How a Pakistani Scholar Secured the Fully Funded Erasmus Mundus Scholarship for a Master's in Human Disease Models Morphological Phenotyping

Hi! I am Huzaifa Ali Ahfaz from Pakistan, currently studying in the Human Disease Models Morphological Phenotyping (MorphoPHEN) program on an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship. It is a one-year Master’s degree that has taken me to Barcelona, Spain; Naples, Italy; and Thessaloniki, Greece.

Educational Background

I got my undergraduate degree from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Islamabad, Pakistan, earning a BS Applied Biosciences degree. My bachelor's integrated different streams of life sciences, from biotechnology to immunology and from genetics to botany. Additionally, I conducted a six-month undergraduate research project that was very helpful for my Master’s application. As I conducted my undergraduate research using mouse models, it made me qualified for the MorphoPHEN program, which takes a deeper look at the place of mouse models in life sciences.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship?

I only applied for Erasmus Mundus scholarships. The first thing I did was to see if I was relevant to the programs I was applying to, as the relevance of your degree and previous experience accounts for a lot in securing an Erasmus Mundus scholarship. I ensured I had an up-to-date Europass CV, and I made sure my motivation letters were clear, organized, and structured. Consequently, I was offered a full-ride scholarship to MorphoPHEN, and I also got into S-DISCO and Neurasmus as a self-funded candidate.

Could You Briefly Discuss the Erasmus Mundus Program You Pursued and the Specific Field of Study It Focused On?

My Erasmus Mundus program focuses on morphologically phenotyping human disease models, aka mice. Don’t worry, it sounds like a mouthful, but it really is just about conducting biological research on mice. We focus on the morphological differences between control and experimental mice in various experimental conditions. The main branches we study in the program are mouse anatomy, including its pathobiology through histological analysis, preclinical imaging techniques in mice, and deep learning techniques applied to studies involving mouse models.

How Did the Cost of Living Vary Across the Countries You Studied In? Which Country Was the Most Affordable or Expensive, and How Did You Manage Financially?

Our mobility was across the Mediterranean Europe, which is considerably cheaper than Western and Central Europe, and the Erasmus stipend was enough to cover all expenses! The most affordable country was Greece. Spain was slightly more expensive, but it is only because Barcelona is a major tourist destination – avoid the touristy neighbourhoods and you should be fine! I have been managing just fine and have also been able to put some money into travelling around Europe as well. However, there is a lot of moving around – you stay only two months in both Barcelona and Naples, so for the first half of the program, you would have to arrange accommodation and arrange flight tickets very often. Make sure to plan ahead and book your accommodation and flight in advance, so you don’t have to pay extra last-minute once the cheaper places or flights are no longer available.

Did You Face Any Language Barriers, and if So, How Did You Overcome Them? Did the Language of Instruction Change From One Country to Another?

Spain and Italy were difficult due to the language barrier – not many people speak English there. Greece was certainly better – most people were well-versed in fluent English. However, language barrier is not going to be a big issue in the age of Google Lens, and the people are very nice and willing to help out, even if they aren’t fully able to converse with you in English.

Would You Recommend the Erasmus Mundus Program to Others? What Advice Would You Give to Someone Considering This Scholarship?

Absolutely! It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study at a prestigious place, but more importantly, to meet people from different cultures around the world, learn from them, share your culture with them, and take a little bit of their culture with you. Just make sure you plan strategically for your application – make sure you choose a program that is relevant to your field of study and previous experience, and make your motivation letter structured and organized. I have found that starting from talking about your motivation behind your chosen field of study, then moving on to your research interests as your motivation shapes them, then talking about your skills that will help you achieve those research goals, and finally talking about your career goals and how the program will help you achieve them works. Make sure you also discuss why your particular program is the best choice for your research goals as well.

Looking Back, Would You Have Done Anything Differently During Your Time in the Program?

I certainly would have booked my accommodation in time – I had to pay quite a bit in Naples because I booked it too late! It is a good idea to book for both Barcelona and Naples in the summer before the program starts. All in all, I don’t have many other regrets!