Applying from Pakistan felt like shooting in the dark. Everyone around me said, “Germany is too competitive, you need connections, your English isn’t perfect.” But I had a dream and a laptop — and that’s where Scholarships Corner came in.

I’m not going to lie — the first time I read the DAAD requirements, I felt overwhelmed. Transcripts, motivation letters, recommendation letters, language certificates… it felt impossible. I almost gave up twice. Once after my first rejection, and once when my IELTS score wasn’t what I hoped for.

But something kept me going. Maybe it was stubbornness, maybe it was desperation to prove everyone wrong. I redid my application, reached out to professors (something that scared me so much), and applied again.

The day I got accepted to TU Munich with full funding, I couldn’t believe it. I read the email ten times. Called my father at work. He cried — I’d never heard him cry before.

Now I’m here, in my second semester, studying Mechanical Engineering, working on projects I only dreamed about. The kid from a small city who barely spoke German is now presenting research in German conferences.

My advice? It’s okay to be scared. It’s okay to fail once. What’s not okay is not trying because you think you’re not enough. You ARE enough. Start messy, learn as you go, and don’t let anyone — including yourself — tell you it’s impossible.