Jimmy's Corner

Well this is the first time I bring up a topic that actually affects me personally. Egypt needs scholarships. In every 'respectable' country in the world there are businessmen, companies, institutions, individuals and governments who give scholarship grants to their countrymen. In Egypt it is totally different.

Being an Egyptian young man that is actually dreaming of the day he has the chance to study abroad in a 'any' university where he can have his masters degree, I have come to face the truth that you have to be a millionaire or superman to win a scholarship in Egypt. My wish was to study applied linguistics in either the States or UK, a simple dream that actually puts me a step ahead to the future I want to live. I found out that I have to have at least 250.000 Egyptian pounds in order to achieve my dream. And keep in mind, a 250.000 Egyptian pounds to an Egyptian is like a 250.000 US dollars to an American or a 250.000 Sterling pounds to a UK national. So I am talking a lot of money here, money that a young man like me cannot afford because unfortunately my father is not Bill Gates of Arabia and my mother is not Queen Elizabeth and I am not living in Utopia. Therefore, I started searching for a scholarship as I know my academic record is quite honorable. And here I smash into the truth.

The Egyptian government does not offer scholarships but to very very very few people and they have to be working with the Egyptian governmental universities. Therefore, I am out. Egyptian businessmen do not offer scholarships, except for Onsi Sawiris who offers a scholarship to a handful of engineers. And I am not an engineer. Therefore, I search for the foreign scholarships:

• British Council, you have to have experience (not less than 2 years), outstanding academic record and be lucky.
• Fulbright Commission, you have to have experience, outstanding academic record and be ready to stay at least a year till your role comes in if you have the power to pass and be chosen.

I have spent the whole past year looking, applying and trying to get anything. I miserably failed. And there are thousands like me who are ready to what it takes to have the chance of going on a scholarship abroad to achieve their dreams.

The question is: why do not the Egyptian businessmen offer scholarships like the way things are all over the world? Why does not the Egyptian government give a helping hand to those who really want to serve their country by have the chance of receiving an education that helps them grow rather than be buried? It goes without an answer.

Labels: businessmen, egypt, egyptian, government, personal, scholarships