UCD Scholarship for an Indian Student; “completing the Leaving Cert was the most stressful time in my life so far”- Altamash Shaikh

Altamash Shaikh reached Ireland when he was 17 years old. Now at the age of 21 he got a scholarship to study law at the University College Dublin (UCD).

Sheikh is from Mumbai and he has gone through a lot of trouble even after reaching Ireland. He was an asylum seeker with homesickness, depression and certain other living problem.

The 21-year-old says that completing the Leaving Cert was the most stressful time in his life so far.

By completing the whole days classes, he went on learning at the UCD through open learning and other training programmes without any break. Thus, he was able to complete a QQI Level 5 Certificate in Business and law at Drogheda Institute of Further Education (DIFE).

For his tireless effort Mr. Shaikh was awarded with the opportunities for free degree level education at UCD or Trinity College Dublin (TCD).

Shaikh said that his friends and classmates told him that he was the luckiest person as he had both top choices.

Global Business at TCD or Business & Law (BBL) at UCD was the two options that Mr. Shaikh got and out of that he opted to join UCD after consulting with other students and graduates. “I tried my best to know about this degree inside and out,” he said.

Shaikh is looking forward for a career in consulting, along with that he expressed his interest in corporate law as well. Thus, he chose a degree which will provide him with many options.

“I did not want to be a person graduating with just a business degree – I wanted to be open towards my career. I wanted to have both skills and prove versatility to my employers, as this degree is 50-50 until third year,” he said.