Pakistani Biologist Awarded Stipendium Hungaricum and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Scholarships for Research in Europe

Hi, my name is Usman Awan. I’m a 29 years old Molecular/Cell Biologist from Islamabad, Pakistan. I’ve been living in Budapest, Hungary for the last 5 years. I relocated here to undertake my MSc in Biology and experience European culture. After completing my studies, I continued to gain laboratory experience, working within both academic research and pharmaceutical drug development sectors. In September this year, I’ll be starting my funded PhD in Leiden, Netherlands focused on liver-on a-chip models.

Stipendium Hungaricum and Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Doctoral Networks (MSCA-DN) Scholarship Details:

My MSc studies at Eötvös Loránd University were assisted with the Stipendium Hungaricum (SH) scholarship. This state-funded scholarship is granted by the Tempus Public Foundation in collaboration with higher education body at student’s home country (in my case the Higher Education Commission, Pakistan). It covers full tuition fee, monthly stipend of 43,700 FT (~108 EUR), monthly housing allowance of 40,000 FT (~98 EUR) or a dormitory place, social security and medical expenses for the whole duration of MSc studies. This is usually not enough, as monthly expenses go as high as 200,000 FT so you have to have savings or alternate source of income.

For my PhD, I have been selected for a doctoral candidate position at one of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions doctoral networks (MSCA-DN), which are initiative of EU to support research. Each MSCA-DN comprises of (10-20) academic and industrial partners collaborating on common scientific goals. My placement in HubMOL MSCA-DN will be at MIMETAS, an industrial partner. The tuition fees are of course paid, while the “untaxed” salary/stipend is fixed at 3400/month EUR living allowance (vary from country to country) plus 600 EUR/month mobility allowance, 660 EUR/month family allowance (if applied). There is an additional budget for other research/networking opportunities.

Educational Background

I began my research career with a bachelor's degree in Biosciences from COMSATS University Islamabad, Pakistan. Through this 4-year degree program (133 credit hours, roughly equivalent to 240 ECTS), I learned basics of various sub-disciplines of Biology, gained hands-on experience in laboratory techniques, conducted a short clinical research project, and published a thesis that resulted in a CGPA of 3.7 out of 4.

I also taught Biology and Science at academies/schools part-time during my studies, an experience which was instrumental in building my confidence and communication skills and strengthened my knowledge of core concepts of Biology.

How did you prepare to apply to Scholarships and Institutions?

I did not have a specific institution in mind. After I completed my undergraduate, I was sure that I wanted to go abroad (Europe/North America) for further studies in biological research. Funding was an important factor, so I was looking at programs that were fully funded. I visited the websites of popular scholarships (Commonwealth UK, Fulbright USA, DAAD) and checked their requirements. Language tests are often required, so in January 2020, I took a TOEFL-iBT test to assess my English language skills, where I scored 109/120. I did not prepare much for it, just took a mock test which gave me a sense of where I stood, and then I went for the actual exam.

I learned about the SH scholarship from a friend, and we applied together. Among other things, the application asked for a ‘motivation letter/statement of purpose’, which I prepared after looking at several example letters on the internet. After submitting the application (free), the first stage of selection was to pass the aptitude test conducted by the home country.

To practice for this timed MCQs-based test (composed of analytical- and quantitative-reasoning questions), I purchased a book of similar questions (with answer keys) and attempted several of those, learning mostly time management but also anticipating the kind of questions I’d get in the actual exam. After passing this test and being nominated, I had an interview with the university of my choice (they provided me with a list of topics and two weeks to prepare). I found it very easy because I had learned those concepts in my bachelor’s studies. Two months after passing the university interview, the decision was made by the Tempus Public Foundation, and I received a scholarship acceptance letter, and I began arranging for my travel and integration to Hungary.

For PhD applications, I prepared a CV and a motivation letter template which I tailored to each scholarship program/institute. Recommendation letters were also needed, and I had already requested my thesis supervisor and relevant course instructor(s) to write them for me. As I wanted to continue my research journey within Europe, I looked for PhDs only on the Euraxess portal (https://euraxess.ec.europa.eu/jobs). I had saved the link to a search query (subject area, country, funding type, etc.) which I checked daily and applied for several tens of programs I found matching my interests. It took about 6-12 months from the moment I decided I wanted to do a PhD until I successfully secured a position. I sent at least 30 different applications and was shortlisted for only two of those. Fortunately, I passed all 3 selection stages of the very first one.

What did you think made your application stand out?

I don’t know for sure. I was very fortunate that my experience in the pharmaceutical industry had led to patents and manuscripts (of which I was a part), and expertise in techniques like chromatography, mass spectrometry, and cell culture which are highly sought-after in the field of biological research. Good communication skills and collaboration were also considered for this doctoral scholarship. I paid special attention to my motivation letter, showing exactly how I met the criteria they set for selection, being VERY SPECIFIC. My referees have written pretty good reference letters (which is essentially the only proof of your extra-technical abilities).

What would you have done differently if you were going through the process again?

I started quite ill-prepared, but I kept trying to improve my application (especially CV and motivation letter) based on instincts and feedback (especially from colleagues and seniors). I was a bit too fussy about my motivation letter to the point that I was missing deadlines because I thought it wasn’t perfect (in my mind it mattered a lot). I had to snap myself out of that perfectionism and prioritize being practical and productive instead. I will have to go through this process again in future, so I’d like to remember this lesson.

What advice would you give to those looking to apply for a similar scholarship?

Choice: There is no shortage of opportunities, and the choice can overwhelm you, so it’s extremely important to know what you’re looking for in terms of your field of study, funding, working culture and lifestyle.

Consistency: You can’t spend 20 hours x 2 days and find something. But you will if you spend 1 hour x 40 days. Show up every day! Getting a scholarship is not a lottery, it’s a by-product of habits.

Pre-planning: It is best to keep checking opportunities well in advance. Regularly looking at your CV and motivation letter outline gives you the chance to see what’s needed. For example, you may be needing a GRE test which takes a few months to prepare and attempt, or it may point you towards an internship you could do, which may be required for your dream job.

Patience: No one applied for one scholarship and got selected. You’ll have to wait for your turn and face rejections. You’ll start enthusiastically but you may soon find that things are not easy, and competition is overwhelming. You will likely feel discouraged and want to give up. Don’t stop! Keep applying! Success may be just around the corner!

For more information reach out to me at

https://www.linkedin.com/in/usmanashrafawan/