How an Indonesian Scholar Secured the Fully Funded Global Korea Scholarship for a Master's in Korean Language as a Second Language Education at Jeonbuk National University

Shortly, I am Baiq Nabila Tazkya—hi! Maybe my name is a little hard to pronounce, but people comfortably call me Tasya or Caca. I’m from Lombok, a small island in the south of Indonesia. If you travel a lot, you might be familiar with this place, which is famous for its mountains and beaches. A little spoiler: It’s beautiful but very quiet, too.

Back in 2021, when I had just graduated with my bachelor's degree, I was eager to go abroad. My strategy was either to pursue further studies or work abroad. Since I didn’t think I was capable enough to work yet, I decided to go with the first option. I started applying for scholarships. As a middle-class citizen in Indonesia, living on the small island of Lombok brought both advantages and challenges. Since I had studied for my bachelor's degree in a different city, Yogyakarta, I realized how much I loved being somewhere else and exploring new places. But sadly, due to COVID-19, I had to return home.

While applying for scholarships, I worked several freelance jobs. With my very first salary, I paid for the IELTS test. I flew all the way to Bali for it (just kidding—it was only a 30-minute flight, haha). It was a big deal for me because I was essentially gambling my first salary on an IELTS test for which I hadn’t even studied seriously.

Thankfully, my first IELTS test result was a band 7.0, so I was safe to use that for scholarship applications. I took all my document submissions seriously, but by my fourth scholarship application, I was burned out. Still, with the same mindset, I pushed through all the applications using only Google searches and the scholarship websites as my main resources.

Then, in August 2022, I landed the Australia Awards Scholarship (AAS) on my first try as a fresh graduate. The AAS team once told us that 75 of us were chosen from thousands of applicants. I had to retake the IELTS test and do the interview on the same day, but I was happy because my score improved to a band 7.5. I chose to pursue a Master of Cultural and Creative Industries at Monash University, Melbourne. With my previous background as a graduate from a government school—Multimedia School of Yogyakarta (MMTC), majoring in Broadcasting—taking this master’s degree was quite a challenge. Even though it belonged to the communication field, it explored a completely different aspect.

My pre-departure training program from AAS lasted five weeks. Meanwhile, I had just been accepted for a full-time job at an NGO. Juggling both roles was quite difficult. One of the best things about AAS is that I didn’t have to worry about documents, university applications, letters of acceptance (LoA), visas, or any other university requirements—the scholarship handled everything for us, including buying our departure tickets. I left for Melbourne in January 2023.

Although I was a fresh graduate when I applied, I remember the interviewer asking me how I had so much job experience in my CV. That’s why I always recommend that people try freelancing or internships if they find it hard to get a fixed job—especially in a field related to the major they’re aiming for. That helped me make my application as relevant as possible.

Living in Melbourne was the best experience I could have imagined. Everything I gained throughout my journey was remarkable. Alongside my studies, I participated in many volunteering activities, especially in cinema, arts, festivals, and museums. I got to express my creative side while traveling around different states in Australia. I returned to Indonesia in August 2024 and decided to attend my graduation at Monash University Malaysia in November of the same year.

Scholarship Details

The AAS program offers a stipend of $1,150 per fortnight and covers insurance, round-trip tickets for departure and return, an extra return home travel ticket once during the study period, visa fees, pre-departure medical checkups, and full tuition fees.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Had to Go Through the Process Again?

I would definitely choose a major that resonates more with my previous background and offers a more practical approach rather than being heavy on theory. Although I completed my degree through coursework, I feel that communication majors require more hands-on practice to fully grasp the theories explained in class. Besides that, I wish I had engaged more in academic discussions with lecturers to deepen my understanding. However, when it comes to the scholarship application process, I believe everything unfolded in the best possible way for me.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

Opportunities come every year. If you keep delaying your application because of endless doubts— “I’m not sure if I’ve chosen the right major,” “I don’t think I’m capable enough,” “I don’t fit the master’s degree profile,” “What if I fail?”—forget it.

Those thoughts are the only things holding you back. Even if you asked all the people who passed the Australia Awards Scholarship, I’m sure most of them wouldn’t know exactly why they were chosen (though, of course, they are outstanding individuals).

The best advice I can give is: just try! Don’t overthink whether you’ll pass or not, whether you’re "good enough," or whether you have "enough" achievements—because you never know. There’s no loss in trying, but there’s a huge loss in not giving yourself a chance at all.