General Council Scholars

Mohamad Alnasser is studying Psychology: 

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I was born in Homs, Syria and moved to Scotland with my family 15 years ago and have been here since. I live with my mum, brother and sister and during term time I stay in student accommodation in Edinburgh - Salisbury Court to be precise - in which I've met the friends I think I'll be with for life. Moving out and being able to meet the friends I did was made possible by the scholarship.

I'm studying psychology. Having gone into it never having studied psychology before, I was nervous but I'm so happy with my decision. I have found it absolutely amazing and super interesting. This semester I'm doing electives in Italian, law and statistics, all of which have been interesting as well. It's been difficult to balance four courses and a job I have working weekends too but I wouldn't miss it: I'm really enjoying the experience so far.

Mahdee Abir is studying mechanical engineering:

I am from Bangladesh but moved to Scotland when I was five, and so have been living here for 13 years. I am living at home with my parents, which reduces a lot of stress regarding things like food and laundry. Semester 1 was challenging as the environment was completely different to that of high school, but I enjoyed the blended way of teaching (online and on-campus), as this meant I didn't necessarily have to go to class to still get the required amount of work completed.

I am enjoying my course as it is already teaching us skills that will benefit us in the real world such as technical report writing. The electives regarding astronomy and astrophysics respectively can also be very interesting. The course overall can be stressful at times trying to reach multiple deadlines simultaneously, but this forces me to manage my time better, which can aid in any aspect of life.

Abigail Haining is studying Ecological and Environmental Sciences

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I really appreciate having the opportunity to go to university and this scholarship has allowed me to stay in the beautiful city of Edinburgh and make the most of my time studying here. I am a Scottish student from a small village on the other side of the bridges in Fife so moving to a city was very exciting. 

I chose to study Ecological and Environmental Sciences as I am fascinated by the natural world and when I read about this course offered at the University of Edinburgh, I knew it was the one for me. In the first semester I met all the wonderful students on my course and have gone on several field trips, such as to the Royal Botanic Garden and to an airfield, which were great experiences. Through trying various societies and going to many events held by the university I have formed friendships with some incredible students.

I have seen a growth in self-confidence through living independently and doing part-time work at a restaurant which has involved working with lovely people. I already feel like I have gained many skills and much knowledge so far related to my degree itself but also life skills, such as time-management and balancing all my commitments.

I look forward to what is to come over the next four years!

We are proud to invest, with the University, in the current and future success of Mohamad, Mahdee, Abigail and the newest recipients of the Award: Elliot Brack (Psychology) and Sophia Blincow (Biomedical Sciences) and we wish them well. In times of increasing financial hardship, we would love to be able to do more. To support more students, we need to grow the Fund. Information about how to donate.