm/usapp.html
http://www.msinus.com/
http://sudiptachatterjee.blogspot.com/2005/08/tips-and-tricks-for-gre.html
http://sudiptachatterjee.blogspot.com/2005/08/scored-240-297-range-on-toefl.html
http://www.che.iitb.ac.in/apping.html
http://sudiptachatterjee.blogspot.com/2006/11/faq-about-applying-to-ut-austin.html
http://www.biharanjuman.org/gre.htm
http://whichuniversitybest.blogspot.com/
DOWNLOADABLES
A comprehensive guide about studying Abroad: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/1094039/studying-abroad-application-and-scholarships-information-ppt-pdf-march-1-2009-2-47-pm-2-1?da=y
Higher studies and career options: http://www.4shared.com/document/5B9SyAdF/how_and_when_to_grab_an_opport.html
Studying in Europe: http://www.mbdin.net/fileadmin/Education_Images/GuideToHigherStudiesInEurope.pdf
http://www.4shared.com/document/WHPxtf-n/European_EE_MS_programs.html
Study in Germany: http://www.scribd.com/doc/39477618/German-Visa-Process-Jobs-and-Monthly-Expenses
Career-related
Interviews: http://www.4shared.com/document/O7w0Sqfe/interviews.html
For Pakistani Students
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SAATFASE/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pakistani_Student/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paksef/
http://pakistanistudent.blogspot.com/
Jobs and Career-related
http://www.brightspyre.com/
http://www.sparkingjobs.com/
http://www.rozee.pk/
http://www.pakjob4u.com/
http://getsecondjob.com/
http://jobsnama.com/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/pak-engineer/
http://scanjobs.net/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/zumbeel/
http://www.alljobsgulf.com/
http://www.edulix.com/
http://www.i20fever.com/
http://number2.com/
http://www.umiacs.umd.edu/~nmadnani/grefaq.pdf
http://www.gre-exams.com/
http://www.urch.com/forums/admissions/
http://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~swetha/swetha_app.pdf
http://whichuniversitybest.blogspot.com/
http://www.geocities.com/ashish_iitm/usapp.html
http://www.msinus.com/
http://sudiptachatterjee.blogspot.com/2005/08/tips-and-tricks-for-gre.html
http://sudiptachatterjee.blogspot.com/2005/08/scored-240-297-range-on-toefl.html
http://www.che.iitb.ac.in/apping.html
http://sudiptachatterjee.blogspot.com/2006/11/faq-about-applying-to-ut-austin.html
http://www.biharanjuman.org/gre.htm
http://whichuniversitybest.blogspot.com/
DOWNLOADABLES
A comprehensive guide about studying Abroad: http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/1094039/studying-abroad-application-and-scholarships-information-ppt-pdf-march-1-2009-2-47-pm-2-1?da=y
Higher studies and career options: http://www.4shared.com/document/5B9SyAdF/how_and_when_to_grab_an_opport.html
Studying in Europe: http://www.mbdin.net/fileadmin/Education_Images/GuideToHigherStudiesInEurope.pdf
http://www.4shared.com/document/WHPxtf-n/European_EE_MS_programs.html
Study in Germany: http://www.scribd.com/doc/39477618/German-Visa-Process-Jobs-and-Monthly-Expenses
Career-related
Interviews: http://www.4shared.com/document/O7w0Sqfe/interviews.html
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SAATFASE/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Pakistani_Student/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/paksef/
http://pakistanistudent.blogspot.com/
Jobs and Career-related
http://www.brightspyre.com/
http://www.sparkingjobs.com/
http://www.rozee.pk/
http://www.pakjob4u.com/
http://getsecondjob.com/
http://jobsnama.com/
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/pak-engineer/
http://scanjobs.net/
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/zumbeel/
http://www.alljobsgulf.com/
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Story of a Pakistani Scholar
July 27, 2009
PAKISTANI GIRL
Beenish
As I look back at my one remarkable year in the U.S., I realize how wonderful a country the U.S is and how beautiful my country Pakistan is, and though we are very different but we have more similarities. When I received the confirmation of my scholarship which was through Fulbright commission and fully funded by the U.S State department, people in Pakistan warned me about different issues. My elder brother who is in England from past three to four years warned me of racism. He told me that you are a Muslim and also a Pakistani you should be very careful as people have very negative image of us. My aunts told me how I should be careful not only with boys, but also with girls and that I should not involve myself too much with American people as they have no moral values. One of my colleagues at my bank criticized me that I am doing something extremely wrong as the U.S. is our enemy and I should reject my scholarship and become a more patriotic Pakistani. I took some of the warnings seriously, but with all excitement was ready to spend one year of my life in the U.S.
