REVISITING YOUR STUDY ABROAD MISSION

Dear Future Global Citizens,

Today we are going to be revisiting your study abroad mission. In this free tutorial, I would explain the importance of  your study abroad mission and how to build your study abroad application package out of this mission.

If you remember, one of the emails I sent as part of the welcome sequence during the first week of you joining my Study2Relocate email list was about your study abroad mission. In this email I explained what it meant and I went further to talk about the important aspects of your study abroad mission. Here is a quick summary of that email. 

Your study abroad mission is a problem you aim to solve with the knowledge that you would gain from studying abroad. There are 5 key aspect of your study abroad mission which are outlined below:

Your study abroad mission must be topical i.e. one that is currently discussed in academic or professional circles.

Your study abroad mission must be relevant, i.e. a problem that your discipline or the world at large cares about.

Your study abroad mission must be significant, i.e. it solves a big enough problem.

Your study abroad mission must be urgent ie it solves a problem that is imminent

Your study abroad mission must be pragmatic ie it solves a problem that can actually be solved.

Lastly, remember that your study abroad mission is not just some random problem that you feel good about but rather it is an area of your field that you would have researched heavily to ensure that you are knowledgeable, at least on a high level, of the key challenges within the field

For more information, please refer to the original email here

So now let's take things to the next level. How do you build your application package out of your study abroad mission?

You do this by reflecting your study abroad mission within your application documents - Academic CV, Statement of Purpose, Reference Letters and Supervisor Email.

Doing this brings  life to your application, makes your brand (what you stand for) shine out and personifies your application documents so that the admissions committee wake up from seeing you as just another application number but rather as a human who is out on a mission to solve a global problem. The kind of student they want to admit, fund and pass on the responsibility of exporting their brand.

This can be you if you know how to reflect your study abroad mission in your application documents. I will show you how in a few quick sentences but know that doing this properly is a skill that requires practice and as they say, practice makes perfect.

Academic CV

The personal profile section of your academic CV must reflect your study abroad mission 

So if your study abroad mission is this: "To develop economic models to improve the accessibility to renewable energy technology for decentralized systems"

Your personal profile could be something like this: “I am to translate theoretical knowledge into tangible solutions, with the overarching goal of advancing economic models that empower communities through the widespread adoption of decentralized renewable energy systems.”

This is just one instance of alignment, there are many more e.g.

Your research interests, your demonstrated work experience all have  to align with your study abroad mission. Detailing it here is too long for a midweek email but we go into much detail in the SASS Masterclass.

Statement of Purpose

The core parts of your Statement of Purpose i.e. Your Passion Story, Relevant Academic/Professional Background and your Long Term Goal all have to align with your study abroad mission. Here is an example with your passion story:

So if your study abroad mission is this: "To develop economic models to improve the accessibility to renewable energy technology for decentralized systems"

Your passion story could be something like this: “Through my academic and professional experience, the profound importance of sustainable development and energy accessibility has emerged as a defining theme. Growing up in a community where energy resources were often scarce, I witnessed firsthand the transformative power of electricity in uplifting lives and fostering growth. The disparities in energy access fueled my determination to channel my academic journey towards addressing this global challenge. These formative experiences, etched into the fabric of my existence, have fueled my passion for developing economic models that bridge the gap in renewable energy accessibility, especially for decentralized systems.

My academic pursuits are not merely a collection of courses but a purposeful journey shaped by these life experiences. From engaging in community-driven initiatives, such as the SolarJoy project where I worked with a team to distribute 5000 portable solar panels in deprived neighborhoods,  to witnessing the transformative impact of sustainable energy in resource-constrained environments, every step has reinforced my commitment to this mission. It is this passion that propels me to seek an opportunity to Study a Masters Degree Course in Renewable Energy at the University of Alberta, where the confluence of diverse perspectives and scholarly collaboration will empower me to contribute meaningfully to the global discourse on sustainable energy and economic empowerment. I embark on this journey not just as a student, but as a renewable energy evangelist, weaving together my past, present, and future in the pursuit of a more sustainable and equitable world.”

So do you see what is happening here?

Every application document that is opened by the graduate admissions team, your noble study abroad mission continues to be reinforced and expanded. This then goes further to show that:

1. You are out on a mission to solve a very important problem and that studying the particular course is necessary to achieving this mission.
2. You are the best candidate for admission and funding opportunities.

So there you have it. 

Now I will pass it over to you. Take some time to think and do some research about your study abroad mission and that working on how you will build your application documents around it. I have given you some examples above to get you started.

We would like to hear about your noble and gallant study abroad mission so feel free to share with me by replying to this email.

Take care. 

Zino Ojogbo

Your Study Abroad Guru

PS: In the SASS Masterclass we go into further detail where we take some time to identify our study abroad mission and then work over a period of 5 weeks to build our application documents and strategy based on this mission. If you are feeling motivated to take up the challenge of achieving your study abroad dreams, then reach out to us, lets work with you to build your study abroad mission, your application documents and your application strategy so that you achieve the ultimate study abroad success.