Meet a student: Applying for a region-specific scholarship to join EDHEC
Seema Rawat joined EDHEC MSc in International Finance in 2021. She was awarded the prestigious Charpak scholarship. What is your background prior to EDHEC? Prior to EDHEC, I did a Bachelor of…
Seema Rawat joined EDHEC MSc in International Finance in 2021. She was awarded the prestigious Charpak scholarship.
What is your background prior to EDHEC?
Prior to EDHEC, I did a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) from University of Delhi.
You have some work experience back in India. Why did you decide to go back to school? What do you hope to achieve by joining a Master of Science?
After graduation, I did an internship for a few months and worked in the Financial sector for a year in India. By the time I was doing the internship, I decided to study the subject further to shape my holistic understanding. So, I started to apply for a master's while gaining some practical experience in the industry.
By joining this program, I hope to gain the ability to apply the right knowledge, tools, and techniques to resolve issues in new and diverse situations.
How did you learn about the Charpak scholarship?
I learnt about Charpak Scholarship from EDHEC’s Scholarship page on its website, where details for country-specific scholarships are given.
How was the process of applying for the scholarship?
The process was very straightforward. The candidate had to apply on the ‘Campus France’ website. There was a questionnaire that was to be answered, which mainly included basic information like educational details, annual income, etc. There were three ‘SOP Questions’ that were to be answered within the specified word limit. Apart from this, they asked for a CV, Work experience/internship documents, LOE from EDHEC, LOR (if available).
How long did you wait for the results and how did you find out that you had succeeded?
The applications were open from January to April. On the 17th of May, I was informed by email that the results had been published. I checked the website and was delighted to see my name on the list of 23 selected awardees.
How does it feel to be chosen among thousands of candidates?
I felt honoured. As much as I believe that the scholarship should go to people who really "need" it, I also believe that it should go to people who "deserve" it. I believed I had both the
reasons and I feel glad that I was able to justify my case to the selection committee.
Would you have been able to attend EDHEC without this scholarship?
I might have been able to attend but things would have been very difficult. Covering living expenses through an education loan is a pressure during the academic tenure. The burden is heavily lifted when you get the support of a scholarship.
Do you have some tips to share with students willing to try and get the Charpak scholarship?
I can suggest being updated on the application deadlines firstly. Submit latest CV and LOR. If you know French, that is an added advantage, though not necessary. Try to answer the SOP questions the way you would write a motivation letter for your college. In fact, the rationale behind those SOP questions is the same as that of a college SOP. Try to explain the financial and academic reasons for "why do you need this scholarship".
Good luck!
