Winner of the QS-IE University Scholarship 2015

Each year QS partners with Spain’s IE University to offer a number of exclusive scholarships for attendees of the QS World Grad School Tour. Each scholarship covers up to 50% of the tuition fees for students accepted to study a master’s program at IE University.

Among the latest successful applicants is French student Salimatou Balde, who is preparing to commence IE University’s Master in Corporate Communication.

“We were looking for candidates who had a strong academic background, good professional merit and who had excelled in the admission process, in addition to submitting well-written and coherent essays,” says Francisco Chabran, associate director of financial aid at IE.

He adds that Salimatou showed strong academic potential and a commitment to joining the IE community, both during her studies and as a future alumna.

Preparation for an entrepreneurial career

Currently completing a Master in Management at SKEMA Business School, Salimatou is hoping her studies at IE University will provide her with “very practical hands-on experience in my field of interest, plus an entrepreneurial mind-set, multicultural and worldwide global network.”

With clear ambitions for the future, Salimatou says her immediate goal on graduation will be “to join an innovative start-up and work with digital technologies in the field of education.” In the longer term, she’d like to establish her own business, with a focus on “using communication channels to improve and positively impact diverse aspects of our society.”

Salimatou says she’s not sure she would have been able to take up her place at IE without additional funding, so receiving this scholarship has made a huge difference. “I can now fully invest myself into my master’s degree without being worried about the financial part,” she shares.

For other students seeking scholarship funding, Salimatou advises: “Don’t be afraid to apply. You’ll definitely get more chances to win if you try than if you don’t! Take the time to analyze the application essay topic. Identify all the key words, take time to understand them and strictly stick to the question when you answer.”