Pursuing Higher Education Abroad: Opportunities Are Not Gifted, They Are Created !!!

Opportunities are not gifted, they are created !!!
Pursuing Higher Education Abroad

Presented by
Dr. Mohsin Saeed

Dr. Muhammad Shahbaz
Dr. Shareen Shafique
Department of Physics,
University of the Punjab,
Lahore, Pakistan.
08-06-2022
1
Outline
 Motivation
 Choice of country abroad
 USA & Canada
 A scholarship application ingredients
 Pathway to scholarship
 Interview tips, common mistakes
 Chinese scholarship opportunities
 Italian Rainfall Scholarship
 Faculty / Seniors contacts for future correspondences

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 2
Motivation

Motivation
 Possible better and focused learning environment
 Expected financial benefits
 International exposure, visiting favourite country
 Chance to build a collaboration
 Portray a better image of Pakistan to the world
 Experiencing different cultures
 Bringing home the skills
 Build a brilliant career in home country after graduation

Choosing the destination country

Choosing the destination country
 USA
– BS/MS, GRE (Sub./Gen.), TOEFL, overall strong profile
– Offer full funding for 5-7 years PhD (Fall), Intensive research programs of huge
prospects
 Canada
– Preferably MS, IELTS, strong academics with good research exposure
– Full funding for 4-5 year PhD (Fall), immense research oriented programs
 UK & Europe
– Mandatory MS, IELTS, GATE (Germany), program language varies from country to
country
– Good academics, research and publications
– 3-4 years contract based PhD positions, applications based on vacancies in a
research lab., Intensive research programs of huge prospects
USA & Canada

USA & Canada
 Admission Pre-requisites:
 GRE General
 GRE Subject (if interested in Theoretical Physics or the best Universities)
 TOEFL
 Funding:
 Get admission ….. Ensure Funding
 Teaching Assistant
 Research Assistant
 Fulbright Scholarships
 HEC has some MOU’s with some US universities to provide stipend.

GRE PHYSICS
 CLASSICAL MECHANICS — 20%
 ELECTROMAGNETISM — 18%
 QUANTUM MECHANICS — 12%
 ATOMIC PHYSICS — 10%
 THERMODYNAMICS AND STATISTICAL MECHANICS — 10%
 OPTICS AND WAVE PHENOMENA — 9%
 SPECIAL RELATIVITY — 6%
 LABORATORY METHODS — 6%
 SPECIALIZED TOPICS — 9%
Nuclear and Particle physics, Condensed Matter physics etc.

GRE General
 Analytical Writing
 Verbal Reasoning
 Quantitative Reasoning
10
Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Analytic Writing
 Articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively
 Support ideas with relevant reasons and examples
 Examine claims and accompanying evidence
 Sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion
 Control the elements of standard written English
Verbal Reasoning
 Analyze and draw conclusions from discourse
 Select important points; distinguish major from minor or irrelevant points
 Understand the meaning of individual words, sentences and entire texts
Quantitative Reasoning
 Understand, interpret and analyze quantitative information
 Solve problems using mathematical models
 Apply basic skills and elementary concepts of arithmetic, algebra,
geometry and data analysis

TOEFL
• Listening
Answer questions about conversations and talks
• Reading
Answer questions about short academic and nonacademic texts
• Writing
Build sentences and write responses for everyday and academic
situations
• Speaking
Retell written and spoken input, and speak to a simulated interviewer
For more details, click the (Link)

A scholarship application ingredients

A scholarship application ingredients
 Please apply for your passport if not got yet (Link)
 All educational degrees and transcripts from matric till the last terminal attested
by IBCC (Link), HEC (Link) and MOFA (Link)
 A good CV (Tips link)

 It describes your education, awards, personal details and internships etc.
 Statement of Purpose (Example)

 What / why / how you did; your goals and means to achieve them, possible
reasons why want to apply for a certain program
 Letter of motivation (Sketch) (Example)

 Your skills, motivation for a specific program
 Research proposal: Summary of your proposed research

 Literature review, projection to future work (Guidelines link)
Pathway to scholarship

Pathway to Scholarship
Apply for
Complete Scholarship
Requirements
Approaching
Supervisors
Self-
Motivation

Apply for
Requirements
Approaching
Supervisors
Self-  Look for the professor with your future research interest.
Motivation (email id from webpages) (Link)
 Contact through email with sufficient supporting documents
e.g. detailed CV, snapshot of latest university transcript and
proposed research plan (if ready) 17
Apply for
Requirements
Approaching
Supervisors
Self-
Motivation
18
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Reasons: Prof. already took student and etc. 18
Interview tips, common mistakes

Interview questions and some Tips
 Common questions:
– Why a specific country/university/progam?

