Introduction 

My name is Dariga. I graduated from Nazarbayev Intellectual School of Chemistry and Biology in Shymkent, one of the selective schools in Kazakhstan. Recently, I got accepted into the prestigious University of British Columbia's International Scholars program (full-ride).

My Background

I have always wondered where I want to study after school and what kind of career I want to pursue. I always had an interest in STEM courses, even though I excelled in the arts and creative fields. I became interested in studying abroad after enrolling in the Nazarbayev Intellectual School in the seventh grade. I had heard so many stories of my school's graduates getting scholarships to various institutions across the world for their studies. I keep thinking that I should attempt to apply to universities abroad to take advantage of different educational prospects not found in my country. I realized that this decision would not only provide me with an excellent education, opportunities for networking, and job advancement, but it would also be a life-changing experience that would push me beyond my comfort zone and help me "shatter the glass ceiling."

I immediately focused my attention on exploring full-funding study abroad opportunities. To achieve this, I strive to excel academically and engage in extracurricular activities while improving my English. The only countries I considered for studying were Canada and the USA, since the quality, opportunities, and diverse approach to education in these countries most coincided with my interests. I didn't apply to institutions in Europe because I couldn't find a program that would have been a good fit for me and a chance to receive full funding, which would have covered my living expenses as well as my flights. My only fallback was Nazarbayev University (Top #1 in KZ) in my country (Definitely need to consider a few fallbacks!)

While participating in the international iGEM competition in Paris, I made acquaintances with students from top American and Canadian universities, reinforcing my dream of studying at such universities. From that point onward, around the time I was in the tenth grade, I deliberately and seriously started researching the application process for these countries. I used a variety of resources to accomplish this, including YouTube and Instagram interviews, blogs, and posts from college advisors, successfully admitted students, and members of the admissions committee. I also found Education USA Kazakhstan’s webinars and resources, university websites, and Reddit threads super helpful.

Why UBC?

Ultimately, I decided to attend the University of British Columbia (UBC). Several factors influenced my decision. 

First and foremost, I was awarded an International Scholarship, which covers absolutely everything. For me, this was one of the mind-blowing and rarest offerings.

It was also extremely important for me and my parents that UBC is situated in Vancouver, a large city in western Canada, where security is high. Furthermore, British Columbia (BC) has breathtaking natural scenery, like mountains, forests, and the coastline, all of which enhance the state's excellent standard of living. 

Thirdly, UBC offers some of the best cooperative education programs that an educational institution can give its students in British Columbia. UBC connects thousands of students with top local and international organizations, giving them valuable work experience. My university also has many interesting programs like Go Global, which allow students to study at partner schools while exploring new countries and cultures. In addition, I plan to major in Cellular, Anatomical, and Physiological Sciences (CAPS) after my first year, which will prepare me well for further medical education and a career in medicine.

It was also important to me that the university was competitive and prestigious with a strong faculty. UBC is consistently ranked highly in various rankings (34th in QS Rankings 2024) and has won many awards for its academic excellence, research, and commitment to innovations. Eight Nobel Laureates are associated with UBC. 

In general, I think the people at UBC are welcoming and supportive. I already had the chance to speak with current students, advisors, and members of the International Scholars Community, and each of them is very willing to help answer questions that concern me and help with a smooth transition into the academic and social life of the university.

International Scholars Program & Financial Aid 

For international students who want to enroll at UBC, there is a unique opportunity in the form of the International Scholars Program. Under this program, selected students are awarded a certain award. I received the Karen McKellin International Leader of Tomorrow Award for academic achievement and leadership skills. This award covers my tuition, medical/dental insurance, on-campus housing, meal plan, text books, road-trip airfare, and personal expenses. They even provide funds for initial expenses in the first year, such as technology, bedding, winter clothing and other one-time expenses. In order to apply for this program, you need to fill out a separate application from the university application itself, and it is also important that you are first nominated for this award by representatives of your school, for example, a school counselor or director.

I recently discovered that only 29 new International Scholars from 18 countries were selected for the International Scholars Program this year,  and I am immensely glad to be among them.

Application Process

To apply for the International Scholars Program, you need recommendations from your school counselor and one teacher (I chose my biology teacher because I was applying for a specialization related to biological/medical sciences, and my teacher and I had many common stories that could be advantageously described in the LOR), fill out an application form with the personal information, describe the awards received and extracurricular activities, and also write answer specific questions in the form of short essays. In addition, it was necessary to fill out financial information. The deadline for applying to the International Scholars Program was in November. 

To apply to the university, you need to send a school transcript, IELTS results, and brief essays, similar to those required for the International Scholars Program. The deadline to apply to UBC was December 1st.

