Pakistani Educator Wins Fulbright Scholarship to Study Learning and Teaching at Harvard University

Hello. My name is Zahra, and I was born and raised in Pakistan. I studied Economics and Politics at one of Pakistan’s leading universities at the undergraduate level and worked for about 5 years on different projects related to education before going off to the US for my Master’s in Learning and Teaching at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education as a Fulbright Scholarship recipient in 2018. I pursued this field because I had a natural interest in education as a subject, and had worked with a large government education reform program; therefore, it felt like a natural progression to learn more and gain more experience in the education sector.

Fulbright Scholarship Details

I received the Fulbright Scholarship. It covers the cost of application to 4 universities of your choice, the cost of tuition, a monthly stipend for living costs, visa costs and processes, and return airfare for all recipients. The Fulbright community also organizes periodic retreats in the US for all scholars on the program, and all costs for that are covered.

Educational Background

I studied Economics and Politics at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (now LUMS University) in Pakistan. I graduated on the Dean’s Honor List. My education at LUMS prepared me for further education and a career in social sciences. However, I think my 5 years of work experience in education strengthened my application as I was applying for education-related degrees in the US.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Institution?

I applied for a Master’s in Public Policy at the London School of Economics and received an acceptance for 2 years in a row. However, as I did not receive financial aid, I could not attend. Therefore, I decided to apply for the Fulbright. The process for the Fulbright is a bit different than traditional university applications. In the Fulbright, you apply for the scholarship first, and upon successful receipt of the scholarship, you are asked to apply to up to 4 universities (Fulbright applies on your behalf, and if there are supplemental essays, etc. needed, you write them). Therefore, I focused on putting in a strong application for the Fulbright, and after that, I looked into universities and programs in the US that aligned with my interests and expertise.

Did you need Standardized Test Scores? How did you prepare for the GRE and TOEFL?

The GRE was a pre-requisite for applying for Fulbright. As I was working full-time, I tried to prepare for the GRE over weekends. The concepts tested aren’t difficult. It is an exam that tests your reading, writing, critical thinking, and mathematical reasoning skills. However, you need some practice with the actual test questions and format so that you don’t run out of time on the day of the exam. To prepare, I used to do timed GRE tests and mimic test conditions (i.e. taking the exam 3-4 hours in one go, marking the exam accurately at the end of the attempt, etc.). I studied for 8 weeks, mostly over the weekends to familiarize myself with the exam structure and format. I also had to take the TOEFL to demonstrate my English language skills. The advice here is again to familiarize yourself with the exam structure. There aren’t any preparation tips as this is just a test of your natural language levels.

How Did You Prepare to Apply to Fulbright?

I researched/read blogs and statements from other people in my extended network who had received the Fulbright or other scholarships to get an idea of how I could express my interest and purpose/intent in the best possible way. After that, I planned and wrote my 2 essays (a statement of purpose and a personal statement) and took time to refine them. The key here is to make a strong case for yourself: Always think of why a committee should give you the scholarship as opposed to another candidate. In my case, I think that my education and relevant experience came together well to make me a strong candidate. The last stage of the process is an interview. To prepare for it, I tried to talk through my CV and answer questions about my education and work experience.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

In my application, I stated that I wanted to obtain a Master's in Education to further my career within the field. I could demonstrate a solid interest in education; I had worked in it for 5 years. You could say that there was a strong link between what I wanted to study and what I had done I showed in my statement that I would add value to the education sector in Pakistan in the future and that I would also be an investment for the Fulbright.

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

I don’t think I would do anything differently. Even though I was pressed for time, I made sure that I started writing my essays, etc. as soon as the application window opened, so that I would have time to review and re-review them prior to the application window closing.

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

The key to getting admission to any university, or receiving any scholarship is to demonstrate a sustained interest or experience in the degree/program that you’re applying for. For example, if you’re applying to study entrepreneurship, but don’t have any relevant (formal or informal) experience of working in a team/leading a team/designing a product or a solution, you’ll have a hard time convincing anyone that you’re a good fit for the program. Introspect, and find your interest before you apply for programs. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. I personally advise students to gain industry experience before they apply for a Master’s program so that they have some sense of what they want to study etc., but other students do equally well transitioning directly from undergraduate programs to master’s/PhD programs. The key is to research, find something you’re actually excited about and interested in, and then try to convince a team of reviewers that you bring something unique to the table.