Interview with a Merit Scholarship Winner

By Muhammad Shuja

 

This blog is a transcript of an interview of a postgraduate student (Muhammad Faraz) who won 2016’s Pakistan Postgraduate Merit Scholarship. The aim of the interview is to provide advice for prospective students who would like to apply for this scholarship.

Me: Hi, and thanks for your time. Let’s start by getting to know about you. Tell me about yourself.

Faraz: My name is Muhammad Faraz Imam and I am from Pakistan. I am a student of Electronics and Electrical Engineering and currently studying MSc in Advance Electric Machines, Power Electronics and drives at Sheffield.

Me: What course did you do at undergraduate level and where?

Faraz: I completed my Bachelors of Electrical Engineering from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.

Me: What were your reasons of choosing University of Sheffield to do your postgraduate degree?

Faraz: I was quite impressed with Sheffield’s core emphasis on continuous innovation and scientific development in engineering. I wanted to join in researching and developing of projects together with exceptional academics in my area of specialization.

Me: How has your time in University of Sheffield been so far?

Faraz: It’s been excellent so far. Sheffield has one of the loveliest and peaceful atmospheres in Europe. The University has various clubs and societies which everyone is welcome to join. I have joined the Debating Society which has given me a chance to improve my communication and interpersonal skills.

Me: Congratulations on winning your scholarship. How did you find out about this scholarship?

Faraz: The University has a very good administrative system in place. I was generally looking for scholarships and stumbled upon the Pakistan Postgraduate Merit Scholarship.

Me: How was the application process for you?

Faraz: As everyone knows, applying for an International Scholarship at a world-class institute is not an easy job. You have to compete with many deserving and excellent candidate in terms of academics and achievements. I believe that in my case, I remained optimistic throughout the process and listed out all my achievements. I then chose the best ones for my essay. These achievements included work experience, previous scholarships and projects which I did during my undergraduate.

Me: Did you receive support from the university to work on your application?

Faraz: Yes, like I mentioned previously, the university has a remarkable administrative system in place. They were quite prompt in replying back to emails with answers to any queries I had during the application process.

Me: What advice would you give to prospective students planning to apply for these scholarships?

Faraz: I would advise applicants to stay positive, think about your future goals, and what caused you to build an interest in the university. Write sincerely and clearly, make sure your essay shows who you are as a person and a student. Don’t be shy to talk about yourself, cultivate your own tone, and dwell on your relevant strong points.

Me: Do I have your consent of posting a transcript of this conversation online?

Faraz: Yes.

Thanks a lot for your time.

If you would like to view more information regarding scholarships and funding, please visit: https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/international/enquiry/money/scholarships

Tags: Muhammad, Shuja, International, Engineering, Sheffield, postgraduate, scholarships, funding, Muhammad Faraz Imam

Interview with a Postgraduate Student

By Muhammad Shuja

This blog is a transcript of an interview I took with a Postgraduate Engineering student to give you an insight about postgraduate study at Sheffield.

Question: Tell me about yourself.

Answer: My name is Fahad Zulfiqar and I am from Pakistan. Currently I am enrolled in Masters in Advanced Computer Science at University of Sheffield.

Question: What did you study at undergraduate level and where?

Answer: I completed my Bachelors of Engineering Sciences from Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology in Pakistan.

Question: Why did you choose to pursue a postgraduate degree?

Answer: I was greatly intrigued by the Engineering Sciences stream and felt a need for Master’s Degree to further hone my skills. With computer science stream on the boom and the paucity of computer scientists, I strongly felt a need to differentiate myself from the masses with a postgraduate degree from the reputed institute.

Question: What were you reasons of choosing Sheffield to do your postgraduate course?

Answer: With a top-notch faculty and state-of-the-art labs, University of Sheffield is a Premium institute with a top rank in Computer Sciences stream. The breadth and depth on Computer Science curriculum further helped me in my decision. Moreover, an eclectic mix of people would enable me to improve my communication skills and groom myself.

Question: How has your time in Sheffield been so far?

Answer: Considering both academics and extracurricular activities, my time in Sheffield University has been great so far. I got a chance to groom myself together with mastering the concepts in the field I absolutely love.

Question: How would you compare your current course to your undergraduate degree?

Answer: The difficulty level of Masters in Computer Science is immense as compared to my Bachelor’s degree. This was partly due to the fact that the Computer Science program at Sheffield is directed toward the market trends and requirements. Facilities such as 24/7 library access and a serene environment made it possible for me to achieve my goals. Support from my faculty and friends is always available, making it a fun learning experience.

Question: What do you plan on doing upon completion of your course?

Answer: My goal is to work in a reputed software corporate and further hone my skills as a software developer.

Question: What advice would you give to prospective students or perhaps students thinking about going into postgraduate study?

Answer: The most important thing in life is to proceed in a field for which you develop a strong aptitude. With competitive job market and more computer scientists pouring out, postgraduate study is definitely a safe bet at the least. Postgraduate qualification from a Russell Group institute will definitely improve one’s chance of landing in a well reputed corporate.

Question: Do I have your consent of posting a transcript of this conversation online?

Answer: Yes

Thanks a lot for your time.

International Engineering Ambassador - Shruti Vasudev

Written By: Alireza Parandeh

If you remember, a few months back near summer we posted a blog entry about Shruti and her placement. She's currently an international engineering student from University of Sheffield, working for National Instruments, one of the biggest data acquisition companies that specialise in data logging and solving real world measurement problems. 

International bioengineering student Shruti, talks about her experiences at The University of Sheffield as an international student and an international engineering ambassador. 

Watch the video below to find out more about Shruti and her work at National Instruments.