A Year Abroad with a Tailwind
A year abroad in the U.S. is a special experience—and one that requires careful preparation. For an RWU student majoring in Business Administration and Management, this dream is becoming a reality thanks to the Fulbright Travel Grant and the Baden-Württemberg Scholarship. In this interview, he explains how he successfully applied and what these scholarships enable him to do beyond providing financial support.
What program and semester are you currently in?
Elias Baier: I’m studying Business Administration and Management (Bachelor’s) in my 4th semester.
Which scholarships did you receive?
The Fulbright Travel Grant and the Baden-Württemberg Scholarship for my year abroad at California State University, Chico.
How did you find out about the scholarship?
Through my own research and through the RWU International Office.
How time-consuming was the application process?
Moderate—spread out over several weeks, with a few days of more intensive preparation.
What advice would you give to other students who want to apply?
Especially for scholarships for a semester abroad outside of Europe, you should start looking into it early, since the scholarship application deadlines often come before the application deadlines for a spot at a partner university. Also, volunteer work and letters of recommendation are highly recommended.
Which opportunities offered by your scholarship provider have you taken advantage of the most so far?
I attended Fulbright’s mandatory Orientation Days, which allowed me to build a strong network of ambitious students with whom I’m still in close contact and some of whom I’ll be reuniting with in the U.S. Fulbright also helped me prepare for my academic year abroad, for example with visa requirements. I haven’t taken advantage of any offerings from the BW Foundation so far.
Were there any challenges where the scholarship provided support?
It wasn’t so much the scholarship itself, but rather the interaction with the other scholarship recipients that was very helpful in preparing for my year abroad.
How exactly has the scholarship changed your everyday life?
It provides financial stability and more freedom during my time abroad.
The best thing about my scholarship is...
Definitely the network you build through it.