Student blogs

It’s that time of the year again! I know you are thinking Christmas, and no one will blame you. But what I am speaking of is the Karolinska Institutet’s global master’s programmes application period. Applications opened in October and will close in January, and I thought this was a perfect time to share some tips with you!

Although this blog is targeted at prospective students of the Master’s Programme in Bioentrepreneruship (MBE), other candidates can learn a thing or two that might help with their application.

Please note that all the opinions expressed in this blog are mine and are based on my personal experiences.

So, let’s dive in…….

First, ask yourself if this is the program for you…

Personally, I believe that this is the most important step in the application process.

Understanding what the master’s programme all is about will not only help you recognize the best strategies for your applications but also guide you on how to make the best of the programme offerings if you do get in.

Some important factors to consider are the length of the programme, the entry requirements, the practical aspects of the programme, and the kind of career that the MBE prepares you for. Fortunately, there is a ton of information about this already on the Master’s Programme in Bioentrepreneurship page on the university website. This is the number one stop for the most accurate and up-to-date information about the programme.

What’s more, you can even contact the Admissions office to clarify your concerns. If you also want more information regarding the programme and its outline, you can email the programme director, Madelen Lek

If you want to supplement all this information with some student perspectives, you can also read the blogposts from former students

Second, let your star shine bright…

To have doubts and insecurities is to be human. And sometimes these factors come into play during the application process as well. You may not feel as confident in your research experiences for example or do not think you have enough work experience. And my answer to that is the following – my current class cohort has both experienced students with many working years under their belt and those who just completed their bachelor’s degrees.

Beyond the MBE, I have met scores of students from a variety of backgrounds, different levels of professional experiences, all from a multitude of countries. And an insight I have gained from this is that Karolinska Institutet is building a melting pot for people from all walks of the academic and professional dimensions. I believe strongly that diversity is a value that KI espouses.

That being said, the best advice I probably got from reading blogs from previous years was ‘to tell your own unique story.’ And I would like to dispel this little piece of wisdom again. Be original in your application, tell your own story, and this is what will set you apart.

Third, understand the instructions…

Every meal has its own recipe. And this is the case with applications to the global master’s programmes at KI.

Different programmes have their own special requirements, and this cannot be overemphasized!

You need to be aware of the specific academic, research, and/or professional requirements and the ways to certify them. If you are in any doubt, please feel free to contact the Admissions Office.

Other aspects to be aware of are the documentation requirements, including the way to submit them. There is a different deadline for documents submission, and you should also take note of this. Do you need to prove your English language skills or validate your work experience? Once again these instructions are available on the MBE page and KI website.

The fourth tip is to gather required documents as soon as you possibly can

As already stated above, you will need to provide some documents, and what you need to submit will depend on your unique circumstances. Nevertheless, these documents are in many cases issued by external organizations, be it your former university or workplace.

This means that you may have no control over their processes and timelines. As these documents are an essential part of your application, my advice is for you to reach out to the relevant organizations very early on and follow up as closely as possible. This will help to allay your anxiety and relieve the pressure of the application process.

For me, I started requesting the documents I needed the moment I decided to apply for the programme and had sent in all my required documents way before the deadline. This meant I did not have to worry about documentation deadlines, and could concentrate on other parts of the application.

The last tip but certainly not least – Apply!!!

This may seem like an obvious one but if you do not even apply you would not be considered. So do the finest job you can do, send in your application, and hope for the best.

The application process may feel daunting, but with proper planning, you can do it while feeling almost no pressure. If you first understand all that is required of you and make a schedule based on the deadlines, while asking clarifying questions, the process will hopefully become much easier to handle.

I wish you the best, and hopefully, will see you on campus in the next academic year.

And of course, feel free to drop me an email at umar.adegoke@stud.ki.se if you have any questions and I will try my best to help you with an answer