Studying in the UK had always been my dream until the day it finally came true, thanks to the Faculty of Media and Communication’s Executive Dean’s Scholarship.

My journey to apply for a master’s programme started in 2019 after two years of working in several positions in marketing and communications. Lacking an academic background in this field and my growing interest in sustainability through the projects, I was involved in had motivated me to look for an opportunity to pursue higher education abroad.

After considering all the course content, tuition fee, and scholarship opportunities, I made applications for five UK universities, including Bournemouth University. However, growing up in a middle-class family in Vietnam, I faced many difficulties finding financial support to study abroad. Many people advised me to study for a master’s degree in Vietnam while keeping my job and having a stable income, a stable life. However, the longing to experience a different culture, broaden my knowledge and skills has pushed me through all the boundaries, including the unprecedented world event – Covid-19.

My first challenge was to receive the unconditional offer letters from all universities I wanted to apply to. At this stage, everything went quite smoothly because I spent a long time researching each university’s admission requirements and tailoring my application to meet their conditions.

After securing offers from all universities, here came my second challenge to apply for their scholarships. Each university has a different scholarship application format and requirements. Out of five universities, Bournemouth University has the programme I was interested in the most, with the opportunity to win a 50% tuition fee scholarship. I was so excited and nervous at the same time because I understood without this scholarship, my journey to the UK could not have come true.

Here are the steps that I took to win the scholarship:
1. Identify the area I’m interested in and why I want to study more about that area. In this case, it is sustainable marketing.
2. Research the course content in detail to see whether it is aligned with my value and the area I’m interested in. For example, at Bournemouth University, every taught course has a programme specification that describes its aims, structure, content and learning outcomes, plus the teaching, learning and assessment methods used. By reading MA Marketing Communication’s programme specification, I was able to discover more about the university’s strategy in sustainability and its aim to produce more responsible and sustainable professionals in the future.
3. Check the available scholarships and identify the scholarship I want to achieve. In this case, I aimed for the 50% tuition fee scholarships.
3. Check the scholarship application guideline, deadline.
4. Gather all necessary documents, evidence, and academic and work-related resources that can prove I am the right fit for the scholarship.
5. Outline, write and proofread my essay.

I remember spending lots of time and effort writing, rewriting, proofreading, trying to tell my story within the 300-word essay. Seeing my hard work paid off, I was on cloud nine when receiving the email to announce I won the Faculty of Media and Communication’s Executive Dean’s Scholarship, which was worth 50% of my tuition fee. I couldn’t be more thankful for all the support I had received on that journey. Thanks to Bournemouth University’s scholarship, I am able to afford my higher education costs and immerse myself in student life in the UK that I always wish for. I have cherished every moment of my course till now, and I hope that my story will inspire you in your own journey to study in the UK.