My experience turned out to be much better than I had thought of. I was welcomed in one of the community colleges in upstate NY. We were four students from Pakistan in this program. There were students also from Turkey, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt and Brazil. We all students lived at the same dorm floor and were studying almost the same subjects. Since we were all on the same program, we all got very close to each other and learned about these countries as much as we learned about the U.S.
We were paid $ 500 each month and all other expenses such as tuition, hostel, and books were paid by the U.S. government. The purpose of this program was to let Americans know about our countries and culture and also learn about American culture. To fulfill this requirement, all students were provided an American host family. Students could live with them if they want. Mentor families were responsible of keeping the students entertained and allowed them to become a part of their family. I had a mentor family too. It was Ann Sullivan, a librarian at my college and her husband Nick, who is a professor at Cornell University. During my stay my mentor was always there for me. On weekends she took me and my other Pakistani room mate for dinners, shopping, and movies and sometimes to her home. I even stayed at her home during my winter vacations. She was very open to learn about Pakistan and Islam. She respected our values and appreciated the way we lived. I almost felt that I have an American mother and father.
Since we were also responsible to share about our country to American people, Ali, a Pakistani student from Skardu and I went to different libraries, schools, Cornell University and even to a children prison to talk about Pakistan. It was an amazing experience. People wanted to know so much about Pakistan. They were amazed to see Ali and me wearing our national dress. They wanted to know about war, Taliban, Al-Queda, how people live in Pakistan, was it safe to live there. It was very satisfying to tell them about our country and clear some of the misconceptions they had. For instance when the staff at the Children prison informed the prisoners that two speakers from Pakistan are coming to give a presentation, they told the staff we don't want any terrorists. It was funny as these were serious criminals who had murdered some one or were drug dealers. When we spoke to them about Pakistan, most of them were surprised. They were shocked to know about our strong family culture and low rate of children criminals. They also appreciated our closeness to religion and respect for elders.
During this year, I also realized the great opportunities that are available in U.S. educational institutes. At my college, I studied from very hardworking professors. The class room environment was very interactive. Students were encouraged to participate in class discussions and students felt comfortable expressing their opinions. Students had the option of choosing subjects that they wanted to study, there were also many opportunities where students could do internships in different countries. College library had a great collection of books, and students could use internet when ever they wanted.
As a part of our program, we were responsible to take a FDR (Freedom, Democracy and Responsibility) class. The purpose of this class was to let students know about American democracy, how America was formed and principles which are the base of American government. We were taken to Boston, as a part of this class. We visited all historic monuments and studied American Revolution as Boston is the city which gave birth to American Revolution against British. In this class we also learned about the civil rights war, the rights of women, and the extra-ordinary efforts of black African Americans to become an equal part of American society. It was an interesting time to be in America, as we saw a black, African American man to be elected as president of the U.S. first time ever in the history of U.S.
I found American society to be extremely tolerant of diversity. This country has people from all over the world and of all religions. I saw many Muslim women covering their heads and working freely without fear of being a target of racist comments. During my stay I traveled to may places in the U.S. and met many American people and no one judged me because I was a Pakistani or a Muslim. There are problems but they are because of our governments and not people. American people like us don't want war and killing of innocent people. My perception of U.S society has changed. I wish both Americans and Pakistani's could experience what I did. We need more such programs where young people can learn on their own and not form assumptions based on what is taught to us.
Beenish Javed
Pakistan
Source: http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090727/LIFE/907270390/1124/PAKISTANI+GIRL
PAKISTANI GIRL
Beenish
As I look back at my one remarkable year in the U.S., I realize how wonderful a country the U.S is and how beautiful my country Pakistan is, and though we are very different but we have more similarities. When I received the confirmation of my scholarship which was through Fulbright commission and fully funded by the U.S State department, people in Pakistan warned me about different issues. My elder brother who is in England from past three to four years warned me of racism. He told me that you are a Muslim and also a Pakistani you should be very careful as people have very negative image of us. My aunts told me how I should be careful not only with boys, but also with girls and that I should not involve myself too much with American people as they have no moral values. One of my colleagues at my bank criticized me that I am doing something extremely wrong as the U.S. is our enemy and I should reject my scholarship and become a more patriotic Pakistani. I took some of the warnings seriously, but with all excitement was ready to spend one year of my life in the U.S.
My experience turned out to be much better than I had thought of. I was welcomed in one of the community colleges in upstate NY. We were four students from Pakistan in this program. There were students also from Turkey, Indonesia, South Africa, Egypt and Brazil. We all students lived at the same dorm floor and were studying almost the same subjects. Since we were all on the same program, we all got very close to each other and learned about these countries as much as we learned about the U.S.
