How Mufeedu Rahman Valakundil, an Indian Scholar, Secured a Fully Funded Master’s Through the IMFSE Contributors Scholarship

I’m Mufeedu Rahman Valakundil from Kerala, India. I’m currently pursuing the International Master of Science in Fire Safety Engineering (IMFSE), an Erasmus Mundus Joint Master’s run by a consortium of European universities. Through the programme, I have studied at Ghent University (Belgium), Lund University (Sweden), and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC, Spain). I will complete my master’s thesis at ZAG, the Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute.

After my bachelor’s in Safety and Fire Engineering (2023), I worked for a year as a safety engineer in the construction industry in India. I then moved to Saudi Arabia to work as a fire and life safety engineer. The switch was intentional: I enjoyed applying fire and life safety principles and wanted to specialise in them. The more I worked, the clearer it became that I wanted to understand the science behind the decisions I was making on projects. Even while working full-time, I spent my own time studying beyond my project work. IMFSE was the next logical step and a chance to build a deeper scientific foundation for a career in fire safety engineering.

IMFSE Contributors Scholarship Details

I received the IMFSE Contributors Scholarship. The programme is funded by financial contributions from the consortium of companies and associations that support IMFSE. It covers tuition fees, insurance, and participation costs, plus a monthly stipend of €1400/month for 24 months.

Institution: IMFSE consortium, coordinated by Ghent University.

Educational Background

I hold a bachelor’s in Safety and Fire Engineering from Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), India (2023), with a CGPA of 8.99/10. During my bachelor’s degree, I focused on understanding concepts and how they apply in practice, more than on scoring marks. That habit helped me a lot once I started working. Fire engineering draws people from many backgrounds, such as civil, mechanical, and chemical engineering, and architecture. Coming from a dedicated fire and safety degree, plus two years of industry experience, gave me a solid starting point for the programme.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Institutions?

I knew early on that I wanted practical experience before returning to academia, so I worked in industry first. I first applied to IMFSE in 2024 but was not offered a scholarship, so I decided to wait a year. I used that year to gain more relevant fire and life safety experience and to rethink why I wanted the programme. I then reapplied. After the application deadline, shortlisted candidates may be invited to a short online interview, so the selection committee can get to know them better before scholarship decisions are made.

How Did You Find Information About IMFSE Contributors Scholarship and Institutions?

I first heard about IMFSE in 2022, when an alumnus of my university gave a campus talk during my bachelor’s. After that, I followed the programme’s website, read student blogs, and reviewed the curriculum. Speaking with alumni gave me a realistic picture of the course content and what life in the programme is like.

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

Yes. I took PTE Academic to prove my English proficiency and scored 90/90. I was working full time, so I didn’t take classes. I used free YouTube resources and a one-month subscription to APEUni to get familiar with the test format. Having gone to school in Saudi Arabia, where English was our everyday language, I was already comfortable with it, so most of my preparation was about the format, not the language.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the IMFSE Contributors Scholarship?

The application portal was straightforward. I believe the most important parts were the motivation letter and the recommendation letters, which came from professors who knew my academic work well. I rewrote the motivation letter several times. My goal was to keep it concise while clearly connecting three things: my background, the work I had done, and what I specifically wanted to gain from IMFSE.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I cannot know exactly which elements determined the outcome of the selection process, but when I compare my successful application with my earlier unsuccessful one, two changes stand out: I had gained an additional year of relevant professional experience, and I had substantially refined my motivation letter.

In my earlier application, I had difficulty communicating my motivation as clearly as I wanted. By the time I applied again, I had a better understanding of what I wanted to learn and why the programme was relevant to my career. Active volunteering and regular participation in Toastmasters also helped me become a more confident communicator, which I think showed in my application.

I believe the combination of academic performance, relevant experience, and a clearer explanation of my goals helped me present a more coherent application.

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

I would have spent more time on the motivation letter in my first application and asked alumni or mentors to review it earlier. My motivation was the same both times, but the first time I hadn’t clearly connected my previous experience, the skills I wanted to gain, and my long-term goals. Having that connection clear from the start makes it much easier to write an authentic, convincing application.

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

My first piece of advice is to choose a programme for the right reasons. It is important to understand what you want to study and why that particular programme suits your interests and goals.

Research the curriculum and speak with alumni or current students wherever possible. Their experiences can help you develop realistic expectations and identify aspects of the programme that may not be obvious from the website.

Do not underestimate the importance of the motivation letter. Explain your reasons for applying clearly, connect them to your academic background and experience, and show what you hope to gain from the programme. Take time to revise your application.

Finally, never stop being curious.