Dream and make it come true: personal experience in applying scholarship abroad

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I was dreaming to study abroad since I was in elementary school. I listened carefully to speakers who came to my school. I took some notes and prepared all the stuff. One of the criteria to be able to get a scholarship is leadership skill. Therefore, I was involved in many social activities to enhance my leadership, communication, negotiation, and other skills. My participation in these activities not only beneficial for myself but it such important to society as well.




Time flies very fast.

In 2013, in the capacity of Indonesian representative in ASEAN Leadership Camp, I tried to apply the World Leader Meeting in Bali, Indonesia. This is the biggest meeting that attends by well-known CEO, top leaders, and presidents around the worlds. I was hoping I can be the one who involves in the events. I am certainly able to expand my connections with these people. Unfortunately, I was not elected. It is because of the program highly competitive.  I still remember, there were only three Indonesian youths who able to involve in that program. 

This tragedy required me to look at my application, again. I reread my personal statement, curriculum vitae, and other documents. So, in the next programs, I would be able to join and get selected.


Every time I see a chance to involve in an international program, I always applied. I revised my personal statement and asked some experts to proofread it.


"We regard to inform you that you are unable to join the program this time,.." 


"The committee happy to inform you that you are in the waiting list. If there is any spot on, we would inform you,.."


These emails are very familiar to me. Since 2013 until 2017, I counted it more than 52 international programs I applied for. Most of them are rejected, but some of them are put me on the waiting list. Such as the Erasmus Mundus EXPERTS Sustain program to study in Europe countries, I selected Portugal as my country destination, the ALPHABET a program to study in Europe as well; I chose Warsaw University of Technology as my campus. However, I was not elected until the time.

It was really really exhausting, but I never let my dream comes down. I still believe that one day my goal to study abroad will come true. 

The time was when I saw USAID PRESTASI Scholarship Programme. My previous experiences were rejected in many programs created me as a stronger person. I learned much of earlier experiences. Therefore, I truly prepared the applications carefully. I looked at my CV, Personal statement, recommendation letters, publications, social activities, skills, achievements that appropriate to the programs. 

Finally, after applying for more than 53 international programs, I selected as USAID Scholar to study abroad in the United States. 

Therefore, I would strongly encourage people around the world to keep dream big and believe in it. Don't ever let others stopped you from achieving it. Since the dream is free, so dream as big as you can. One day God will make it come true.

A newspaper that announces my story
"Aula is selected to study in the US after failing 53 times"