High school is a time when students stand at the precipice of their carefree childhood days. Faces still flush with youthful energy and innocence, future professionals all around the world must make their first major life decision - where to apply for university.
It can be exciting. It can be hard.
Getting accepted is a challenge in itself, but in Kazakhstan, many passionate young minds have an even bigger dream of living and studying in other countries around the world. Though no one can give a 100% guarantee, the results are almost always equivalent to the amount of work you put in.
WEproject writes about three fresh high school grads sharing how they chose where to study, the application process, and scholarships.
Ulpan Meyrambek, 17, of Saint Louis University in Spain
Ulpan Meyrambek, @ulpanx, is a native of the small village of Taukent in Turkestan region.
She is jointly enrolled at Temple University in the US and Saint Louis University in Spain. She received a combined scholarship worth $80,000.
Ulpan prepared for IELTS from morning till night and passed it with flying colors. In 11th grade, she applied to universities in the U.S., Turkey, and Romania to major in business management.
"It was important to me that the university and country where I would be studying provided financial assistance to international students in the form of scholarships and grants. There are countries that provide generous assistance to Kazakhstani students, like Hungary. There is a scholarship program there, which covers absolutely all expenses. But this country has age restrictions."
Ulpan advised students to aim high and achieve their goals, no matter what.
Laura Dusupova, 18, University of Vienna
Laura, @dearmylove.x, graduated from high school in Astana last year. Two months ago, she moved to Austria where she entered the physics program at the University of Vienna. Currently, she is studying in the foundation program called Vorstudienlerngang.
“I started studying German in grade 10. At first, I was studying it with no specific goal in mind. It was in the middle of 11th grade that I made up my mind about my country of choice and major. I started taking intensive German and physics courses to prepare for the exams. I was preparing all my documents at the same time."
"I based my university choices on my skills and preferences. So knowing German, I decided between Germany and Austria. The second country seemed more attractive in all aspects. And I'm satisfied with my decision. The quality of education here is high. And by the end of my studies, the chances of finding a job outside the country are pretty good."
"Since the application deadline in Austria differs from other countries, I received an invitation from the university only in August.”
Danel Urazova, 18, Vistula University in Warsaw
Danel, @danelcalmdown, is from Pavlodar. She is a first-year student at Vistula University in Warsaw, Poland.
“To be honest, I had no idea where or what I wanted to study at first. But my parents supported the idea of studying abroad. But I knew I wanted to study in Europe. My choice was between the Czech Republic and Poland. I chose the second option."
"The cost of education is an important matter. Tuition in Poland is attractive because the prices are low compared with other European countries. Also, when choosing between universities, it was important for me to know the teaching staff. In Poland, professors are known to be dedicated to their students."
"The University of Vistula offers a wide system of support for students. You can apply for financial assistance in the form of social scholarships, rector's scholarships for merit students, scholarships for people with disabilities.
I chose International Relations as my major, as I see great prospects in this direction. This major will allow me to develop skills in the field of foreign policy, international law, and diplomacy.”