For Tamzid Ibne Kazim, the journey became meaningful because of the scholarships he earned and the struggles he overcame along the way.

When seeking to study or move abroad, students try to keep as many options open as possible.

After receiving multiple offers, Tamzid carefully compared tuition fees and work opportunities, which you should also consider if you are planning to study abroad. 

He shared, “I applied to universities in different regions and received several offers. In early 2023, Australia offered the best balance for me, reasonable tuition fees, unlimited part-time work hours at the time, and one of the highest pay scales. It felt easier to manage study and work compared to the UK, USA, Europe, or Canada.”

He deliberately avoided overly complicated systems.

“I skipped the USA mainly because of its complicated admission process.”

Within Australia, he received offers from several institutions but made a thoughtful decision regarding both the city and the university.

“I chose Perth because I preferred a quieter city instead of big cities like Sydney or Melbourne. Between Curtin and ECU, I selected ECU for its industry-focused curriculum, networking opportunities, and post-study prospects.”

The first scholarship he received was the International Merit Scholarship. The application process was clear and straightforward.

“You apply for your course online, and there is an option to indicate if you are interested in a scholarship. Then you submit a Statement of Purpose explaining why you deserve it and how it will benefit you. I wrote mine honestly and uploaded my academic and extracurricular documents. There was no application fee and no financial documents required.”

The scholarship was awarded based on his higher secondary academic results and extracurricular involvement, including sports, debating, and non-profit organisational management.

“I was fortunate to receive the International Merit Scholarship based on my academic performance and community engagement. It was recognition of the effort I had put in before even starting university.”

After maintaining strong academic performance at ECU, Tamzid applied for a more competitive internal scholarship, the School of Business and Law Bursary Grant.

Eligibility alone required strict criteria.

“To even qualify, you must meet several conditions, no course drops, distinction-level grades, strong university engagement, and completion of required credit points.”

The process included submitting another Statement of Purpose and going through an interview stage.

“I had to explain why I wanted the scholarship, what I would gain from it, and what I could contribute back to the university. After the initial screening, shortlisted students were invited for an interview. At that stage, it is not just about grades, it is about confidence, communication skills, and clarity of vision.”

Only seven students from the entire business school were selected that year.

“It was one of the most competitive scholarships in the faculty. Being selected meant representing the university internationally.”

The scholarship included participation in an international mobility programme in collaboration with Sunway University, where he worked on research related to the future of the sustainable tourism industry.

“The programme was fully funded, flights, accommodation, research facilities, academic sessions, meals, everything. But more than the funding, it was an honour to represent ECU and Australian academic values abroad.”

While scholarships appear impressive, the journey behind them was challenging. Financial pressure was a reality at times.

“There were three instances when I barely had enough money to manage the next week.”

The emotional challenge was equally demanding.

“The most difficult aspect was the uncertainty.”

There were moments of doubt, but he chose persistence over fear.

“Significant progress often comes through suffering. If I had stopped at the beginning because of uncertainty, I would not have achieved any of this.”

This article is written in partnership with Abroadmates, the all-in-one mentorship platform for study abroad.

To know more, book a session at https://www.abroadmates.com/tamzid-kazim