From Mexico to France

As Adán Corral finishes the second semester of his Master’s in International Public Management at the Sciences Po Paris School of International Affairs, he is coming close to completing an essential part of his studies.
The 27-year-old, born in Morelia, Mexico, has had a remarkably dynamic education: he has studied in both Mexico and China, and did internships in Iceland, Italy and Belgium. None of these international experiences would have been possible without financial support.

Yet ever since he finished high school, Adán has been able to finance his studies with government-sponsored scholarships. He was awarded the Mexican CONACYT grant for academic excellence, and has always worked hard to maintain this top performance.

When the time came to apply for a Master's degree, Sciences Po was the only university abroad that gave him the chance of an affordable lifestyle.

Choosing a Master’s programme abroad

In 2015, Adán graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Puebla University. He started working but soon realised he would need a Master's degree to further his career in multilateral organisations.

“Once I began looking for universities, Sciences Po quickly appeared to be the best option”. Sciences Po was the only university offering a scholarship that would cover all his tuition fees: the Emile Boutmy Scholarship. It’s a very selective scholarship based on academic results, which meant that Adán had to get top marks. But he had got used to the kind of hard work required when applying for the CONACYT grant back in Mexico.

Settling in Paris

The Emile Boutmy Scholarship, coupled with the CONACYT grant (which the Mexican government kept paying him for his studies abroad), let Adán settle in Paris without having to worry about his living costs.
One of the most intimidating parts of moving abroad is finding a place to stay. However, Adán had no problem. “A few months before leaving Mexico, I sent an email to Sciences Po's Housing Service. They quickly offered me a place at the Cité Universitaire”.
Adán lives in Portugal House, a place that suits his needs perfectly. “The Cité Universitaire has a lot of events going on, though I mostly go to the concerts,” he said. “Also, the cafeteria is convenient; it's cheap and I don't have to worry about cooking anymore.”

A new life in France and plans for the future

Adán's life in Paris is one of hard work. Having to keep getting good grades for his scholarship isn't always easy. However, he is glad of the opportunity to meet teachers that already work in international organisations, and Adán has learned a lot from their experiences.
When he has spare time, he tries to attend some of Sciences Po's events. “Sciences Po has organised some great guest lectures by people with impressive careers. In fact, there are so many events that it’s hard to choose what to go to!”
Now that his first year is coming to an end, Adán is looking forward to the future. Being in France is a huge chance for him, as he can apply to multilateral organisations such as UNESCO and the OECD. In fact, he is about to begin his applications for the summer. “I want to work for most of the holidays and then go back to Mexico for a couple weeks,” he explained. “Paris is lovely, but a little rest at home will be very welcome!”

When he graduates, Adán plans to make the most of his degree by applying to the UNDP in Mexico or to the Young Professionals Programme in Geneva.

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