Help Munnazzah pay for Master's

At 33 I have been told I would be better off getting married than going for my Master’s.

I disagree.

Hi, my name is Munnazzah and I am from Pakistan. I have been accepted into the Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Journalism (EMJ) programme and I am here in hopes of raising funds for graduate school.

I have been applying for the EMJ scholarship for the last three years.

On my first attempt, I got rejected.

On my second attempt, I got accepted but without a scholarship.

You would think third time’s a charm. Nope. I got into the programme yet again, no scholarship.

But something changed on my third try.

I knew it was now or never because getting accepted into EMJ alone is a feat – it is a two-part selection process (initially from the home university and then from the host university) and only a handful of students from Pakistan get accepted. I did not intend to waste my seat for the second consecutive year.

So I dug into my savings and reached out to family and friends for loans.

However, due to the rising inflation and Pakistani Rupee depreciating against the US dollar, I only managed to put together enough to pay for the first semester and accommodation for the first two months.

Two-year programme cost breakdown:

Tuition (per semester €4,500): €13,500 (minus first semester)

Accommodation (per month €450): €3,600 (from Jan-Aug)

Germany blocked account (per month €934): €11,208 (second year specialisation)

Total needed: €28,308

I am currently doing an odd job in Denmark as I study alongside, which only suffices for basics like food, clothing, course material, etc.

While the living expenses are something I am able to manage at the moment, it would greatly ease my burden if I could receive a contribution from you towards my higher education tuition.

I am aware that the pursuit of Master's in a foreign country is a difficult undertaking, but “if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more.”

Why support me?

The Erasmus Mundus programme is one of the only Master’s programmes that offers a study exchange in three countries across multiple universities; an opportunity that is both rare and esteemed.

For my first year I will be studying in two universities in Denmark: Aarhus University and the Danish School of Media and Journalism. The courses will cover current topics within journalism, media & globalisation.

For my second year I will head to Munich, Germany for my specialisation in Cultures & Contexts, which means studying in one of the country’s most prestigious universities, Ludwig Maximilian University (ranked second best in Germany) -- it only offers its journalism course via the Mundus programme.

If I can collect enough funds, it will be a life-changing experience as I will graduate with the prestigious EMJ degree that will consequently lead to new and multiple opportunities.

As someone who has done her BA from Pakistan, I have experienced first-hand that options to work and/or study abroad are limited, therefore the opportunity to do the EMJ programme is a golden chance to broaden my knowledge, network and horizons.

However, it is not just a desire to do better in the following chapters of my life, I have been persistently pursuing the path to achieve more by putting my learnings to use for social causes.

In my 8+ years of journalism some of my work has gained global and local recognition like A Pakistani Woman’s Workplace Dilemma;

(International) WIN-IFRA South Asian Digital Media Award - Bronze

(Local) Lab Azad Excellence in Journalism Award

I have contributed to international publications to raise awareness on Pakistan’s environmental crisis, as well as spoken on cultural taboos in the country like menstruation & more.

I am passionate about tackling social issues in my country because I seek change, and in a nation that drowns out women’s voices under the pretext of hysteria, journalism has allowed me to knock on people’s doors (figuratively speaking) and share the plight of the marginalised in Pakistan.

I know there is room to grow and so much to discover, and your contribution towards my EMJ programme will help serve as the foundation.

Moreover, this educational journey will give me access to bigger platforms, a wider audience around the globe as well as the tools to share these stories with greater influence and create a positive impact on the world around me, especially in my home country Pakistan.

I also want to support other Pakistanis who hope to apply for this programme by sharing my experience via my blog Muns in Mundus that documents my Master's experience in real life.

I believe in the power of community and it has led me here. I hope you can aid in my Master's journey and share my story with others.

Please know that your contribution will be paid forward through my work.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.