Recently, Fatima Allahverdiyeva, an 11th-grade student at Ganja City Physics, Mathematics, and Informatics Lyceum, was admitted to the astrophysics program at the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom.
AzEdu.az spoke with Fatima on this occasion.
She stated that when she told people she wanted to study astrophysics, they sometimes reacted with surprise and recommended different majors.
The applicant noted that she has not yet been admitted to the university with a scholarship, but plans to apply for a state program soon:
“I took international exams for university admission. I scored 1350 on the SAT and 7.5 on the IELTS. These scores play an important role in the application process for foreign universities. In addition, I participated in various volunteer programs, attended summer schools, and took additional courses.
I primarily applied to universities in the UK and China. I am still waiting for responses from some universities. Among the higher education institutions I applied to were the University of Edinburgh and the University of Nottingham in China. I have already received an offer from the University of Edinburgh. I will make my final decision after all results are known.
I participated in a program in China for approximately one month. This program consisted of 2-3 exchange projects, and the main goal was to get acquainted with different cultures, as well as to represent our country. Various lessons in STEM fields were also conducted within the framework of the program.
Overall, the desire to study abroad has been with me for a long time. It is important for me to receive quality education and to get to know different cultures. After visiting China last year, I made this decision definitively.”
According to her, topics related to physics and the universe have always attracted her attention:
“I am particularly interested in the structure of the universe and the causes of various phenomena. For this reason, I chose astrophysics. I have also applied to some universities for aerospace engineering.
My future plans include continuing my master's education in America. After that, I want to return to Azerbaijan. Because I think that this field is not yet sufficiently developed in our country. One of my goals is to promote the field of astrophysics more widely in Azerbaijan.
I myself have encountered that when I say I chose this major, people are surprised and recommend other fields. However, there are many young people interested in this field.”
Although studying abroad has its difficulties, it is an important step for development:
“Of course, it will be difficult to stay away from family. When talking to students studying abroad, I have seen that they also face various difficulties. But to achieve better results, these difficulties must be accepted. Because a person cannot develop much in a comfortable environment. It is important to step out of the comfort zone for development.
I constantly strive to develop myself. I often communicate with both my local friends and people I met abroad to better understand different perspectives. I believe I will be able to overcome the difficulties I encounter.
After a while, I realized that foreign universities offer wider opportunities for development in my chosen field. My research showed that both the level of education is high and learning different cultures on the spot is a completely different experience. This cannot be compared to just studying."
The admission news was unexpected:
“When I applied to the University of Edinburgh, I didn't really think I would be admitted. That's why I focused more on other universities. When the admission news came, I didn't believe it at first. Then I shared it with my parents. It was unexpected for me, but very joyful.”
She also touched upon existing approaches regarding girls' education abroad:
“Sometimes girls are more hesitant. Families are reluctant to send them to another country. But I think that parents should be more understanding in this matter and support their daughters. Girls have great potential in education and career. Limiting these opportunities negatively affects both their personal development and society.”
Finally, she emphasized that trying new things in life develops a person:
“Sometimes not everything goes as planned, and there are failures. There have been times when I couldn't get the desired result. But I think that the journey itself brings more to a person than the result.
The knowledge, experiences, and people we meet during this period shape us. Therefore, even if the result is not as we wished, the process itself is very valuable.
Finally, I thank all my teachers who contributed to this success.”
