Natálie
Koscelanská

My enthusiasm for mathematics and physics began in high school, where I successfully participated in the Olympiads and the Young Physicists Tournament. It was during my high school years that I first studied abroad, when I went to England for six months and got a glimpse of the beauty of particle physics, which completely captivated me. While I returned to the Czech Republic afterwards, I knew I wanted to pursue my university studies abroad.

After graduating from high school, I enrolled in a bachelor's degree in physics with a focus on subatomic particles at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands. Thanks to my unparalleled grades and extracurricular research in mathematical physics, I was accepted to the MSc programme at the University of Oxford. Studying at this prestigious university was my dream not only because of the opportunities to collaborate with the best scientists in the field, but also because of the quality of education and academic challenges the institution offers.

Unfortunately, studying in the UK since Brexit has been very financially challenging, so I am extremely grateful to the Krsek Foundation for their support and the opportunity to take advantage of this opportunity. 

After completing my MSc I plan to pursue PhD research in theoretical particle physics.

How do I get a scholarship to study abroad?

Each year, the Krsek Foundation, will pay the tuition fees of 10 students admitted to master's degrees in engineering, natural sciences, economics, history and political science at one of the top universities listed below.

The scholarship is conditional upon confirmation of admission to a master's degree programme at one of the following schools. The maximum age of the applicant is 25 years.

Only students with Czech citizenship can receive the scholarship.

The application form includes:

• CV of the student in Czech language with information about his/her studies and experience so far
• portrait photograph in print resolution
• information about the school to which the applicant is admitted
• an essay (3,600 characters) in Czech describing why the applicant wants to go to the school, what he/she expects from it and what he/she wants to do after graduation
• proof that the applicant's and his/her family's financial circumstances do not allow them to finance their studies (e.g. copy of tax return)
• confirmation that the student has applied for a scholarship at the school of his/her choice but has not been awarded (or has only been partially awarded)

The Krsek Foundation will select the candidates according to the information provided in the application form and conduct interviews with the finalists (the interview includes a psychological-intelligence test)

Tuition fees will be paid directly to the school account.

The candidate will undertake to fulfil the following conditions:

• To hold at least three lectures for Czech high school and university students about their experiences, opportunities and advantages of studying abroad (the lectures will be organized by the Foundation) during the next 2 years.
• To produce an essay of 5,000 characters each year for five years on a topic assigned by the Foundation.

In general, the scholarship is awarded for the first year of the Master's degree.