How I Secured a Fully Funded Master's at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, United States Through the Fulbright Scholarship

Hi, I'm Nathaly Aizpurua, an architect from Panama. Back in 2019, I earned a Fulbright Scholarship to do my master's in Sustainable Design. About halfway through my undergrad, I wasn't entirely sure where I wanted to take my architecture career, but I knew I didn't just want to settle for a bachelor's degree; I wanted to go after something I cared deeply about that could actually make an impact. For my thesis, I worked on a bioclimatic design for a government plaza, and diving into that research made me fall in love with blending architecture and nature. Right then and there, I knew that was my path.

Fulbright Scholarship Details

The scholarship was through the Fulbright Program, and I studied at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities (I don’t remember the exact amount).

Educational Background

My undergrad GPA was 3.19. I wouldn't call myself a straight-A student by any means, but whenever I set a goal for myself, I go all in, and that's exactly what I did when I decided to apply for the Fulbright Scholarship. One of the things that I think really helped me get into the University of Minnesota was my undergraduate thesis research; the architectural proposal pulled together all our findings, and it truly captured the vision my partner and I had for making a meaningful impact on the site through design.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities?

How Did You Find Information About Fulbright Scholarship and University of Minnesota Twin Cities?

Fulbright is really thorough with that kind of support. As soon as you're chosen, their team walks you through the programs that match your background best. Plus, if you already know where you want to go, they give you solid advice on your application package and your personal statement.

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

In my case, I had to take both the TOEFL and the GRE. For the TOEFL, doing practice tests made a huge difference in helping me get used to the pacing for each question; I honestly can't recommend it enough. For the GRE, I actually took in-person classes to focus on the quant section, and that was a massive help for me as well.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the Fulbright Scholarship?

I spent a ton of hours reviewing verbal and quantitative reasoning because once you're shortlisted, you have to take an English test and a general knowledge exam. I really put in the study time; I graduated with my bachelor's in 2017 and applied for the scholarship at the end of 2018.

The final test was an interview where they asked, 'What do you want to study if you win, and how will it help your country?' I think the key was having complete clarity on the 'what' and the 'why.' I knew I wanted to study sustainable design, and as an architect, I understood how crucial it was to use my work to build up rather than just tear down.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think what stood out the most was my interview. I knew exactly what I wanted to study and why, and having that clarity made it so much easier to communicate it with confidence to the panel. I think they really got how much of an impact that could have back home.

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

Looking back, I wish I hadn't stressed so much and actually enjoyed the ride. The pressure of wanting to do everything perfectly just had me feeling really overwhelmed at times.