Hello Respected Team of Stipendium Hungaricum,

Have you ever met a student who has been connected to the internet and technology since the age of five in the 2000s? A student who developed his first PC video game at the age of 10, created his first website at the age of 11, and worked on multiple internet and technology projects from the age of 10, including a smart house project, an online e-commerce marketplace for the people of Pakistan, and a social organization for students in the backward areas of Pakistan to teach them computer skills? A student who competed nationally, was accepted into an academic program with an acceptance rate of 7%, and visited a foreign country at the age of 18, managing all visa processes independently while traveling solo? Can you imagine who this student is and where he belongs? Yes, this is me, Muhammad Nouman, belonging to a small village called Rustam in Mardan, Pakistan, where the internet does not work during the day. To overcome this challenge, I wake up at night to work on my projects.

So from the above paragraph, you would have clearly understood to which program I am applying. Yes, I am applying to Computer Science, a field to which I have been attached since my childhood. And I will study it as much as I can. In fact, it’s my plan to pursue Masters as well in the field of Computer Science, and my Ph.D. in Artificial Intelligence, with an aim to build emotions in robots. Last year, while applying to Ivy Leagues, an interviewer at Princeton, Mika Hyman ’22, I delved deeper with her into this project of robotics. Unfortunately, I wasn’t accepted into Princeton, but I learned a lot from that conversation.

People believe that we have to write only the positive side or achievements in our motivational letter, but I am totally against it. I believe in the term “try, try again” and believe that those who fail more will become more successful leaders. So that’s why I want to share my downside too.

My story starts from my village. I belong to a small village known as Rustam in District Mardan, where electric load shedding and limited internet availability are the main challenges in my field. Despite these obstacles, I didn’t lose hope and worked at night on my projects, gradually achieving my goals in the realm of computers and the internet. During the night, there is lower internet traffic here, so the speed is sufficient for me to browse the internet.

Then, coming towards my education, I completed my Matric (Secondary School) in Science from the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education Mardan. Initially, I received 88% marks, and driven by my determination to achieve my goals, I retook the exam, improving my score to 96%.

Subsequently, I pursued Computer Science for my Higher Secondary education, attaining a score of 79%. However, not satisfied with this result, I decided to retake the exam, and finally I improved my marks to 84.6%.

Many people lose hope quickly and accept low marks or a lower level in life, but I don’t. I am determined to achieve, and for that, I am willing to struggle repeatedly until I succeed.

Now, turning to my projects and experiences, or what some might call failures, I created my first PC video game at the age of 10 using Unity3D. It was a simple game featuring a motor car moving aimlessly, without any specific objective. When I showed it to the people around me, they laughed, and in response, I deleted the entire system. Looking back, I now believe it was not just a game but a significant accomplishment for a 10-year-old.

I also worked on web-development and created my first site, https://noumanalihamdard.weebly.com , when I was 11. At that time, my understanding of English was limited, resulting in the site containing inaccurate language. Nevertheless, this marked the beginning of my journey in website development. Over time, I have worked on multiple sites and projects, facing numerous failures. The challenges stemmed from a lack of support from my surroundings, with some even turning hostile due to jealousy. Additionally, belonging to an economically tight background added to the difficulties.

Despite these setbacks, I have not lost hope. I have worked on more than fifteen projects, and I am committed to working on fifteen hundred more. If I don’t succeed in one, I am determined to find success in another. Ultimately, just like Steve Jobs, I believe in connecting the dots of these failures to build one successful project.

Currently, I am focused on a project—an online marketplace designed for the people of our economically challenged area. This platform allows individuals to buy and sell their products. While Pakistan has platforms like Daraz, they are also foreign-owned. To understand how Shanomit is different, I invite you to visit my site: https://shanomit.com or download the Shanomit App from the Google Play Store.

Speaking of my mindsets, I strongly believe in the power of ideas. If you assign me a task, even if it’s something entirely new to me, I guarantee you that I will propose a fixed time frame, and within that period, I will successfully complete the assigned task. We live in a world where acquiring new skills or creating something new is remarkably accessible. In fact, I’ve worked on various projects, as mentioned earlier: an online marketplace, a video game, a mobile app, social media management, cryptocurrencies, and crypto-mining, among others. I learned these skills from the internet, and I am confident in my ability to continue learning more.

I firmly hold the belief that an idea is everything. With a powerful idea, an individual can become the next Elon Musk, and I envision myself on that list. This confidence in myself is the reason I am applying to this program, and it was the same confidence that led me to apply to Ivy League institutions last year. I believe in my skills and in myself.

When it comes to challenges in foreign countries, such as Hungary, are you posing this question to someone who has visited a country where neither the locals spoke my language nor I understood theirs, and they were also not proficient in English? In my case, I visited Iran, where people primarily speak Persian. How did I communicate with them? Through technology—my strength, skills, past, future, and everything that defines me. My reliance on technology allowed me to use translators and sometimes hand-sign languages to engage with them. I traveled to four cities in Iran, solely by bus and at the age of 18.

Considering this experience, I believe it prepares me well for any potential challenges in Hungary, where a significant portion of the population understands English. Thus, I view this question as one I am equipped to answer confidently, having demonstrated my ability to navigate similar situations in the past. I am optimistic that I will encounter no problems in Hungary.

My entire journey begins and ends with Computers and Technology. Whether I am visiting a place, competing somewhere, gaining respect in my society, or nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset, technology is the driving force behind it all. It has been the backbone of my ideas and projects, making it unnecessary to explain why I chose computer science. However, I would still like to share some additional thoughts.

I want to seek support, leadership skills, and advanced concepts in Computer Science to implement them in my projects and contribute to the community in the field of computers and technology. Having previously worked on my social organization, Dreamzy, for up to a year, where I imparted my skills to others, I witnessed their progress in these fields. Now, my goal is to learn more, return to my community, and witness the majority of our people becoming experts. This will enable me to initiate work on other projects and further uplift my community.

However, my vision extends beyond my immediate community to the entire world. I have two to three ideas that could revolutionize the global travel system and e-commerce marketplace. But before I can bring these ideas to life, I need support and skills. That’s why I am applying to universities in Hungary, a place known for supporting students, their ideas, and providing an environment to learn in their chosen fields. Programs like GINOP and VEKOP showcase Hungary’s commitment to supporting entrepreneurship.

Hungary recognizes the importance of encouraging entrepreneurs, given the declining trend in youth self-business ventures from 4.5% to 2.5% between 2005 and 2014, as per OECD reports. Hungary aims to reverse this trend, offering opportunities to aspiring entrepreneurs to work on their projects. This aligns perfectly with my needs as a supporter and Hungary’s need for entrepreneurs. It’s an exciting match, and that’s why I am inclined towards Hungary.

After finalizing Hungary, my focus shifted to universities, leading me to choose Debrecen and Pecs. I value a balance between theory and practical work, and upon exploring the BSc Computer Science courses at both universities, I found that they offer a well-rounded curriculum comprising approximately 50% theory and 50% practical. This balance is crucial for strengthening my skills and working on projects.

Moreover, the University of Debrecen ranks fifth and the University of Pecs ranks sixth in the field of computer science in Hungary. Additionally, the University of Debrecen supports entrepreneurs through its program “Innovation and Collaboration,” which further solidified my decision to choose these universities.

In summary, I believe I have covered all the necessary topics in this letter. However, if there are aspects of my profile that remain unclear, I encourage you to visit my portfolio site at https://myold.nouman.org/profile . There, you will find detailed information and proofs of my experiences, providing a comprehensive view of who I am. I appreciate your time in reading my application.

 

Sincerely,

Muhammad Nouman