Tridib is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering at Technical University of Munich (TUM) Asia. Having received the DAAD scholarship for three consecutive semesters, we speak to him to find out more about his experience with applying and receiving the scholarships, which are open to all TUM Asia students.
How did you come to hear about the DAAD (Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst/ German Academic Exchange Service) scholarships?
Hello! I initially discovered the DAAD scholarships from the my course’s page on TUM Asia’s website. We were given a briefing during our programme and my Aerospace Engineering programme coordinator, Ms. Rodiah, provided all the necessary details that I was keen to know about the scholarship.
How was the application process like for you?
It was very smooth. Of course, the most important thing was putting thought into the application, which took a lot of time, but the procedure itself was well conducted. TUM Asia handled the whole procedure well. We were informed about the whole procedure in a very timely fashion.
How was the process like to prepare the documents required for submission?
In our application, we would firstly be required to complete the application form. We were also required to attach other documents, such as our curriculum vitae, transcripts, proof of all the achievements that we mentioned in our CV, our motivation letter, as well as the documents to support what we wrote about in our motivation letter. It will take you approximately twenty minutes to get it done, provided if you already have them ready on your computer.
The part that takes the most amount of time, and it should, is the letter of motivation. This is the most crucial part of the application, thus I would encourage everyone applying to spend time working on it. On average, it took me around two weeks to write a letter that I was happy with.
“From attending conferences to pursuing my master’s thesis in Munich, or just pursuing my masters in Singapore itself, I am really amazed and scared to say that all of it would be in serious jeopardy if not totally impossible, without the DAAD scholarship. I cannot be more thankful to them.”
How has receiving the DAAD scholarship supported your studies at TUM Asia?
Receiving the scholarship has impacted me profusely. I am able to focus on my studies with ease. From attending conferences to pursuing my master’s thesis in Munich, or just pursuing my masters in Singapore itself, I am really amazed and scared to say that all of it would be in serious jeopardy if not totally impossible, without the DAAD scholarship. I cannot be more thankful to them.
What advice do you have for students who are aiming for the scholarship?
Be an active person. Try to achieve something every single day. Sometimes the deadlines will make it seem like you do not have a lot of new things to write compared to your previous application. However, that will really test on how active you are and how much you can achieve in just a few months.
And of course, study hard! It is an academic scholarship, thus your grades will be an important factor. Remember to be honest with your application and portray yourself in the best light. Instead of writing long applications, your objective would be to try to convey as much relevant information as possible in a concise manner.
Do you have any suggestions to improve the DAAD scholarships for future students?
It is very well structured and overall, I would say that it is near perfection but if hard-pressed, the only thing that comes to mind is the early application for first semester students. In the early days, especially for international students, the initial cost of settling in a new country is a huge stress.
Therefore, if they could apply for the scholarship at the time of application and receive the results by the time they are about to join the course, this initial period of settling in could be much more hospitable for them. This would be particularly helpful for students such as myself, who had to really budget every single dollar because of the huge difference between the Singapore dollar and my home currency.
How do you spend your free time outside of your studies?
I enjoy taking pictures of the places that I visit during my free time, such as different parts of Singapore and other countries in Asia. Photography really had a huge hand in keeping me rejuvenated for my studies and I am positive that such a hobby can help future students too.
Learn more about our scholarships here.
