A Venezuelan’s Scholarship Journey to Becoming a Game Developer: Studying at Utrecht University with the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship

Hello! I am Christian Oliveros, from Venezuela. I studied and graduated from the MSc. In Games and Media Technology (Comp. Sci.) from Utrecht University in The Netherlands.

Since I was a kid, I have always wanted to make games. That led me to create games in my spare time, join game creation groups (and also led one for a year), take courses related to game technology, work for companies using game-related technology, and help the local Global Game Jam (Caracas Game Jam) in my home city.

So, it was natural for me to try to get a master’s degree related to what I loved. At the master’s degree, I met a lot of wonderful people whom I still call my friends, took courses on state-of-the-art game technology, got opportunities to work closer to the games industry, and lived in a really cool country as the Netherlands.

Utrecht Excellence Scholarship Details

Due to the limited access to formal education in game technologies in my country and my parents' financial constraints, I needed to seek a scholarship abroad. The Utrecht Excellence Scholarship was the opportunity that made my dreams come true. It is offered every year to new students from non-EU countries applying for a master's at Utrecht University in the Netherlands. This scholarship covers the full tuition, and in some cases includes a stipend (paid in a lump sum) to cover life expenses during the master's. This scholarship covers both one-year and two-year master's, with two-year master's requiring a check after your first year to observe your progress. In my case, I was awarded the scholarship with a stipend.

Educational Background

By the time I applied for admission to Utrecht University, I had earned my Venezuelan bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Universidad Simón Bolívar. I graduated with a GPA of 4.80/5 and as a Summa Cum Laude (with honors). Additionally, I received an award as one of the top 20 fifth-year students (Venezuelan bachelors are 5 years long). Finally, during my bachelor’s degree, I did an exchange year at Lund University in Sweden, where I took many courses related to games and presented a master's level thesis on computer graphics.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Utrecht University?

To prepare for applying to a master's program, I researched scholarships that would cover the full tuition and offer assistance for living expenses, as studying in Europe or North America is too expensive for most Venezuelans. From that list, I trimmed it down by checking masters that would fit what I wanted (related to game technology and computer science). Then I sorted by what would be the best option and started applying.

Furthermore, many master's programs are taught in English. Since Venezuela is a Spanish-speaking country, I had to prepare for the TOEFL (for which I took a course locally) and translate all my documents (grades, course descriptions, degree, etc.).

For the universities to which I applied, the only additional steps beyond the standard application were to write a cover letter and include documents demonstrating my value as a candidate for the scholarship.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship?

For the Utrecht Excellence Scholarship, I wrote a cover letter that included my passion for game technology, why I thought Utrecht University was the best option for me, and how could I help others with what I would learn (which I’ve done while helping other Venezuelans to learn about technologies that are not normally taught back home or helping them to apply/get opportunities which normally Venezuelans are not part of).

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I believe my application stood out by showcasing my passion for game technology, my work towards my goal of becoming a game developer (trying it even if it is hard back at home while helping others along the way), and that I wanted to use what I learned there to help others.

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

Looking back, I wouldn't change a thing I did. I loved the opportunity Utrecht University gave me and continue to appreciate it to this day.

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

For anyone with the dream of continuing their education, I advise starting as early as possible and setting their goals even years before graduating. Work towards your passion and showcase it in your application. More importantly, help others along the way, as they are on a similar journey to you.