“My love and enthusiasm for molecular biology has motivated me not to give up. My dedication and determination to achieve my goals. My adaptability to academic requirements, forcing myself to respond successfully. My zeal and desire for improvement and personal growth”, says “K” for success Isabella Prifty, Graduate of the Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Western Attica. “If I didn’t have a scholarship, my daily life in the US would be much more difficult financially due to the relatively high cost of living, especially recently, when prices have risen even for basic consumer goods,” adds Giannis Asmanis, who is an honors graduate of NTUA’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Isabella and Giannis received a scholarship from the Bodosaki Foundation. Isabella for a master’s degree from Lund University in Sweden and Giannis for a Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in the USA.

Bodosaki Foundation Scholarship Program this year it turns 51 and so far has awarded more than 2,600 honors scholarships for postgraduate, doctoral and doctoral studies in Greece and abroad. It receives about 500 applications annually, while the total number of annual scholarships is about 70. Applications are currently open for postgraduate and doctoral studies with a deadline of February 15, as well as for the Stamatis G. Mancavinu Memorial Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, for which the application period ends on 15 March. In addition, for acad. 2023-2024 added a new scholarship program for scientific research at universities or research centers abroad for scientists living in Greece with an application deadline of 12 April.

Assessment process

“K” accepts scientists whose wish has come true – until February 15, applications for master’s and doctoral studies are open.

Excellent results are a key criterion for selecting candidates, but not the only one. The evaluation process for the Bodosaki Foundation takes place in two stages. At the first stage, the academic qualifications, the compliance of the scientific field of the proposed research with the areas of the corresponding announcement, letters of recommendation, as well as the financial situation of candidates and their families, are checked. At the same time, the responses to the application questions are examined, as well as the data provided in relation to the research work of the candidates, their distinctions, their publications and their participation in conferences. At the second stage of the exam, a personal interview takes place, during which candidates are assessed on a personal level, in terms of intellectual abilities and personal qualities. Characteristics such as resilience, creativity, diligence and purposefulness are evaluated.

How can you help candidates stand out? “We would advise them to be themselves first. The interview is a very important process for an institution that emphasizes the human dimension when evaluating a candidate. In addition to the degrees, honors, and the cost of the proposed training indicated in the application, it is very important to get a clear picture of the personality of the young person. This is not a sterile oral test of university knowledge, but a pleasant conversation in which we are given the opportunity to get to know each other. In this face-to-face conversation, it helps a lot when candidates feel comfortable, honest and talkative, ”says Jennifer Clark, director of programs and endowments of the Foundation. “During the interview, the candidate can talk about his future plans and aspirations. He can also ask what he wants to know and get advice on planned research.

To better prepare, I would encourage each candidate to write down milestones along the way, next steps and aspirations, and any questions they may have. This will help him organize his thoughts and can be helpful during interviews,” adds Mr. Sophocles Danassis-Afentakis, who has taken over the management of the education programs of the Bodosakis Foundation.

“Don’t be afraid,” that’s what Mr. Michalis Zervas, who received a Bodossaki Foundation Fellowship in 1988 and is currently Professor of Photonics at the University of Southampton, England. In particular, he emphasizes: “Set high goals and go towards them with inexhaustible enthusiasm and unyielding will. Don’t be afraid of the new and the unknown, and remember that when you’re young and starting out, you have the opportunity to fail.”