International Leader of Tomorrow Award Scholar Russo Chechelashvili from Georgia Shares Their Journey of Securing a Fully Funded Bachelor's at the University of British Columbia, Canada

My name is Russo Chechelashvili. I am originally from Tbilisi, Georgia, and am currently based in London, United Kingdom, where I am the Founder and Director of Watershed Consortium, UK–Canada business expansion advisory firm. Through Watershed, I help companies navigate cross-border growth, market entry, strategic partnerships, and commercial opportunities between the UK and North America. The firm's focus is on providing practical, relationship-driven support to organizations seeking to expand internationally and operate effectively across different markets.

I hold a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and completed an exchange semester at McGill University. I later earned a Master's in Business Management from Harvard University.

I lived in Canada for twelve years and am a dual citizen of Canada and Georgia. After my studies in Vancouver and Montreal, I moved to Toronto, where I began my professional career working in the legal and insurance sectors. These experiences provided valuable exposure to regulatory environments, client service, risk management, and business operations. Seeking to broaden my business expertise, I pursued graduate studies in Boston before relocating to London following graduation.

I was always drawn to public policy and international affairs and initially envisioned a career in law. Political Science felt like a natural foundation for understanding institutions, governance, and global issues. Over time, however, my interests evolved toward trade, business strategy and international expansion. Establishing Watershed Consortium allowed me to combine my experiences into a focused advisory practice where my global perspective can create tangible value for clients pursuing international growth.

I attended New School, International School of Georgia in Tbilisi, where I completed the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme. It was through that experience that I first began exploring educational opportunities abroad and embarked on the scholarship journey that ultimately led me to study and build a career internationally.

International Leader of Tomorrow Award Details

• Institution: The University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus
• Degree: Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
• Scholarship: International Leader of Tomorrow Award (now known as the International Leadership Scholarship)
• Type: Merit-based, full ride
• Amount: Full tuition coverage, plus additional expenses

Other Scholarships

The International Leader of Tomorrow Award (now International Leadership Scholarship) was the only scholarship I received and accepted. N/A for others.

That said, this point deserves elaboration because it speaks directly to why platforms like this one matter. I only applied for this scholarship because a college counselor pointed me toward it. I would never have found it on my own.

I had always wanted to study in Canada, with McGill as my first choice. I was accepted, and McGill offered me an entrance scholarship but it covered only the first year and was not a full ride. I later discovered that McGill had a comparable full scholarship to UBC's, but I hadn't applied for it simply because I didn't know it existed. That experience made something very clear to me: you can only receive what you actually apply for, and you can only apply for what you know about.

I also applied to several American schools and received some grants and financial aid, but nothing comparable to the UBC scholarship. I honestly don't remember the names of those schools, Canada was always where my heart was.

The silver lining is that UBC offered a Go Global exchange program, through which I was able to study at McGill after all and my scholarship applied there too. I got the experience I had originally hoped for, just by a different route.

Educational Background

Since this was a bachelor's scholarship, my only prior qualification was my IB diploma from New School. That diploma turned out to be more valuable than I initially realized, my IB scores translated into transfer credits at UBC, allowing me to graduate early. It's worth noting that it's not simply completing IB classes that matters, but the scores you achieve in them. The higher your scores, the more transfer credits are applied , something prospective students should keep in mind.

This was my first higher education degree. Years later, I went on to complete my Master's in Business Management at Harvard, but that came well after my undergraduate years.

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

I applied to UBC using my IB transcripts. UBC also required the TOEFL, which I sat for but I didn't prepare for it in any structured way. My high school instruction had been entirely in English from at least ninth grade, and having completed the IB Middle Years Programme, English proficiency came naturally. I scored very highly.

I also took the SAT because some American schools required it at the time. I bought prep books but wasn't deeply invested in the preparation, my focus was always Canada, and Canadian universities generally don't require SATs from IB students.

As for finding scholarship information, I was guided toward the International Leader of Tomorrow Award by a college counselor. That single conversation changed the trajectory of my life , which is exactly why having the right guidance, and access to the right platforms, is so critical.

Years later, I also sat the LSAT while considering law school, but ultimately chose a different path.

Applying for the Scholarship

The International Leader of Tomorrow Award, now the International Scholars Program, required an application form and several thematic essays, similar in nature to personal statements.

I wrote those essays essentially in one sitting. I had agonized over my general UBC entrance statement, but when it came to the scholarship essays, something shifted. Because I genuinely didn't believe I had a real chance at a scholarship of this magnitude, I stopped trying to craft the perfect answer and simply wrote what I felt. I wrote honestly, without overthinking.

