Aatish is currently pursuing his Master of Science degree in Rail, Transport and Logistics at TUM, which is administered by Technical University of Munich (TUM) Asia. Having heard about the DAAD scholarship from the TUM Asia website, 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.
Q: What led you to pursue higher studies in Railway Engineering?
Aatish: The public transport industry has been on the rise in both developing and developed countries, and this is seen largely in the railway sector. This motivated me to apply for a Master’s degree at TUM Asia, which was the perfect platform for me to be equipped to pursue a career in Railway Engineering.
Q: How did you come to hear about the TUM Asia-DAAD scholarships?
Aatish: I found out about the DAAD scholarship through the TUM Asia website. The procedure was fairly simple and straightforward. These scholarships are open to all students. We received an email from our academic supervisor to submit our documents by a certain date in addition to filling the required form
Q: How was the scholarship application process like for you?
Aatish: Some of the documents required were the filled-out application form, a motivation letter, certificates showing proof of work experience, internships and extra-curricular activities. Additionally, we were also required to submit our CV, and proof of financial sources. All of these took me about three weeks to prepare.
“In my opinion, for a good chance in success, one should get information and start preparing the documents well in advance. I would say that the toughest part of the application is the letter of motivation, which should be written with time and constant revision. It should also focus on why you need the scholarship, as opposed to just mentioning your achievements. ”
Q: How does receiving the DAAD scholarship impact you?
Aatish: The scholarship had a profound impact on my daily life. I did not have to resort to working part-time and I could easily support my tuition and living expenses through the amount that I received. It allowed me the time to work hard and do well for my studies. Had I not received it, I would have had no choice but to support my expenditure through part-time work, and this would take away time from my studies and other academic endeavours.
Q:How do you think your juniors can benefit from your scholarship experience?
Aatish: In my opinion, for a good chance in success, one should get information and start preparing the documents well in advance. I would say that the toughest part of the application is the letter of motivation, which should be written with time and constant revision. It should also focus on why you need the scholarship, as opposed to just mentioning your achievements. A good motivation letter will easily and efficiently convey your reasons to get the scholarship to the concerned reader.
Q: Do you have any suggestions to improve the DAAD scholarships for future students?
Aatish: I think it would be better if more awareness could be given to the scholarship during the admissions process. Perhaps emphasising it further while students are applying to the programme with be beneficial for them as they would have more time to prepare and ensure that they are well-prepared.
Q: What is something valuable that you experienced while studying at TUM Asia?
Aatish: I found it fantastic that students receive support and teaching from faculty from Germany and Singapore, while being able meet other students from other nationalities. There was also constant backing by the administrative staff.
About the TUM Asia-DAAD Scholarships
TUM Asia is dedicated to grooming and recognising students for the hard work they put into their studies, while maintaining a strong extra-curricular activity record. Students who demonstrate academic excellence, intellectual capability and curiosity, sound character, and a passion for creativity and innovation deserve to be rewarded for their achievements and efforts.
While TUM Asia scholarships are awarded to candidates during the admission process, TUM Asia-DAAD scholarships are awarded to students during their candidature of study. The DAAD scholarships are funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the ‘German Study Programmes Abroad’ initiative. All students currently enrolled in Bachelor and Master programmes at TUM Asia are welcome to apply as long as they show evidence of excellent academic results and maintain a strong extra-curricular activity record.
The university awards over S$500,000 (EUR 359,000) worth of DAAD scholarships per year. DAAD scholarships help to give students an opportunity to focus on their studies, by lessening the financial burdens of awardees. Each DAAD scholarship offers an attractive stipend. The allowance comes in handy to meet the ever-rising costs of students, motivating them to do their best to clinch the scholarships offered.
The DAAD scholarship given to Bachelor students provides support for travel and mobility as well as a monthly allowance. Some students personally shared that the funds came in handy to cover their Overseas Immersion Programme expenses and expressed their thanks upon receiving the award.
The DAAD scholarship provided to MSc students includes tuition fee support and a monthly allowance, and it is valued at up to S$8625 (EUR 5750) per award received. A distinctive feature of the DAAD stipends is that these awards are given out on a per-semester basis. This incentivises students to strive for better results, since it is possible for students to obtain multiple awards across their period of study.
30% of TUM Asia’s overall student cohort were awarded DAAD Scholarships in 2019. TUM Asia is pleased that the overall performance of students has improved with the disbursement of our DAAD scholarships. Students welcome the scholarship awards, which help to take away their financial concerns, allowing them to concentrate more on their studies.
TUM Asia is committed to supporting students throughout their academic journey and providing an all-rounded education to all students.
Find out more about the TUM Asia – DAAD Scholarships here.
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Aatish Kumar Mishra studied in the Master of Science in Rail, Transport and Logistics programme. More information about the programme here >>