My stats 

My GPA was 5 out of 5, which gave me a competitive advantage and demonstrated my high academic level. 

I took the IELTS in October of my 12th grade, and I scored 7.5, which was enough to apply to competitive schools. I also took the Duolingo test in late December, and I got 135 (however, I didn’t use it for UBC)

Regarding the SAT, I ended up with a total score of 1510 (Verbal - 730 & Math - 780). I sent my results to almost all universities, but I did not use them for UBC, since it was not required.

Essays and Extracurricular Activities

I expressed my love of synthetic biology, ophthalmology, and medical research in my essays, along with how I planned to apply these passions to fulfill my life's purpose. Not to mention that every one of these elements was a logical extension of the others and that they were all harmoniously interconnected. Moreover, I reflected on how my parents' life lessons and family values inspire and guide me in solving social issues in science and healthcare. It's also important to note that my extracurricular activities showcased my capacity for teamwork and collaboration in addition to my leadership and intellectual curiosity.

• In terms of my extracurricular activities, my synthetic biology project was exceptionally important. I was a team leader of the first-ever high school team from Central Asia to participate in iGEM, the world’s largest synthetic biology competition. In the laboratory of Nazarbayev University my team and I started to create a genetically modified bacterium that quickly decomposes PET plastic with the help of special inserted genes to eliminate plastic pollution, an especially serious problem in my city. I also placed a special emphasis on making synthetic biology accessible to diverse members of Central Asian society. For these initiatives, my team and I won the iGEM Bronze Medal in 2022 and Gold Medal out of 400 teams from 66 countries in the 2023 iGEM competition, which was held in Paris, France. In addition, we were given the Inclusivity Award for our deliberate attempts to remove barriers that prevent under-represented groups from engaging in scientific research to build a more diverse and inclusive scientific community. The project was well-publicized, supported, and was featured in articles from major publishing houses as well as interviews for Kazakhstani media networks.

• In 11th grade, I founded my own project "Visio", a mobile application that aims to combat tired eye syndrome and other eye diseases. I collaborated with professional ophthalmologists on content development for my application and learned new things in this field. For the presentation of my mobile application "Visio," my team and I won a bronze medal out of 507 participants from 32 countries in the annual International Science And Invention Fair, which was held in Indonesia.

• I connected with researchers from the Kazakh National Medical University and offered them my help in conducting research on the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 in Kazakhstan, becoming co-author soon. Over several months of work, our research was published in Cambridge University Press and the National Institute of Health. 

• I was the leader of the “Eriktilers” volunteering school club. Specifically, I organized biology olympiads for low-achieving students to boost their performance; conducted an entertainment program for the orphanage; developed a script for a social video on the importance of vision to encourage students to protect their eyesight; and conducted school seminars on the topic of student success, where I shared my experience in developing scientific projects, dance performances, and debates to motivate students.

• I developed a mobile application that helps to learn vocabulary through spelling using the no-code platform called "MIT App Inventor.” It included a database of audio versions of over 150 useful new words, idioms, and grammatical constructions. I also received a certificate of copyright for this mobile application.

• I included the dancing and what it means to me in my application. I devoted more than ten years to advancing my hip-hop and ballroom dance skills, and I was a lead dancer in both my school's dance teams and my dance studio.

Advice for applicants 

• You should focus on identifying the reasons behind your decisions and outlining your expectations of the university before submitting your application. You should also learn about who you are and what qualities you possess. The ability to carefully analyze and reflect on different life experiences is crucial for creating a comprehensive application.

• It is important to be able to cope with stress by finding different ways to help you concentrate and push away anxious thoughts. A great deal of my exam mistakes were the result of more stress and anxiety than a lack of knowledge. The ability to control emotions is crucial for tests like the SAT and IELTS when pressure from time limits will make you feel stressed.

• There's a reason why it's often said that you should start early. Initiating early on provides you the advantage of extra time to determine what's truly right for you and prepare a stellar application that maximizes your potential.

• Never stop believing in yourself and your potential, regardless of the place you came from or your financial capabilities.  

• I honestly would not have believed it a few years ago if you had told me that I had developed these projects and received such scholarships. I clearly remember my hesitation when I finally clicked "submit" on my application for the International Scholars Program in November that I definitely had no chance of being one of the 20-30 people who would be selected. However, as it turns out, you are able to achieve your long-held dream with the help of hard effort, firm perseverance, and the desire to improve your life.

• Finally, the main thing is to understand that eventually, we will still end up in the best place for us. Rejection is redirection, as everyone says. I wish good luck to all future applicants, and if you have any questions, I am always happy to help. My inst: @dariga_tanabayeva