Every year, QS partners with Alliance Manchester Business School to offer the QS-Alliance Manchester Business School Masters Scholarship, offered exclusively to attendees of the QS World Grad School Tour who have been accepted at Alliance Manchester.
The scholarship covers 50 percent of tuition fees for two students to study a one-year MSc program at the school, and this year’s winners were Sharon Cañas and Lina Vargas Garcia. Read on to find out more about them, plus what advice they’d offer other applicants.
Sharon Cañas
Ecuadorian student Sharon Cañas will be studying an MSc in Marketing, starting in September, and is looking forward to opening her mind to new challenges during her degree. Sharon says she has always been curious about customers’ attitudes and roles within marketing, and hopes that the program will enable her to deepen her knowledge and expertise in this field.
She says: “Since an early age I took part in marketing internships, which taught me about the importance of marketing departments in a company. I understood that marketing begins even before a product or service is created, and in order to generate the right marketing strategies, it is necessary to understand that the world evolves as fast as businesses and peoples’ perspectives. The innovation, evolution and creativity that characterizes the world of marketing has inspired me to pursue further studies in the topic.”
While Sharon recognizes that studying abroad will be challenging, she also believes it will enrich her in terms of career progression and personal growth: “For me, studying in another environment helps students to open their minds, be tolerant to differences, and be more creative as they step outside their comfort zone.”
After finishing her degree, Sharon aims to become a marketing professional with the capacity to work in any marketing department, including overseas, and notes that Alliance Manchester has connections with key companies in the industry, which will give her a great basis for working with experienced professionals around the world after graduation.
Sharon’s advice for other applicants
“Show your own personality in the application, make it personal to you, and tell your story; be clear on what aspects you need to include in the application and create a chart to organize your information and ideas; explain how you will contribute to your program and to the class; and believe in yourself and just try!”
“Even if it’s hard to believe that amongst all the other candidates you could be the winner, believe me, you could be surprised, it’s possible!”
Lina Vargas Garcia
The second winner of this year’s QS-Alliance Manchester Business School Masters Scholarship, Colombian student Lina Vargas Garcia will study an MSc in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship at Alliance Manchester this September, having previously worked as a lawyer at one of Colombia’s largest law firms.
Lina says she’s always enjoyed performing different activities and learning different skills, having previously worked as an outdoor educator, seminar teacher and summer internship coordinator. She’s decided to pursue a master’s degree in order to become a consultant in entrepreneurship, having found that her role has given her the opportunity to advise education organizations and consultancy firms in legal aspects – “More often than not, I end up wanting to be part of their business as a consultant in the specific subjects they manage. That is why I want to become a consultant in entrepreneurship.”
She loves to travel and is very excited by the prospect of gaining perspectives and a wide network by studying at Manchester. The school itself was also attractive as “In my research, Alliance Manchester Business School quickly stood out because of its innovative environment and constant drive to challenge itself. I personally praise the support that the school gives to research and the development of student’s projects and ideas.”
Upon finishing her degree, Lina plans to work at an incubator or start-up accelerator which provides tools and advice to entrepreneurs to transform their business models into real life ventures, and in the long term is aiming to start her own consultancy firm for entrepreneurs.
Lina’s advice for other applicants
Lina echoes the advice given by Sharon, stating that you should always believe getting a scholarship is possible – “Don’t hold back when it comes to scholarship applications. Some factors may overwhelm you, such as the number of applicants, the criteria you must meet or the essays you have to write. However, don’t let these things cloud your mind. Trust in who you are and in what you have to tell and to give.”
She also says it’s important to plan ahead and review all the scholarships you’d like to apply for, making a note of their requirements and deadlines, which will help you to avoid rushing your scholarship essay.
And finally, Lina emphasizes the importance of applying for as many scholarships as possible – “Proactivity is a plus when it comes to applying. Be sure to search for scholarships beyond the university. The only thing you will lose are a few minutes that will become an investment if you do obtain any scholarship!”
