Tips to Get an IISMA Scholarship by Deta Ewila Sinuraya
IISMA is a student exchange scholarship that allows its recipients to pursue education outside Indonesia with all administrative fees fully funded by the Ministry.
Deta recounted in her interview on Tuesday (1/2/2022) that she got the information about the program through the head of her study program.
Admission for the IISMA program requires all necessary documents prepared, such as the letter of recommendation from the Directorate of Student Affairs, academic transcript, and language certificates. The announcement for the result took a long time; however, Deta received an email from IISMA for passing the first selection and the schedule for the upcoming interview.
After succeeding in the interview stage, Deta finally seized the opportunity to study at the University of Sussex in Brighton, UK as an international relations student. She admitted that the courses taught there were mostly general and posed no obstacle to her studies despite being a meteorology major in ITB- enrolling in different classes and learning new knowledge can broaden one's horizons.
Studying abroad while meeting new people from other countries instills valuable experiences to Deta. She participated in student activities involving exploration and cross-cultural studies.
Throughout her stay, Deta lived in the university’s dorms, which are known to be comfortable and economic. She never had any racial encounters due to the diversity of the residents. However, she faced several communication issues as the spoken accent is very different from hers in Indonesia. To improve her language skills, she continuously pursues activities that encourage her to speak and read.
Deta noted that many ITB students did not receive the scholarship as they chose the more prominent universities. “They fail not because they are not smart, but because they use the wrong strategy in deciding their exchange university,” she explained. “Their chosen university might gain many registrants, yet they have a limited quota.” Thus, Deta targeted campuses with both high ranking and chance to be selected.
Deta also suggested all required documents are well-prepared. “It is best to compose your CV related to the program of your interest. Additionally, the scores of your language assessment tests correspond to their minimum criteria. Owning the certificate itself is a plus.”
She also emphasized honesty during the interview. “While being honest, we also have to answer all questions accurately,” she added.
Deta urged students to be more adaptive and open during their stay. "By meeting with different kinds of people, you can ask for help from others in case you have problems."
Furthermore, Deta encouraged those planning to participate in IISMA to not give up halfway and keep on striving. “I do not see myself as a genius, but God certainly helps those who seek for it. Through hard work, I believe we can do it.”
Reporter: Kevin Agriva Ginting (Teknik Geodesi dan Geomatika, 2020)
Translator: Ruth Nathania (Teknik Lingkungan, 2019)
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