Amir is a Computer Science student at Queen Mary University of London. Amir was awarded a Performance Scholarship in recognition of his hard work and outstanding achievements.
My name is Amir, I grew up in a Bosnian household; my brother and I were born and raised in London, but my parents grew up in a small town named Cazin in the North of Bosnia.
I study Computer Science and my journey on the course has been great. At the end of my second year, I landed a Software Engineering Placement at Sky and spent the past year learning how things get done in the industry. I realised that becoming a software engineer means that learning and improving doesn’t stop once you graduate from university, as your skill set is required to grow along with the developments in the industry.
I chose QMUL as they support students with the careers service (even after completing their studies), and I was certain that I wanted to go into the technology industry with a role related to programming, so I felt confident that Queen Mary would help me achieve this. During my studies, I found modules involving software engineering concepts and problem solving the most fascinating and applied my knowledge throughout my internship. Although computer science is something that deeply interests me, rather than pursuing a master's, my next chapter will be to dive into the technology industry and use my skills to develop backend systems. Therefore, when I graduate, I would like to become a software engineer.
I consider myself responsible when it comes to spending and finances; however, it can be stressful to go through university without financial backing. I was fortunate to have interned at Sky as it was a paid internship, which provided a financial boost, but, as of recent times, the rising cost of living has affected everyone, so it has made being a full-time student even more challenging.
I think financial concerns definitely weigh heavily on students. I recently read a report by Unipol and the Higher Education Policy Institute that highlighted students in England are left with about 50p per week from their maintenance loans after accommodation expenses. The UK’s cost of living has increased in the past couple of years, and students are not exempt from this harsh reality. Hence, it is mentally taxing for students from low-income households to find a way to study while maintaining a stable financial situation.
To the donors who kindly funded my performance scholarship, giving to those in need without expecting anything in return can only come from a good heart. You are not obliged to offer me this funding, yet here you are, helping me push through my final year of studies. I am grateful for this award and recognise that it could only come from caring and generous individuals.