That turned out to be the right instinct. At an International Scholars dinner after arriving at UBC, I was introduced to a history professor who had sat on the admissions committee. He told me that one specific line in my essay had stood out and that it was essentially what tipped the decision in my favor. That line wasn't the result of careful drafting or strategic thinking. It came from a genuine place.

The lesson I took from that experience is one I'd pass on to anyone: the only thing that is truly original is what you genuinely feel. If you can put that on the page, your application will stand out. Honesty, it turns out, is the most compelling thing you can offer.

How is Your Experience at The University of British Columbia?

Overall, I would rate my experience at UBC very highly but I want to be honest that the first year was hard. I was essentially the only Georgian at an enormous university, far from home, and the adjustment took the full year. A required year-long course I hadn't connected with made things harder still. But I'm genuinely glad I pushed through it. Growth is supposed to be uncomfortable, and looking back, that period shaped me more than any other.

I believe I was the first Georgian ever to receive this scholarship and there was a real sense of navigating unfamiliar territory on every level.

By second year, things had shifted. I was more settled, more intentional about my academics, and far more willing to use the resources available to me. I learned to choose courses carefully, drop what wasn't working before the deadline, and ask for help when I needed it. I made lifelong friends, took full advantage of the Go Global exchange to study at McGill, and grew in ways I couldn't have anticipated.

I am where I am today largely because of that scholarship. I am deeply grateful for it.

Academic Rating

I would rate UBC very highly. Alongside McGill, it is consistently regarded as one of Canada's top universities, with rankings varying somewhat by discipline. During my time there, both UBC and McGill consistently performed very strongly in major international rankings and were widely recognized for their academic reputation and research output.

UBC is a vast and exceptionally well-resourced university with strong faculty across many disciplines. That said, I would encourage prospective students to research not only the institution as a whole, but also the specific department for their intended field. The quality, culture, and strengths of individual departments can vary, and that distinction often has a significant impact on the student experience.

Because UBC is so large, your experience is genuinely what you make of it. Personal ownership of your academic journey is essential, seeking out opportunities, utilizing resources, asking questions, and not assuming something is unavailable simply because you have not yet found it. The support and opportunities are there, but students who actively engage tend to benefit the most.

My semester at McGill through the exchange program was one of the highlights of my academic career. The political science department was exceptional, and the professors I encountered were among the best I have had. Overall, I would rate McGill very highly as well, both for academic quality and the intellectual environment it provides.

How Does The University of British Columbia Support International Students?

UBC had a dedicated international students center with a solid range of resources, and the International Scholars Program had its own advisory team as well. The support was there but you had to seek it out. In the first year, there were more structured events to connect with your cohort. In later years, the onus was increasingly on you to ask for what you needed.

That's something to be aware of at a university of that size. The resources exist, but they won't come to you. If you need help, academic, personal, or otherwise you have to ask for it.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

The honest answer: I wrote from the heart.

Because I didn't think I stood a real chance, I didn't overthink the essays. I just wrote what I truly felt. As I later learned, one line from those essays was what the admissions committee remembered and it was completely unscripted. It came from a genuine place.

Being the first Georgian ever to apply for and receive this scholarship may also have played a role. There was something inherently unique about my background and the path I had taken.

But the deeper lesson is this: you cannot manufacture uniqueness. The only thing that is truly original is what you genuinely feel and believe. Put that on the page, and you will stand out.

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

The application itself , I wouldn't change a thing.

What I would change is how I navigated my first year. I would have been more intentional about my course selection, and more willing to drop what wasn't working and replace it with something better suited to me. More broadly, I would have advocated for myself sooner and more confidently.

It's easy, when you're new to a university environment, to assume your preferences don't carry weight. But they do. Just because you lack experience in that world doesn't mean your needs aren't valid. If something isn't working, speak up , to your academic adviser, your international student adviser, or a counselor. A bachelor's degree is a full emotional and intellectual journey. Use every resource available to make it work for you.

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

Be fearless. Apply anyway. A friend once told me, when I was convinced I had no chance: just apply, what's the worst that can happen? That nudge changed my life.

Do your research thoroughly. Learn what scholarships exist, what they look for, and whether they're the right fit for you. That's exactly why platforms like this one are so valuable, you get real insight from real people, not just search results. Don't rely solely on a general search engine or AI. Read personal stories, understand the process, and find the opportunities that genuinely align with who you are.

Had I not been pointed toward this scholarship, I never would have applied. Had I not applied, I would not have received it. Awareness is everything and once you're aware, be bold enough to go for it.