The impact of scholarships

The Convocation Trust continues to provide funding towards student scholarships, thanks to donations made from alumni and members of the former Convocation.

Noah and Devika, two recent recipients of the School of Advanced Study (SAS) Masters Scholarship, funded by the Convocation Trust, share what this support means to them. 

Noah Cashian is a student at the Warburg Institute, part of the School of Advanced Study. He is currently studying for an MA in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History.

Noah, how did it feel to be awarded the SAS Masters Scholarship from the Convocation Trust? 

I was very glad to hear that I had been awarded the Convocation Scholarship. Without it I would have been unable to pursue further study, and my time at the Warburg has been particularly useful in preparing me for doctoral study.

You are currently studying an MA in Cultural, Intellectual and Visual History. What aspect of the programme have you enjoyed most so far?  

The most enjoyable part of the programme has been my classes on Renaissance Latin. I had only limited experience with this period of Latin literature before, and our lecturer Dr Lucy Nicholas ensured that our class received excellent guidance on (and exposure to) a wide range of texts and authors.

I thought that it was especially rewarding to be working on passages that had never been formally published or translated before, and I hope that I can return to early modern Latin (or perhaps Greek) again sometime in the future. 

What impact has the Scholarship had on your time as a student? 

The Scholarship from the Convocation Trust has been essential for my study at the Warburg Institute this year. I have been in full-time higher education since I left school and therefore had no other way to afford this MA, which has been an important stepping-stone in the next stage of my academic career. The coverage of tuition fees allowed me to focus on my studies and successfully pursue funded PhD opportunities in the USA. 

The remaining bursary allowance has also been useful for financing my extracurricular study of French and ancient Greek. I am wholly grateful to the Convocation Trust for this opportunity and hope that they might continue to offer other students such aid in the future. 

Devika Gulati recently graduated from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, part of the University's School of Advanced Study, with an LLM in Drafting Legislation, Regulation, and Policy.  

Devika, can you tell us how it felt to be awarded the SAS Masters Scholarship from the Convocation Trust?   

I was elated to be the sole student from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies to receive this Scholarship. It made me believe that my goal to study this course from University of London, which appeared to be far-fetched in the beginning, was very much achievable with this financial support. 

Reflecting back on your time as a student, what impact did the Scholarship have?  

 It boosted my self-confidence, as my fellow classmates were also scholarship holders of the prestigious commonwealth scholarship. It made me believe that I earned a spot in the class solely on the basis of merit.  

The SAS Masters Scholarship gave me the chance to pursue an LLM in Drafting Legislation, Regulation, and Policy without feeling the weight of a student loan on my shoulders. The grant gave me the confidence and the freedom to follow my academic pursuit, for which I will forever be grateful. 

How did your degree prepare you for the next stage of your career?   

The course equipped me with advanced drafting skills and that has opened up many national and international opportunities for me. It has also instilled in me the desire to contribute towards this growing academic discipline. 

Now that you are a graduate, what are your plans for the future? 

 I intend to pursue the discipline both professionally and academically. My plans include working with the Indian Government and getting a PhD in the field.  

Learn more about the impact of scholarship support on students.