QS ImpACT Women’s Scholarship: 2024 winner

It was a huge moment, and very emotional for me and my family. I was so excited because I could start planning how and when I was coming to Oxford and make it a reality. But at the same time, it's a huge responsibility because I really valued my place here and I wanted to make my family proud, so I knew I’d have to be my best self throughout the course.
 

I went to a virtual event where they told us about the different scholarships available, and how and when to apply for them. They also shared stories of previous winners which were very impressive and motivating. The main message from the webinar was, ‘All of you are change makers, and you are all generating an impact in your communities, so why not apply?’ 

The events are a great way to connect with like-minded people, but you also to learn about why the scholarships were created, why they’re so important, and how they're creating impact in the world, so it was a holistic experience. If I hadn’t been to that webinar, I probably wouldn’t have applied.
 

When I finished my bachelor's degree in 2019, I had the opportunity to go to a conference in the United States which inspired me to study a postgraduate course overseas. 

I started going to events – including various webinars from different schools – and gathered a lot of information. After all that research, I decided to do a Masters in Sustainability, but I needed to decide where. So I went to the QS website to get a list of different parts of the world where people are studying sustainability, and narrowed it down to the US and UK. As well as reading articles on the QS website, I’d been here for COP 26 and I really liked the way of life in the UK, so in the end, it came down to a lifestyle choice.

When deciding on which university to choose, I made a spreadsheet with various columns including rankings, what their application and funding timelines looked like, and whether they had scholarships. I also included what the city is like and whether it’s friendly to international students as that was super important to me. Once I filtered through all this, I landed on Oxford as my top choice. 
 

I knew the scholarship existed because of social media, and the webinar was the reason I applied. It helped me understand what kind of story they were looking for and how I could create my own narrative – keeping perspective of where I have been, where I was at that time, and where I wanted to go. So my application focused on the challenge, the solution, and my individual contribution.

I also connected with previous scholarship holders on LinkedIn, asking them about their experience and for tips on how to apply. I suspect people will send me LinkedIn messages after reading this, and I’m more than happy to help!
 

Before applying, when you're filtering all your universities, look on the website to see if they have scholarships, and if there’s no information, email them to ask because they might not be listed. And find out when the deadlines are so you don’t miss them. You can also ask previous cohorts of students how they financed their degrees.

During your application, investigate the purpose and origins of each scholarship and what kind of applicants they’re looking for. Each application needs to be specific to that individual scholarship, so focus on why you’re a good fit – including your purpose and the impact you’re going to generate. It's going to take a lot of time to plan and write, but in the end, it really pays.

After the application, use a spreadsheet to keep track of when you applied, when the deadline was and whether you received a reply by the specified date. And note when the money will potentially be transferred, because for some universities, you have to pre-pay in full by a certain date, so you need to coordinate that. If you haven’t heard back, don't be afraid to email and ask if you’re still being considered as they will always respond. 

Also, don’t give up! If you’re not successful, don’t let that determine your self-worth and try again. It can be really difficult to believe in ourselves, especially for women and in certain cultures. But trust me, you have done amazing things, and you need to share those things with the world. Once you know your narrative, you have the power and the reason to continue fighting. 
 

So far it’s been what I dreamed of. I thought it was going to be a Harry Potter experience, and it is! I’ll never get tired of walking to my apartment and seeing the beautiful buildings and the autumn leaves falling from the trees. You actually feel like you’re in a movie!

I was surprised by my cohort: We have people from consulting, people who worked for government, people who have 10 years’ experience, and people like me who have just graduated, and that diversity makes our discussions much richer. Plus everybody is so friendly and kind, and we’re all connected.  

One highlight of the course is the mix of theory and practice. Practitioners in sustainability come visit to do simulations of climate tech startups and pitches to investors, and this complements and balances the programme. Many of the lecturers have a lot of experience working in climate change too. They all challenge our ideas, telling us what has and hasn’t worked before, and explaining the barriers they have faced. This helps us connect with the reality of the current market in climate change in the UK. 
 

Firstly, I am getting involved in societies, such as the Oxford Climate Society, where multi-disciplinary people work together. As well as being educational, I want to use them to encourage more students to go to COP where they can advocate for better and more ambitious policies, and push for better implementation of the new Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) whilst checking they are more ambitious than the previous ones.

In my academic work, I want to be a research assistant. Having come from the private sector, I really want to further research that helps policymakers understand how effective their previous SDGs were, and make recommendations that allow them to achieve their commitments of reaching net zero. 

In the future, this masters will give me a lot of opportunities. I want to work in the international space, perhaps in the UN, or with organisations that bridge the gap between the private sector and policymakers in government. By developing research and advising them on how to coordinate their efforts, I can help them work together effectively to solve climate change.