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About me:
My name is Papatla Akash. I come from a small town in Andhra Pradesh called Nuzvid, near Vijayawada. I have done my Bachelors in Political Science and Economics at St. Stephen’s College, University of Delhi. I am currently pursuing a two year Masters degree in Development Studies at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. As part of the partnership TISS has with Sciences Po University in France, every year few students get an opportunity to study a semester in France.
This year, I got selected as one of the three students to study in Paris for the semester exchange programme. The exchange programme is for a duration of four months starting from September 2024 to December 2024. During this semester I will be studying at the Paris School of International Studies, which is ranked 2nd in the world for politics and international studies, just behind Harvard University. France's rich history of political thought and Paris's status as a global city make this opportunity invaluable, significantly enriching my academic journey and professional aspirations.
This year, I got selected as one of the three students to study in Paris for the semester exchange programme. The exchange programme is for a duration of four months starting from September 2024 to December 2024. During this semester I will be studying at the Paris School of International Studies, which is ranked 2nd in the world for politics and international studies, just behind Harvard University. France's rich history of political thought and Paris's status as a global city make this opportunity invaluable, significantly enriching my academic journey and professional aspirations.
My Background:
I belong to SC (Mala) community in Andhra Pradesh. Both my parents are first generation learners and have worked very hard to be where they are right now. They have taught me the same and emphasized not to rely on anything but education and hard work. I have tried to do the same throughout my studies and getting selected as one of the three students to represent TISS in Sciences Po, Paris is a testament to it. However, funding is the major impediment preventing me from pursuing this incredible opportunity.
Why I cannot fund myself:
Ideally exchange students should be able to fund themselves with the help of Charpak Scholarship provided by the French Government. However, this year only one among the seven students from TISS received this scholarship. The selection process is arbitrary and not transparent as there is no interview, and the evaluation criteria is unknown. So, there is no option left for us than to self-finance.
Even though both of my parents are teachers in government schools, our financial condition has been very harsh for the past 2-3 years. Adding to this, the pressure of educating three children who are in their higher education at the same time makes it difficult for them to allocate significant funds for my education alone.
As a result of the partnership between TISS and Sciences Po, my tuition fee is waived off. So, the only obstacle stopping me is the living and travel expenses. Since Paris is a very costly city, the living expenses are estimated to be 4-5 times higher than usual.
Below is an estimate of all the minimum expenses I would incur for my education in Paris:
- Flight fare: 60,000-80,000 for a round-trip, out of which 50% will be reimbursed by the institution after returning to the campus.
- Accommodation: 400-500 Euros, which is 40,000-50,000 rupees per month.
- Travel and Food: 500 Euros per month, which is 50,000 rupees per month.
- VISA related:
- Stage 1: Campus France Fee: 18,000 rupees..
- Stage 2: VFS Fee: 4,000 rupees.
- Total: 22,000 rupees.
- Health and Travel Insurance: 5,000 rupees
How this opportunity helps me in my career?
Moreover, I consider this as a genuinely good opportunity for a few reasons. As I’ve mentioned, the Paris School of International Studies is ranked 2nd best in the world, only next to Harvard. As an exchange student I would both learn from Sciences Po, a French Institution and bring my learnings as an Indian student from TISS. It is important to bring Indian perspectives into the domain of international politics, development, social inequalities.
I understand that I would just be studying there for a semester, but after thinking about this decision for a while, I believe that the benefits outweigh the costs.
We have explored various sources such as scholarships, organizational funding, and loans, but we have been unable to secure any of them.
Therefore, I stand here asking for your kind support to contribute as much as you can to make this opportunity a reality.
I trust the collective power of students, fellow scholars, and kind well-wishers in my attempt to study in France.
Kindly consider contributing as much as you can.
Thankyou.
I understand that I would just be studying there for a semester, but after thinking about this decision for a while, I believe that the benefits outweigh the costs.
We have explored various sources such as scholarships, organizational funding, and loans, but we have been unable to secure any of them.
Therefore, I stand here asking for your kind support to contribute as much as you can to make this opportunity a reality.
I trust the collective power of students, fellow scholars, and kind well-wishers in my attempt to study in France.
Kindly consider contributing as much as you can.
Thankyou.
