As part of Forest Interactive’s continuous commitment to education, Forest Interactive’s talent Siti Mahdaria, at the invitation of Binus University, recently spoke at the university’s Summer Camp 2021.
Titled “Study Abroad with Scholarship”, the camp was held virtually on August 24 with about 700 Binus University students attending the session. Siti Mahdaria, or more friendly known as Ria, shared her experience in pursuing her master’s degree in Australia and the preparations she made before deciding to leave her home country.
“Before deciding to study abroad, you have to figure out the purpose of pursuing your study abroad. Ask yourself, what are you going to do with the knowledge and experience you will get from studying abroad,” noted the University of Melbourne alumna, who was granted the Australia Awards Scholarship from the Australian government and is now leading the company’s media relations’ efforts and initiatives in Indonesia.
Hailing from Palembang, Ria mentioned to the audience that studying was her dream since she was in senior high school — a dream just like some Indonesian students. According to Ria, having more courses options, exploring new cultures, and having life-changing experiences are among many contributing factors that drive most people to pursue their studies in a different country.
Ria also explained her three main objectives to study in a foreign country, including gaining more experience, building her network, and improving her English language skills. Studying abroad is challenging, thus understanding the purpose beforehand will strengthen one’s will to go through all the challenges.
Ria shared four tips with the students on how to plan their study abroad:
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Country
When deciding to study abroad, students should determine which country they are interested to live in. Location is essential because students are going to conduct all the daily activities in that country. Students should do more research on the climate, political situation, and whether the city or the country is student-friendly. Choosing a country that is student-friendly will ensure your needs as a student will be facilitated, and it will enhance your student living experience.
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University
Choose a university that has a good reputation and specialization in a certain field that you want to learn. Having a general idea on the quality of the programs offered by the chosen university will help you improve your potential greatly.
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Syllabus
Although some universities may offer similar courses, they indeed have specified syllabus and programs that are tailored to a prospective career. Therefore, understanding and wisely choosing a course that provides syllabus that is matched to your need is crucial. You do not need to worry about how to find the information because, in this digital era, you can access the detailed information on the university’s website, especially if your chosen universities are in Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States.
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Funding
Decide your funding, whether a scholarship or self-financing. If you wish to self-finance, you can just apply to the school admission team from your chosen university. However, if you are looking for a scholarship to support you, then you can check whether you want it from the government or the university itself. Generally speaking, there are three steps if you want to obtain a scholarship; document submission, English proficiency, and interview.
After identifying and finalizing a decision based on the four points above, Ria encourages the students to continue preparing themselves to study abroad as soon as possible, especially for those who are keen to get a scholarship.
“The process of getting a scholarship abroad is not easy but there is always an opportunity. Keep working on it consistently and get the right mentor to guide you throughout the process,” concluded Ria.
Prior to the Australia Awards Scholarship, Ria was rejected twice from a scholarship provider before she succeed in receiving two scholarships to continue her master’s degree in Melbourne. Inspired by this experience, Ria founded a social enterprise, Coach Potato, to guide youth in Indonesia to get a global experience as a student, be it through a conference, student exchange, competition, or pursuing studies. Her start-up provides a mentorship program to guide students in the process of becoming global students.
During her study in Australia, Ria was actively involved with students’ organizations, making her the Graduate Ambassador of the Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne. She participated in a few activities like being a host for her faculty’s podcast, giving a welcome speech to new students, and many other social projects. For Ria, being actively involved while studying at the campus is a form of her contribution as a student, for other students.
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