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Sample Study/Research Objectives for Fulbright Scholarship

With an admissions rate of less than 20%, even applicants with the most outstanding profiles and GRE test scores get rejected from the Fulbright program. What sets successful Fulbright applicants stand out are their unique experiences, achievements and their ability to bring a positive change towards the society in which they live. Hence this makes the Study/Research Objectives the most crucial element of your Fulbright application.

In this post, I am going to share with you the study/research objectives of a successful Fulbright applicant — her goals, career aspirations, achievements, dreams, and challenges. But before I do that, do know that a study/research objective is all about answering two primary questions: “What you want to study” and “Why you want to study it?”.

Through these questions, you have to demonstrate that you are mature enough to make logical future goals and not mere impulsive ones. In your answers, Fulbright expects you to be specific by telling about your majors and field of interest and also by telling the exact program you want to pursue. Moreover, you have to explain how this degree is a natural fit and is aligned with your previous experiences and how will it help you achieve your future goals.

Writing a study objective is not JUST answering these questions one by one. It is about telling a good story that answers all of the above in a lucid and captivating manner. It’s not about dramatizing things – as if copying plots from Harry Potter. It’s about making sure to tie together answers to the above questions.

By the way, the exact question on study/research objectives is as follows:

Write a clear and detailed description of your study/research objectives, and give your reasons for wanting to pursue them. Be specific about your major field and your specialized interests within this field. Describe the kind of program you expect to undertake, and explain how your study plan fits in with your previous training and your future objectives. This statement is an essential part of your application and is required. Do not mention specific U.S. universities at which you would like to study. (Please limit your response to 700-750 words.)

And the following study objective has answered this exact same question. Read on and get inspiration from this applicant.

Sample Study Research Objectives (SRO) for Fulbright Scholarship

My country, a nation created as the first home for the British-India Muslims almost six decades ago today, represents one of the world’s most troubling states on the brink of an economic catastrophe. Record levels of unemployment, unprecedented inflation rates, ever-increasing fiscal deficit, and looming energy crises; are just a few of the vices which have crippled my country at a macro level. Having nearly averted a balance of payments crisis back in 2008, with help from the International Monetary Fund, my country is again headed on a path of self-annihilation. Despite being rich in natural resources and self-sufficient in food production, our economic infrastructure is falling apart daily. So one is forced to ponder, but why? What makes us fail where others have succeeded? What makes us weak while others grow strong, but how do we make things right?

A childhood inquisition into finding an answer to these questions introduced me to economics. My first degree in the chosen subject gave me a well-rounded coverage of the discipline. It helped me develop an open-minded and scientific approach to problem-solving, including mathematical and statistical abilities. It imparted the necessary training to analyze and develop solutions for various micro and macroeconomic problems. With time, what started as a mere curiosity, slowly took the form of a passion: a desire to understand and decode and to learn how all the dots connect to form a complete picture.

After graduation, my induction into the Corporate Finance & Planning division at UCH Power, country’s second-largest independent power producer with a gross capacity of 586MW, allowed me to transition into the practical world. However, this in no way diminished my resolve to understand and evolve solutions for my country’s problems. My move to UCH culminated in my desire to under the grass root reality of the key issues plaguing the economy’s most wrecked sector: The Energy Sector. Electricity shortages have crippled the economy and have often led to violent protests in recent years. As a result, thousands of industrial units have been forced to shut down operations, affecting industrial output and the livelihoods of thousands of families. Furthermore, the country’s primary reliance on imported oil for power generation makes it vulnerable to volatility in international prices. To make matters worse, the electricity supply gap is projected to increase in the coming years, thereby imposing the need for significant investments in the power sector on a priority basis.

As an integral part of UCH’s Corporate Finance and Planning team, I have been primarily responsible for invoicing, research, reporting, and treasury functions. This affiliation has allowed me to interact with notable industry leaders, key government representatives, and distinguished members of the finance community. Furthermore, as part of a larger team, I have undertaken several projects to spread knowledge about the ills of energy sector and have learned and grown immensely. For instance, while working on numerous presentations and formulating economic reviews for our CEO, I have had the opportunity to educate myself on the lapses in our economic and energy planning system, which has marred our country brutally. Furthermore, participation in the recently held Annual Energy Conference, the biggest energy convention of the year, provided me with a formal platform to meet local and international stakeholders and policymakers to discuss and analyze key energy issues and their possible solutions. This has gone a long way in boosting my self-confidence while simultaneously providing me with the unique opportunity to hear the viewpoints of notable personalities within the energy sector. Therefore, despite being part of the corporate world, I have continued on my quest to seek answers to the questions that have plagued my inquisitive mind since my freshman days at college.

Having spent the last two years as part of the worst-hit sector, I have come to the grim conclusion that our problem is not one of resource shortage but one of grave resource mismanagement. Policymakers in my country have failed to foresee and plan for the growing energy demand. Despite being blessed with numerous geographical locations ideally suited for the construction of hydroelectric dams, our country’s reliance on imported oil for power generation grows by the year. Renewable energy remains a relatively unexplored concept. To make matters worse, even in the face of certain disasters, our policymakers have failed to devise a viable plan to put our country back on the path to recovery. Having said so, my choices are now clear: to be a silent observer and see my country torn apart or become part of the system and change it from within. I choose the latter.

However, despite such a productive work experience, I recognize the need for an advanced degree in the discipline if I seek to be truly effective in achieving my future goals. A master’s degree which can equip me with the skills required to effectively design and implement an economic policy with a strong emphasis on the economic problems of developing and transition economies will go far in helping me achieve my career goals upon my return to my homeland. Furthermore, I firmly believe that by pursuing a master’s degree in economic/public policy from a reputable graduate school, I will have the opportunity to truly understand and appreciate the competing interests and views surrounding a variety of complex issues about the sector’s policy framework, investment regime, institutions, and energy security.

Upon my return, I would like to seek employment with USAID, ADB, World Bank, or any of the other international development aid organizations as part of their project planning and mobilization team. Having previously been part of the team responsible for the planning and development of UCH II, a 404MW capacity expansion project for UCH Power, I will be uniquely placed to take advantage of the previously gained insight into the energy sector to ensure proper planning and utilization of development grants and loans. This will also allow me to put my newly acquired knowledge to practical use by working with national and international policymakers to correct the inherent flaws in our national planning process.

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