– Future plans (long+short terms)
– Technical / Subject based questions
 Some Tips:
– Prepare few slides better describing you (Perhaps you will be asked)
– Go through University / Program website, faculty profile and work
– Thoroughly go through the LOM / SOP, research proposal
– Prepare for basics about the current field of studies
– Don’t know the answer? Give Fail-Safe answer
– Ask about the group members (faculty, students) – Try to engage them as well
– Ask about research and curriculum

What to avoid !
 Rapid approach
 Wait for few days with first email and then a soft reminder in reply to first email
 Getting acceptance and not applying

 Bad image of the country
 Sending random emails without a homework

 Poor chances to get acceptance, bad image of the country
 Sending email to multiple professors in a single thread ( in CC or etc.)

 Bad image, No acceptance
 Simultaneous emails to professors in the same group

 Less chances to get accepted Wednesday, June 8, 2022 21
Chinese scholarship opportunities
Why China ?

Top ten (10) Chinese universities’
worldwide ranking
https://www.universityrankings.ch/results&ranking=QS&region=World&year=2020&q=China 23
Why China ?
Three (3) Chinese universities

qualified among top ten (10)
leading institutions in Nature Index
https://www.natureindex.com/news-blog/leading-research-institutions-science-nature-index-annual-tables-twenty-twenty

Where I graduated from → → →

https://www.natureindex.com/news-blog/leading-research-institutions-science-nature-index-annual-tables-twenty-twenty
https://www.natureindex.com/institution-outputs/generate/all/global/all 26
Possible Scholarships from China
CSC  Full = Tuition fee, Dormitory, Health
Scholarships
Insurance, monthly stipend
(A,B,C)
University  Full, Partial = Tuition fee Dormitory /

Scholarship Health Insurance
Masters/Ph.D.  Full: e.g. CAS-TWAS  ANSO , B&R,

External Chinese President Scholarship
Agencies
(ANSO) (B&R) (CPS)
Provincial
 Full (e.g. link)
Scholarship
Professor  Full (need to ask from host Advisor)

Funding
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 Deadlines ~ March 31th 27
General Conditions for apply: (link)
Applicants must:
 Not hold Chinese citizenship;
 For PhD program applicants: be born after 1 January 1986 (inclusive); [35-Years]
 For master program applicants: be born after 1 January 1991 (inclusive); [33-years]
 Meet the admission criteria for UCAS international students (please refer to the calls
for 2021 Programs for international students);
 Not take up other assignments during the period of his/her scholarship

Chinese Universities in Collaboration with
CERN
• CERN is not degree awarding body

 Necessary agreement / affiliation with Universities
 Can apply for admission as mentioned above

Chinese institutions in Collaboration with CERN
 Institute of High Energy Physics, (CAS): CMS, ATLAS, AMS
 University of Science and Technology (USTC): ATLAS
 Tsinghua University, Beijing: CMS, ATLAS, LHCb
 Peking University: CMS, ATLAS
 Beihang University (BUAA): CMS
 Shanghai Jiaotong Univeristy (SJTU): CMS
 Nanjing University: ATLAS
 Zhejiang University: CMS
 Shandong University: ATLAS
 Huazhong Normal University: ALICE
 China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE): ALICE

CERN: A place to work and learn
Conseil Européen pour la Recherche Nucléaire", or European Council for Nuclear Research
CSC Scholarship through HEC
 Deadline: Around
January, 2023
 Test/ Interview
 If passed, would be
asked to apply on
CSC portal with 3
university options
 Better to attach
acceptance letter

32
Finance Breakdown
 Monthly stipend
Some Estimates
 For masters ~3000 CNY (Chinese currency) Stipend
(additional possible funding from supervisor) 3500 CNY ~ 105000 PKR
 For PhD Expenditure

 CSC ~3500 CNY 2000 CNY ~ 60000 PKR
 ANSO ~6000-7000 CNY Saving

(additional possible funding from supervisor) 1500 CNY ~ 45000 PKR
 Other financial information (covered by a scholarship)

 Tuition fee
 (PhD: ~40,000 CNY/year, MS: ~30,000 CNY/year)
 Dormitory (~900 CNY/month)
 Health Insurance (~700 CNY/year)
Italian Rainfall Scholarship

First question !
How, why, where, which, When

Introduction

Ranking of Italian Universities
Wednesday, June 8, 2022 https://www.study.eu/best-universities/italy 37

Why Italy ?
 There are lots of scholarships in Italian universities
 Same documents required in each universities
 You can work on Professor’s project/ own project
 On time degree completion
 Higher number of chances than other counties

Required Documentation
 Curriculum vitae in euro pass format

 Letter of motivation
 Letters of recommendation
 Research proposal
 Scan educational documents (Degrees, Transcript)

 Passport (Validity upto six months)
 Publications if any
 English proficiency certificate (last institution)
 Please use quality scanner to scan your documents

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 https://europa.eu/europass/en/create-europass-cv 40
Statement of Purpose, Personal
Statement, Motivation letter, Cover
letter, Letter of Intention

