Written by Alejandro Auza, EMMIE Scholar from Cohort 4
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alejandro-auza625/
When people ask me how I ended up studying in Europe through an Erasmus Mundus scholarship, they usually expect a clear answer. A plan. A strategy. A sequence of steps that led me here.
But the truth is different.
For a long time, I was not following a defined path. I was simply exploring, building, trying things, and learning along the way. I didn’t know exactly where I was going. What I did know was that I wanted to do something meaningful. I wanted to help people.
Looking back now, I understand something I didn’t see at the time. I wasn’t lost. I was preparing.
It Started With a Simple Frustration
During my studies in Economics at Universidad Privada Boliviana, I began to notice a pattern that stayed with me.
Some of the most talented people I knew were not accessing global opportunities. Not because they weren’t capable, but because they didn’t know how to navigate them. Scholarships, international programs, global careers. All of these felt distant, complex, and out of reach.
That realization frustrated me.
Because it wasn’t a talent problem. It was an access problem.
And without fully realizing it, that idea began to shape everything I did afterward.
Choosing a Different Path
While many people around me were preparing for traditional career paths, I felt drawn toward something less defined. I started getting involved in startups, building projects, and learning skills outside the classroom.
At the time, it didn’t feel like a strategic decision. It felt like curiosity and a desire to create something meaningful.
I explored growth marketing, worked with different teams, and began to understand how technology could be used to solve real problems. More importantly, I started to see that entrepreneurship was not just about building companies. It was about creating impact.
That shift changed how I approached everything.
Building Something That Matters
This journey eventually led me to co-found AcceptGO, a platform designed to help Latin American students and professional access to global opportunities such as jobs, scholarships, and international programs.
What started as an idea quickly became something much bigger.
Through AcceptGO, we have supported more than 1,900 students and professionals in reaching opportunities at companies like Amazon and universities such as Stanford and Duke. We have seen people transform their careers, access scholarships they never thought possible, and expand their horizons beyond what they imagined.
But beyond the numbers, what impacted me the most was understanding the scale of the problem.
There is an enormous amount of talent in Latin America. But without the right guidance, structure, and information, much of that potential remains untapped.
That became my purpose.
Four Years That Quietly Prepared Me
Looking back, I can now see that I spent around four years preparing for this moment. Not intentionally, but through consistent action.
Every project I worked on, every startup initiative, every experiment, even the ones that didn’t work, contributed to something bigger. I was building experience, developing skills, and shaping a perspective around impact, entrepreneurship, and opportunity.
At the time, none of this felt like preparation for a master’s program in Europe.
But it was.
And I only understood that after everything came together.
Connecting the Dots to an Erasmus Mundus Scholarship
At some point in this journey, I came across a powerful idea from Steve Jobs:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards.”
That idea stayed with me because it perfectly described what I was experiencing.
Only after being accepted into the Erasmus Mundus program did I realize how every decision I had made was connected. Choosing to build instead of waiting. Choosing to step outside the conventional path. Choosing to persist even when things were uncertain.
None of those decisions felt extraordinary at the time.
But together, they created something that mattered.
Beyond Being “Qualified”
When people think about applying to international scholarships, they often focus on being “qualified.” Good grades, certifications, achievements.
All of that matters.
But what made the real difference in my journey was not just what I had done. It was why I had done it.
There was a clear thread connecting everything. A purpose.
Helping people access better opportunities.
That purpose showed up in my projects, in the way I built AcceptGO, and in how I approached my career. Over time, that coherence became visible.
And that is what ultimately opened doors.
From Impact to Opportunity
Receiving the Erasmus Mundus scholarship was not the result of a single achievement. It was the result of years of consistent effort, experimentation, and alignment with a purpose.
It was not about being a genius.
It was about doing things differently, staying consistent, and persisting even when the path was not clear.
Today, studying in Europe allows me to continue working at the intersection of entrepreneurship, technology, and impact. It also allows me to keep building solutions that expand access to opportunity for others.
Because the problem that started this journey still exists.
And there is still a lot of work to do.
Final Thoughts
If there is something I would share with anyone who wants to pursue global opportunities, it is this.
You don’t need to have everything figured out from the beginning.
But you do need to start.
Focus on building projects that are aligned with your purpose. Focus on creating impact, even if it feels small at first. Focus on learning by doing.
Because one day, when you look back, you might realize that everything you did was preparing you for something bigger.
And that the dots were connecting all along.
Find Similar Articles about EMMIE stories:
From Erasmus Mundus Rejection to Success: My Journey to the EMMIE Program Written by: Kaustubh Chute, EMMIE Scholar from Cohort 4
How My Perspective on Impact Entrepreneurship Has Evolved in Europe Written by: By Elizabeth Okullow – EMMIE Scholar from Cohort 3
