In winter semester 2023/24, a total of 40 students submitted valid applications for an excellence scholarship. This year’s winners included 25 Bachelor’s students and five Master’s students from a total of 17 countries and 15 different degree courses. Twenty-one of the winners were female, and nine were male. As in previous semesters, the most successful degree course was the Bachelor in Information Engineering, with six scholarship winners, followed by the Master in Renewable Energy Systems with three scholarship winners. The most strongly represented country was Ukraine, with five scholarship winners, followed by Indonesia with five, then Egypt, Colombia and Vietnam with three winners each.
Half of the scholarships went to students in the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. The top students in Information Engineering this semester included Muhammad Saim Bilal of Pakistan (fifth semester), with an average grade of 1.1, and Charithma Perera of Sri Lanka (fourth semester), with an average grade of 1.3. In the other technical subjects, Ali Aliyev of Azerbaijan (third semester, Aeronautical Engineering) and Kateryna Bodrova of Ukraine (third semester, Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Management) impressed the jury with their outstanding grades.
We asked Kateryna Bodrova what it takes to be successful as an international student at HAW Hamburg: ‘My strategy for doing well in my studies is to always stay curious and not just study for exams but instead develop a real understanding of the topics.’ She is finding the current situation in Ukraine, where the majority of her family is located, very challenging. ‘It’s hard for me to find a suitable coping strategy. But I do get support from my social environment, which is made up of very good people, and my hobbies.’ And what does she want to do after graduation? ‘My professional goal is to find a long-term job in Germany that not only helps advance my professional development but also aligns with and fulfils my passions. I would like to contribute to helping Germany achieve an energy-independent and sustainable future.’
The second-place ranking among the faculties in this semester went to the Faculty of Life Sciences, with nine scholarship winners. The front-runner among the faculty’s Master’s students was Nicolas Miranda of Colombia, who is in the third semester of the Renewable Energy Systems course. He was able to impress the jury with his average grade of 1.6 and two excellent letters of recommendation. Among the Bachelor's students, Terry Winata Lians of Indonesia (sixth semester, Process Engineering) had the most points, with an average grade of 1.5. He was followed by Mahgol Moalem of Iran (fifth semester, Nutrition and Home Economics), and Laura Marcela Palechor Chicangana of Colombia (fourth semester, Biotechnology).
Maghol finds ‘the direct communication with instructors’ and the fact ‘that it is always possible to find a contact person at HAW’ to be particularly helpful for studying successfully. After her Bachelor's degree she also wants to complete her Master's at HAW Hamburg.
Three DAAD scholarships were also awarded to Ukrainian Bachelor's students in the Faculty of Life Sciences. Iryna Izotova (sixth semester, Nutrition and Home Economics) explains: ‘The scholarship has supported me for four semesters and helped me to invest all my time in studying. A big challenge for me is that some modules haven’t been offered due to funding shortages and low enrolment, and that has extended the length of my degree.’ For Yevheniia Orlova (fifth semester, Health Sciences), ‘learning the German language is the key’ to studying successfully. An additional element, in her view, is ‘the support and exchange from and between fellow students.’ She is very thankful for these ‘social components’ now that the pandemic is no longer impacting interactions between students.
In the Faculty of Business and Social Sciences, Eunice Elson of Indonesia (fourth semester, Marketing/Business Studies) and Maria Paniz of Italy (fifth semester, Social Work) held the top spots, in part because of their outstanding letters of recommendation. Eunice shared what contributed to her excellent achievements: ‘Without good time management it would be impossible to make progress in your studies. Diligence, engaging with the subjects and independent repetition at home also play an important role.’ The German language is a particular challenge, but one that she has mastered very well: ‘I’ve realised that the more time I spend with native German speakers, the more comfortable I feel communicating in German.’
The only Master’s student in the faculty to receive a scholarship was Aliaksandra Andronchyk of Belarus, who is studying International Business and was awarded a DAAD scholarship. ‘This scholarship gives me financial freedom, which relieves my stress and lets me fully concentrate on my studies without constantly worrying about my finances.’ Her recipe for success: ‘Staying engaged and attentive in class throughout the semester, coupled with a genuine enthusiasm for learning. My goal is to continuously seek new knowledge.’
In the Faculty of Design, Media and Information, two students from the Media and Communications area received scholarships: Anastasia Murashova of Russia and Yuliia Catrais of Ukraine, who were both awarded the DAAD scholarship.
We congratulate all the scholarship winners and wish them continued success and all the best for their studies.
More information about scholarships for international students is available on the International Office website. The next application deadline is 30 March 2024.
