How I Secured a Fully Funded Master's at Vanderbilt University, United States Through the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship

My name is Miantso Ursula Soloharison, known as Mia or Miantso, and I'm from Madagascar, with roots across Antananarivo, Itasy, and Alaotra Mangoro. I work as a researcher, artist, and community developer, with about ten years of experience in community-led development across the country. I co-direct Camp Fihavanana, a youth resilience program based in Moramanga, and I currently serve as Communications Partner at Money for Madagascar, a UK-registered charity working across the UK and Madagascar.

I hold dual master's degrees, including one completed through a Fulbright scholarship at Vanderbilt University. My scholarly work centers on participatory, decolonial methodologies, with a particular focus on indigenous knowledge systems, queer and sexuality studies, alongside community-centered approaches to healing and storytelling. I pursued further education in this field because of my long-standing commitment to community-led development in Madagascar. I wanted to ground my practical, on-the-ground experience in rigorous frameworks that could challenge conventional, top-down approaches to development, recover suppressed histories of gender and sexuality in Malagasy contexts, and center the knowledge and voices of the communities I work with.

Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship Details

I received the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship to pursue my master's degree at Vanderbilt University in the United States. The scholarship covered tuition, living stipend, health insurance, and travel costs. As part of this program, I also completed six months of study at the English Language Institute of the University of Alabama before starting my graduate coursework.

Educational Background

My GPA was average, but what really served me was my ability to get better at balancing study and work, because it helped the two nourish each other. This back-and-forth between research and practice is what prepared me for this field; I wasn't coming in with only theory, but with real experience testing what actually works on the ground. I'm also a curious person by nature, and that curiosity has kept pushing me to keep learning and asking questions.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Vanderbilt University?

I first had to do some introspection about what I was actually interested in. I realized I had a huge interest in the intersection between systemic oppression and systems of healing, and that's how I found the field of community psychology. From there, I mapped out which institutions offered this field and applied to the four best-ranking ones, taking into consideration the ranking of the university, but also things like how well it could welcome international students and what other services it offered.

How Did You Find Information About Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship and Vanderbilt University?

I found it all on the internet, doing research in English. I had to focus on just that for a full week. I heard about the Fulbright scholarship while scrolling on social media.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

Upon my first preselection, I took the GRE, TOEFL, and Duolingo English Test. I trained myself using exercises I found on the internet and watched YouTube videos on how to get ready. There is a lot of essential help already out but we just need to look for it.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship?

I booked two weeks out of my agenda where I could only focus on the application, researching the programs, the institutions, and writing the essays. A lot of the questions were really new to me, and it was very challenging because I was a first-gen student in my family, so I had to use my network and learn to ask for help. I looked for contacts of Fulbright alumni and asked for their guidance on how to answer certain questions, or on small details that took a lot of my energy simply because I'd never encountered them before. My mornings were for preparing paperwork and going out to talk to people, and my afternoons were for research on the internet and writing.

How is Your Experience at Vanderbilt University?

I loved my time at Vanderbilt University because of the people I met; it made all the difference. I focused on my classes but made sure I had time for things I love too, like dancing and discovering new parts of myself. I'd always wanted to learn pottery, and Vanderbilt offered that class. We had the option to choose some classes ourselves outside of the mandatory ones, so I made sure to choose mine intentionally.

How Does Vanderbilt University Support International Students?

Fellow classmates created a club for international students, which helped a lot with answering questions and finding resources. I was part of it, and in my second year I made sure to join the board so I could help support incoming international students the way I'd been supported.

What Did You Pursue After the Fulbright Foreign Student Scholarship?

After the scholarship, I felt like I wanted to go on trips, so I traveled to the north of Madagascar. Nurturing myself is important to me, so I did that before starting my job search.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I was super honest and true to myself, and that made the rest of the process feel smooth. I made sure the committee understood me and knew me, my interests, the work I had done, and what I wanted to do next at that moment.

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

I think I would have done more research and asked for help more. But honestly, I think I nailed it because I did my best with the ability I had back then.

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

A lot of people say it's okay to repeat submissions, and that's right. I'd add to that: keep nurturing your network and engage in conversation. You can be assertive and invite people to think of you whenever they come across opportunities that fit your experience and your vision, and do the same for the people around you; share opportunities with them too. Keep an eye out for pages that list scholarships; there are real opportunities out there, but sometimes they won't be public. They might go through personal channels, which is exactly why networking matters.

I would also say: engage in conversation and don't be afraid to meet new people. Advocate for yourself and listen to your instincts. Also, make sure to always save important information or conversations; if you have a conversation, follow up with an email. Yes, academia isn't easy, but what also makes it challenging as an international student is figuring out how to live in a culture different from where you were born; that's extra work for us. There are advantages that come with being a student, like access to journal articles or discounts, so make sure to remember to use them, because they're made to make our lives a little easier. It's one day at a time, as everyone says; take rest and do things whenever you feel the energy to, but stay true to yourself.