Research Proposal
Can you please share your research proposal, I just want to seeeeee!!
Research Proposal
Tentative tittle
 Introduction
 Research problem
 Background and literature review
 Reading articles and related topics
 What has already done on this topic
 Research gap
 What particular areas is left
 Objective/goals that will be achieved
 Research methodology
 What to do,
 How to do,
 What kind of task
 Result and discussion
 Simulation
 Survey
 Discussion on results
 Planned publications
 List of required equipment
 Timetable/timeline
 Reference
Recommendation Letter
 A letter written on behalf of an applicant by someone who can vouch for that
person’s educational or professional performance. This letter is typically sent to an
admissions officer or hiring manager considering a candidate for admission,
employment, or a scholarship
 In Pakistan, some professors ask you to write letter of recommendation on their

behalf
 Must be on University Letter Head
 Properly Signed and stamped with date
 Referee detail and how he knows you
 Explain the problem solving skills along with ability to carry the project
independently

Ranking of German Universities
Link
Required Documentation
• German professor consent letter

• DAAD research proposal (maximum 10 pages)
• DAAD application form
• CV
• Degrees and transcripts
• 2 reference letters
• 2 year job experience
• ILETS (not compulsory at the time of application)

Other Fellowships
• Rhodes Scholarships at Oxford University for International Students
• Marie Curie scholarship
• Chevening Scholarships (UK)
• Eiffel Excellence Scholarship Programme (France)
• Australia Awards Scholarships
• Japanese Government MEXT Scholarship
• Turkish Government Scholarship (Turkiye Burslari)
• Hungaricum scholarships
• Romania Government Scholarship
• Ireland Scholarships
• Switzerland Scholarships
• High Energy Positions
– Regularly visit inspirehep website (link, choose from rank)
 Explore the world !!!

Senior’s Contacts for Future
Correspondence

Contact list for future queries !!!
For China
– Dr. Mohsin Saeed (Assist. Prof. PU, LHAASO Collaboration) Email: mohsin.chep@pu.edu.pk
– Dr. Shareen (Assist. Prof., PU) Email: shyrin111@gmail.com
– Dr. Usman Ashraf (Wuhan-STAR): Email: musman_mughal10@yahoo.com
– Arfa Abrar Malik (PhD scholar, IC-CAS; Email: arfamalik@wempowerpakistan.org
– Kainat Qamar (MS Physics, USTC-CAS) Email: kainatqamar552@gmail.com
For USA
– Dr. Shahbaz (Assist. Prof. PU) Email: shahbaz.physics@pu.edu.pk
– Dr. Muhammad Naeem Anwar (HEP-University of Bonn): m.anwar@fz-juelich.de
For Euorpe
– Dr. Muhammad Ahmad (Tsinghua University, CERN) Email: m.ahmad@cern.ch
– Dr. Tahir Javaid, (Post Doctorate, Beihang University) Email: tahir.javaid@cern.ch

Extras

UCAS
• Because the education system in some countries is different from that in China,, please
see the UCAS website for the degree requirements of applicants (Link).
• For admission in Master ONLY: (Link), (Programs), (Application) (Commonly 3-years)

(Twice in a year: FALL: deadline will be in September, SPRING: Deadline will be in March)
• For Ph.D Admission: (Link) (Commonly 3-4 years)
• School and Colleges: (Link)
• CAS-Institutes: (Link)
• UCAS-Supervisors List: (Link)

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Opportunities are not gifted, they are created !!!

Pursuing Higher Education Abroad

Dr. Mohsin Saeed

 Choice of country abroad

 USA & Canada

 A scholarship application ingredients

 Interview tips, common mistakes

 Chinese scholarship opportunities

 Italian Rainfall Scholarship

 Faculty / Seniors contacts for future correspondences

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 3

 Expected financial benefits

 International exposure, visiting favourite country

 Chance to build a collaboration

 Portray a better image of Pakistan to the world

 Experiencing different cultures

 Bringing home the skills

 Build a brilliant career in home country after graduation

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 4

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 5

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 7

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 8

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 9

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 11

For more details, click the (Link)

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 12

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 13

 A good CV (Tips link)

 Statement of Purpose (Example)

 Letter of motivation (Sketch) (Example)

 Research proposal: Summary of your proposed research

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 15

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 16

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 19

– Why a specific country/university/progam?

– Go through University / Program website, faculty profile and work

– Thoroughly go through the LOM / SOP, research proposal

– Prepare for basics about the current field of studies

– Don’t know the answer? Give Fail-Safe answer

– Ask about research and curriculum

 Getting acceptance and not applying

 Sending random emails without a homework

 Sending email to multiple professors in a single thread ( in CC or etc.)

 Simultaneous emails to professors in the same group

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 22

Three (3) Chinese universities

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 24

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 25

University  Full, Partial = Tuition fee Dormitory /

Masters/Ph.D.  Full: e.g. CAS-TWAS  ANSO , B&R,

Professor  Full (need to ask from host Advisor)

 Not hold Chinese citizenship;

 Not take up other assignments during the period of his/her scholarship

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 28

• CERN is not degree awarding body

 Can apply for admission as mentioned above

Wednesday, June 8, 2022 29

 University of Science and Technology (USTC): ATLAS

 Tsinghua University, Beijing: CMS, ATLAS, LHCb

 Peking University: CMS, ATLAS

 Beihang University (BUAA): CMS

 Shanghai Jiaotong Univeristy (SJTU): CMS