Life as an exchange student
(Yasir Safdar, Faisalabad)
Global Ugrad
The purpose of exchange program is only to encourage young and energetic people to show their leadership skills, culture and traditions to the people of other countries. This article is going to cover the basic details about my exchange program on which I went to USA which include its educational, personal employment benefits. In this article, I will share my experience with the youth of Pakistan about an exchange program on which, I went to USA and studied there for one semester at Otero Junior College. It is an undergraduate exchange program called as Global Ugrad Pakistan. This is a fully funded program funded by US Department of States and it covers the all the expenses during your stay at United states. The basic goals of this program are to improve student’s knowledge about professional skills which will be helpful to them during their Career and also to involve youth to engage for the better development of their communities and societies.
The main purpose of this program is to share culture of Pakistan with the people of United States of America and also learn about their culture too to promote message of peace and creating harmony among two different nations. In the beginning when I heard about this program, it was like how an ordinary really can go to USA at the level of its undergraduate degree. But, I met with people who went on exchange programs and they tell me about their stories and exchange experience during their stay in USA and I listened to them and get inspired that if they can go, I can also go. I applied for the program and got selected. It provided me a great chance to learn and adopt new cultures. I was an introvert and shy person before going to USA on this exchange program, somehow, I managed to get selected in this program and went on this exchange program and it changes my life. I developed leadership skills, becomes an extrovert person. During your stay in USA as an exchange student a host family be allocated to each exchange student with whom you can share your culture traditions and go out on weekend and have fun. Besides this, I also get a chance to get interact with many international students from other countries too which gives me so much international exposure and also helps me to improve my communication and also give me a chance to learn about cultures and traditions of other countries.
The
application
procedure of this
exchange program
starts from Oct-Nov
every year and more
than 200 students
from different
universities of
Pakistan got
selected to visit
different institutes
of USA as an
exchange student
among different
states. The students
in the 3rd and 4th
year of their
bachelor degree can
apply for this
program. All the
application
procedure will be
online with
submission of
required documents
like transcripts,
previous education
degrees,
certificates etc.
the main part of the
online application
is statement of
purpose called as
SOP is very
important. Before
applying you have to
focus on your
personal statement
and have to improve
it with writing it
from the beginning.
Personal statement
is actually being to
describe your
personality, present
and future goals and
describe why you
want to go as an
exchange student.
This exchange
program is fully
funded and it covers
board, flight
tickets, college or
university fee,
books, stationary
and enough stipend
for a month. I will
encourage the youth
of Pakistan to go
for this opportunity
and grab it to bring
a twist and change
in your life.