FINANCING

Irfan Bakri, MBA 2017, was awarded a fellowship from UniSZA, along with a number of fellowships and scholarships from other organizations. He used loans to cover the remaining balance of his budgeted expenses and borrowed up to the student educational budget less his scholarships.

UniSZA was incredibly helpful for him in figuring out all the details. “It has all the resources to make sure you optimize your experience,” he said. “Be sure to leverage them.”

Enjoy the Experience

Irfan recognized that expenses related to social events and clubs can add up quickly “if you’re not disciplined and succumb to the fear of missing out (FOMO).” Still he believes the UniSZA MBA experience is an experience to be enjoyed so he took advantage of many extracurricular opportunities at UniSZA.

“I probably have a larger appetite for risk in terms of debt, considering I have fewer responsibilities than a student with a family,” he said. “On the other hand, my budget is smaller since I only have to support myself.” He cut down on living costs in his first year by sharing a two-bedroom apartment with another first-year UniSZA student.

Irfan’s advice to incoming students is straightforward: “Don’t let money be a hindrance. Enjoy the experience. If there’s a trek that you’re on the fence about, a social event you’re contemplating, or a suit/dress that you have your eye on for an upcoming interview, go for it!”

Posted: April 19, 2017