Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship Recipient, Sabina Mammadli, Shares the Story of How She Applied for the Fully Funded Award to Pursue Her Master’s in Tourism Management at Luiss Business School

My name is Sabina Mammadli. I am from Azerbaijan; I was born in Baku. I have a bachelor’s degree in Translation (ru-eng). Back in 2016, I was working as a tour guide, and this is how I decided to pursue an education in this field. In my mind, among the best countries to study Tourism would be, of course, Italy. But before applying for the Invest Your Talent in Italy scholarship, I got rejected from two other scholarships, one in Hungary and one Erasmus Mundus Scholarship to study in three different countries. However, I never gave up and applied for the Invest Your Talent Scholarship. Funny fact is that I applied for this scholarship last hour before the last day.

Invest Your Talent in Italy  Scholarship Details

The Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship covered the tuition fee. I got admitted to one of the most expensive universities in Italy, called Luiss Business School. Besides that, the scholarship provided a monthly allowance of about 866 euros per month. After finalizing your studies, you are committed to doing an internship. Options are provided by the scholarship.

Educational Background

I did my Bachelor`s degree back in my hometown, Baku. I studied translation/interpretation from Russian into English and vice versa. My GPA was quite high, which I believe played a big role in winning a scholarship.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Luiss Business School?

As a first step, I did my research on the best Universities in Italy and then I found a perfect Tourism Management program at Luiss Business School, which matched my vision of what exactly I wanted to study. I then contacted the university about the document requirements and exams needed in order to get admission. I got the phone call where they checked my English, and after that, I had an online logic test. After which, I got admission to the university.

I took the IELTS test and got a 7.0 score. I prepared myself for a month. I had several IELTS books which helped me with my preparation.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the Invest Your Talent in Italy Scholarship?

I first took an IELTS in order to be able to apply for a university abroad. After finding this specific scholarship, I also prepared and updated my CV. One of the main aspects was also a short video. It took me the longest to prepare since it is only one minute, and in that one minute, you should be able to answer a few questions. After I had my IELTS, I applied for University and got admission, and only after that, I was able to apply for the scholarship.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I believe that having a higher GPA helps a lot. As well as preparing a good video, answering all the questions and demonstrating your enthusiasm helps a lot. I believe that having work experience or any volunteering experience is also a big advantage.

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

Maybe I would not leave submitting my application till the very last moment:D The rest I believe was all the best I could do.

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

I would generally advise doing research in advance and finding several options. The more options you have easier it is to get a scholarship. It would be better to conduct research about all the required documents, make a translation of your local documents, stamps, and all, beforehand. Do good research on the institution you want to study at.