Olumide, a Nigerian Scholar, Shares His Journey to Winning the Turkish Government Scholarship for a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Economics

I’m Olumide, a Nigerian currently living in Ankara, Turkey. I earned my bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. After graduation and a short stint in the corporate world, I was awarded the Turkish Government Scholarship to pursue my Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics at Ankara University. For me, getting an M.Sc. was essential to mastering my field, and I’ve been able to achieve that here.

Educational Background

Before coming here, I had been offered a scholarship at my undergraduate university that would have allowed me to pursue my post-graduate studies for free. However, I eventually passed on that offer when I found an opportunity that better aligned with my goals at the time. After winning the Turkish Government Scholarship to pursue a Master’s degree at Ankara University in Turkey, I chose to take that path instead.

Turkish Government Scholarship Details

I was placed at Ankara University for my master’s studies. the Turkish Government Scholarship covered my full tuition fees and provided a monthly stipend of 5,000 TL. Additionally, I received free accommodation, comprehensive health insurance, a one-year Turkish language course, and a flight ticket at the start of my studies and another upon graduation.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Turkish Government Scholarship?

A friend and I had been on the lookout for scholarship opportunities when the Turkish Government Scholarship caught my attention. After reviewing all the details, I decided to give it a shot—and ended up winning it on my first try. I researched university rankings and cities to help guide my choices, wrote a statement of purpose, drafted a research proposal, and asked my recommenders for reference letters. Since I’m from an English-speaking country, I didn’t need to take any standardized English exams.

I would say my CGPA was instrumental in the scholarship process but that alone isn’t enough because it requires a mix of factors during the evaluation process. Knowing why you wish to continue with your education and stating in clear terms how it would be beneficial to whatever issues you are trying to address in the long run before the selection panel is vital.

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

To those applying for scholarships, although rejections are painful, they help you evaluate things. Hardly will you see any scholarship recipient that didn’t have their fair share of rejections but through persistence and determination, they got what they wanted. Also, remember that you’d need 5x as much now as you would need 5-10 years ago to win a scholarship because of the increasing competition, so it’s not about applying to as many opportunities as you can but submitting competitive applications. Keep improving, keep learning and in the end, you will have the last laugh.