After Hima Varshini (20) finished her Bachelor’s in Economics in India, she applied for a scholarship at Erasmus University Rotterdam to do her Master’s in Economics and Business. To help other students that are seeking the same opportunities, she is now promoting the Erasmus Charity Run to raise funds for scholarships. Read her inspiring story.
Why did you choose to do your Master’s at Erasmus University Rotterdam?
"A lot of the seniors from my university named the Netherlands as their top destination. They gave me amazing reviews about how beautiful the country is and how much they enjoyed their time here. Some of the juniors that are finishing their Bachelor’s this year, are also planning to come here – after talking to me. It is a chain effect!"
Could you tell us about your experience applying for university and a scholarship?
"Even though I wanted to be admitted to Erasmus, I was going to apply to several universities, just to be sure. Fortunately, within a week I got a reply from Erasmus, saying I was accepted. That was such a boost for me! But then the financial reality kicked in. I did not dare dream that I would get the scholarship I applied for. I wasn’t working and I should probably take up a loan. I preferred not to burden my family with the costs, as my brother is also dependent on the family’s financial situation for his studies and my choices should not restrict him.
But then the mail arrived, saying I had been selected for the scholarship. For me, that was such a big moment! The mail itself was actually very non-dramatic, like: Hey Hima, you got the scholarship. I thought: You deliver me big news like that in such an everyday way? I remember sitting in class and not being able to shout out loud! I then went outside, called my family and just could not stop crying. It was such a surreal moment."
Why is this scholarship important for you and how will it impact your future?
"The financial realities of pursuing a masters in a country like the Netherlands are quite stressful. A Master degree in economics has been something that I wanted to pursue for a long time, and I know Erasmus University Rotterdam offers great specializations. The stress of finances was one thing that made me sceptical of considering a degree abroad. The scholarship was a huge relief, not only did it offer me an opportunity to pursue my dream degree but doing so with greater freedom and mental peace. I cannot emphasise enough how it has changed the trajectory of my time in the Netherlands. Having this opportunity to pursue a master in economics hugely benefits my future prospects of wanting to research and educate myself further in this discipline."
How was your experience arriving in the Netherlands?
"I got lost quite a bit in my first week. Thankfully, because of the scholarship that I got at Erasmus, I was also able to secure a room in The Social Hub, where a lot of my fellow scholarship students live. We all meet up mostly every week and exchange a lot of useful information. As much as I had wanted to make myself a good international friend community, I also missed home and Indian food. So I made Indian friends, it just happened. We cook together every single day!"
Now you are promoting the Erasmus Charity Run. Could you explain to us why?
"It was not even a question for me. As soon as I heard about the Charity Run, I knew I had to be a part of it. The scholarship completely changed my life, and I want many more people to have the same opportunity. Because I recently had surgery on my knee, I unfortunately cannot join the run myself, but I love promoting it.
Not only will it raise actual money for scholarships, it also increases their visibility. After I applied, I found out a few of my friends were not even aware of the existence of these scholarships. So, my goal is to help a lot more people make their dream of studying here come true."
What are your future dreams?
"My specific interests in economics has always been the concept of inequalities. Coming from a developing nation like India, I am very aware that the disparities between the top one percent and the rest of the country have been increasing every single day. My main interest lies in policy addressing this inequality. First as researcher, and in the future as a policy maker, or maybe even as a diplomat."
- More information
The Erasmus Charity Run is a fundraising run where you raise money for students whose dream is to study at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Together with fellow participants you run for a good cause where you also raise money for Scholarship Students.
Do you also want to help fund scholarships for talented students like Hima? Support one or more participants of the Erasmus Charity Run via this link.
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