Štěpán
Ochodek

After studying at the Wichterl Grammar School and the International School of Ostrava, I went to Bates College in Maine in the United States on a scholarship. At Bates, I was mainly interested in economics and econometrics and also in the study of the Francophone world. The summer internships at the Czechoslovak Commercial Bank and at the auditing firm Ernst and Young gave me the opportunity to deepen my knowledge and to gain a closer insight into the energy and financial sectors. During my study stay in Paris, I also finally satisfied my passion for French culture. Thanks to the generous financial support of the Martina and Tomas Krsek Foundation, MIT, and my parents, after graduation, I will be pursuing a Master's degree in Finance at two institutions in Cambridge, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University. I would especially like to use this opportunity to delve into the energy markets. In my spare time, I enjoy playing tennis, playing the clarinet since I was a kid, and studying foreign languages. I speak English, French, Russian, some Spanish and my longer term goal is to master Arabic. I love French cuisine and my grandmother's sirloin steak.

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.