Student Perspective: Fight for Your Dreams By Heng Limheang Studying abroad is a dream for most students. Yet sadly, for so many it is still just a dream. If you are really passionate about something, I believe you should put all your efforts in realizing that dream. I consider a dream as an objective. By using three key words, you can follow the path that leads to your dreams: Objective, Activity, and Benefit.  Whatever your objective is, you have to have a clear image of what that objective is. You have to make sure that your objective enables you to gain the benefits that you are looking for. It is a great stimulant to imagine the benefits of achieving your goal. And not only will it just benefit you, but it will

benefit your family, society, country and even the entire world. After you are firmly aware of the objective and the benefit you want to accomplish, you will have to set out the path of activities that will enable you to reach your dream.

Whatever your objective is, you have to have a clear image of what that objective is. You have to make sure that your objective enables you to gain the benefits that you are looking for. It is a great stimulant to imagine the benefits of achieving your goal. And not only will it just benefit you, but it will benefit your family, society, country and even the entire world. After you are firmly aware of the objective and the benefit you want to accomplish, you will have to set out the path of activities that will enable you to reach your dream.

Personally, I dream of enrolling in the Fulbright Scholarship Program. It is a program that has been established in the US since 1946. Besides providing students with the university fee, the program also covers student housing and living expenses and a return trip to the US. If you are able to enroll in this program you have the chance to study and do research in developed country, and your career prospects will be bright once you returned to Cambodia.

However, to be eligible, you must have a strong academic background and a record of excellence in previous studies. If you have a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree from a recognized university, you are able to apply for respectively a Master or PhD degree program in the US. Besides having excelled in your previous studies you have to have a good command of English. Your TOEFL score has to be a minimum of 570 or you have to score a 7.0 on IELTS. Furthermore you have to be in good health and have demonstrated abilities to adapt easily to a foreign environment. You are not eligible for the Fulbright Scholarship Program if you have previously studied in the US.

The requirements to get this scholarship are not easily filled. Facts show that it is not easy to obtain a scholarship that will allow you to study abroad. Students have to put in a lot of hard work and effort. In a globalizing world, command of the English language is a key skill to obtain any scholarship. 

I believe that students should put a lot of energy in building up their English skills. One way to improve your English is by studying at a bilingual education institution or university, such as The University of Cambodia. But foremost everybody should struggle to bypass the obstacles they encounter while trying to achieve their dreams. 

If you fail at something the first time, do not feel depressed or give up hope. Keep on going and never stop working hard. The future will be bright and you should be ready to catch every opportunity that comes your way. Be ready to go! Believe that it could be done!