We were paid $ 500 each month and all other expenses such as tuition, hostel, and books were paid by the U.S. government. The purpose of this program was to let Americans know about our countries and culture and also learn about American culture. To fulfill this requirement, all students were provided an American host family. Students could live with them if they want. Mentor families were responsible of keeping the students entertained and allowed them to become a part of their family. I had a mentor family too. It was Ann Sullivan, a librarian at my college and her husband Nick, who is a professor at Cornell University. During my stay my mentor was always there for me. On weekends she took me and my other Pakistani room mate for dinners, shopping, and movies and sometimes to her home. I even stayed at her home during my winter vacations. She was very open to learn about Pakistan and Islam. She respected our values and appreciated the way we lived. I almost felt that I have an American mother and father.
Since we were also responsible to share about our country to American people, Ali, a Pakistani student from Skardu and I went to different libraries, schools, Cornell University and even to a children prison to talk about Pakistan. It was an amazing experience. People wanted to know so much about Pakistan. They were amazed to see Ali and me wearing our national dress. They wanted to know about war, Taliban, Al-Queda, how people live in Pakistan, was it safe to live there. It was very satisfying to tell them about our country and clear some of the misconceptions they had. For instance when the staff at the Children prison informed the prisoners that two speakers from Pakistan are coming to give a presentation, they told the staff we don't want any terrorists. It was funny as these were serious criminals who had murdered some one or were drug dealers. When we spoke to them about Pakistan, most of them were surprised. They were shocked to know about our strong family culture and low rate of children criminals. They also appreciated our closeness to religion and respect for elders.
During this year, I also realized the great opportunities that are available in U.S. educational institutes. At my college, I studied from very hardworking professors. The class room environment was very interactive. Students were encouraged to participate in class discussions and students felt comfortable expressing their opinions. Students had the option of choosing subjects that they wanted to study, there were also many opportunities where students could do internships in different countries. College library had a great collection of books, and students could use internet when ever they wanted.
As a part of our program, we were responsible to take a FDR (Freedom, Democracy and Responsibility) class. The purpose of this class was to let students know about American democracy, how America was formed and principles which are the base of American government. We were taken to Boston, as a part of this class. We visited all historic monuments and studied American Revolution as Boston is the city which gave birth to American Revolution against British. In this class we also learned about the civil rights war, the rights of women, and the extra-ordinary efforts of black African Americans to become an equal part of American society. It was an interesting time to be in America, as we saw a black, African American man to be elected as president of the U.S. first time ever in the history of U.S.
I found American society to be extremely tolerant of diversity. This country has people from all over the world and of all religions. I saw many Muslim women covering their heads and working freely without fear of being a target of racist comments. During my stay I traveled to may places in the U.S. and met many American people and no one judged me because I was a Pakistani or a Muslim. There are problems but they are because of our governments and not people. American people like us don't want war and killing of innocent people. My perception of U.S society has changed. I wish both Americans and Pakistani's could experience what I did. We need more such programs where young people can learn on their own and not form assumptions based on what is taught to us.
Beenish Javed
Pakistan
Source: http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20090727/LIFE/907270390/1124/PAKISTANI+GIRL
Friday, June 12, 2009
Post-graduate Scholarships at University of Amsterdam
The Univeristy of Amsterdam aims to attract the world's brightest students to its international classrooms. As from September 2007, outstanding students from outside the European Economic Area can apply for an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship.
The Amsterdam Merit Scholarships (AMS) have specifically been designed by the Universiteit van Amsterdam to offer talented and hard-working non-EU/EEA students the opportunity to pursue a degree in one of the academic fields covered by the UvA. The AMS programme is highly selective: only applicants with excellent study results and motivation may receive a scholarship.
Eligibility
Applicants to one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes of the Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS) must meet the eligibility criteria in order to be considered for the AMS scholarship.
The applicant should:
hold non-EEA nationality or nationalities only
not be entitled to receive a Dutch study grant or loan ("Studiefinanciering")
not be eligible to pay the reduced tuition fee rate for EEA students at the UvA
not receive a full coverage scholarship for the same period of study as the AMS scholarship
have submitted a complete application to one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes of the GSSS
have been (or will be) admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes of the GSSS
be enrolled at the time of receipt of the scholarship as a full time student in one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes offered by the GSSS
be able to comply with the conditions to obtain a Dutch visa (if applicable)
demonstrate a financial need
Failure to meet one or more of these criteria automatically means that the student is not eligible for an AMS scholarship.
Selection criteria
We have a limited number of scholarships. The best eligible candidates are selected for a scholarship on the basis of the following criteria:
Their academic excellence and promise in the proposed field, as evidenced by their academic records, letters of recommendation, written work and/or publications and their proposed research questions;
The quality of their letter of motivation.
How to apply?
Applicants wishing to apply for an AMS scholarship should include their application for the scholarship in their application file for the Master's programme of their choice. Your application for the scholarship should contain the following documents:
Motivation letter for the scholarship
A comprehensive financial plan that shows expected income from all sources and all costs, to provide insight in the additional funds needed from a scholarship in order to finance participation in the Master's programme.
A research proposal, detailing your areas of interest and what you wish to research during your time at the GSSS.
When to apply?
Applications for an AMS scholarship should be submitted before 1 April when enrolling in September. For students wishing to start their studies in February, the deadline is 1 August.
Selection
Only students who have been admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes of the GSSS can be awarded a scholarship. Students are selected on the basis of academic merit. Selection will take place in May and again in October. Applicants will be informed before the end of May or October.
The scholarship
The scholarship consists of € 6,000, € 9,000 or € 12,000, but awards are based on the comprehensive financial plan, which should demonstrate the extent of the need for additional funding. Please note that the scholarship cannot be used as a (partial) tuition waiver. The applicant must still pay the full amount of tuition due. Scholarship holders will receive their grant in monthly instalments.
Conditions
Amsterdam Merit Scholarships are only awarded to applicants who have been admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes of the GSSS upon enrolment. A scholarship granted for one academic year cannot be transferred to another academic year. Students who are granted an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship are required to assent to the conditions applying to the scholarship in writing before the scholarship will be remitted.
For Queries contact: Ms. Sarah Kobus at S.M.Kobus@uva.nl
The Amsterdam Merit Scholarships (AMS) have specifically been designed by the Universiteit van Amsterdam to offer talented and hard-working non-EU/EEA students the opportunity to pursue a degree in one of the academic fields covered by the UvA. The AMS programme is highly selective: only applicants with excellent study results and motivation may receive a scholarship.
Eligibility
Applicants to one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes of the Graduate School of Social Sciences (GSSS) must meet the eligibility criteria in order to be considered for the AMS scholarship.
The applicant should:
hold non-EEA nationality or nationalities only
not be entitled to receive a Dutch study grant or loan ("Studiefinanciering")
not be eligible to pay the reduced tuition fee rate for EEA students at the UvA
not receive a full coverage scholarship for the same period of study as the AMS scholarship
have submitted a complete application to one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes of the GSSS
have been (or will be) admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master’s programmes of the GSSS
be enrolled at the time of receipt of the scholarship as a full time student in one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes offered by the GSSS
be able to comply with the conditions to obtain a Dutch visa (if applicable)
demonstrate a financial need
Failure to meet one or more of these criteria automatically means that the student is not eligible for an AMS scholarship.
Selection criteria
We have a limited number of scholarships. The best eligible candidates are selected for a scholarship on the basis of the following criteria:
Their academic excellence and promise in the proposed field, as evidenced by their academic records, letters of recommendation, written work and/or publications and their proposed research questions;
The quality of their letter of motivation.
How to apply?
Applicants wishing to apply for an AMS scholarship should include their application for the scholarship in their application file for the Master's programme of their choice. Your application for the scholarship should contain the following documents:
Motivation letter for the scholarship
A comprehensive financial plan that shows expected income from all sources and all costs, to provide insight in the additional funds needed from a scholarship in order to finance participation in the Master's programme.
A research proposal, detailing your areas of interest and what you wish to research during your time at the GSSS.
When to apply?
Applications for an AMS scholarship should be submitted before 1 April when enrolling in September. For students wishing to start their studies in February, the deadline is 1 August.
Selection
Only students who have been admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes of the GSSS can be awarded a scholarship. Students are selected on the basis of academic merit. Selection will take place in May and again in October. Applicants will be informed before the end of May or October.
The scholarship
The scholarship consists of € 6,000, € 9,000 or € 12,000, but awards are based on the comprehensive financial plan, which should demonstrate the extent of the need for additional funding. Please note that the scholarship cannot be used as a (partial) tuition waiver. The applicant must still pay the full amount of tuition due. Scholarship holders will receive their grant in monthly instalments.
Conditions
Amsterdam Merit Scholarships are only awarded to applicants who have been admitted to one of the English-taught, selective Master's programmes of the GSSS upon enrolment. A scholarship granted for one academic year cannot be transferred to another academic year. Students who are granted an Amsterdam Merit Scholarship are required to assent to the conditions applying to the scholarship in writing before the scholarship will be remitted.
For Queries contact: Ms. Sarah Kobus at S.M.Kobus@uva.nl
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