Interview with the season 2024 mentee Elizaveta Vorobeva

Interviewer: Evgenia Vorobyeva

A story about finding a path into international education, support, and the power of community.

Evgeniya: Which cohort did you participate in?

Elizaveta: I took part in the cohort of 2024 - the one that was entirely in English.

Evgeniya: What goal brought you to the program?

Elizaveta: I am finishing my bachelor’s degree and I want to apply for a master’s programme in Switzerland, specifically in Zurich, Switzerland. I learned about the program completely by chance, and I was very excited about the opportunity to speak not just with someone responding to emails, but with a person who is actually inside the system.

I wanted to hear first-hand advice on how the education system in Switzerland works,  how motivation letters are written and evaluated in Switzerland. I also wanted to know what is important to include in the application and what what admission committees pay attention to.

We went through all of this in detail with my mentor and during the education program of the season.

Evgeniya: Was this your first experience with a mentoring program?

Elizaveta: Yes, it was. I had no prior experience with mentoring - and to be honest, it exceeded my expectations.

Evgeniya: How did the work with your mentor go?

Elizaveta: It was wonderful. We had regular calls, discussed my motivation letters, my scientific background, and the best way to structure the application.

I especially liked that it was not only technical work but also discussion - what to highlight in the motivation letter, what to avoid, and how to present my strengths.

I now have a lot of files and notes - we created a detailed action plan, and the application process is much clearer to me now. The university website does not always make the requirements obvious, and my mentor explained everything.

Evgeniya: What else was helpful in the program?

Elizaveta: The group meetings were very helpful, especially those where we discussed psychological aspects: burnout, work-life balance, time management. That was extremely relevant.

And of course, the programme itself being in English - that was great additional language practice.

Evgeniya: Where are you now in relation to your goal of applying?

Elizaveta: Almost everything is ready: we outlined the structure of my application in advance. Now I only have the formal steps left: translating documents, taking language exam, gathering the missing certificates. The application window has not opened yet, so it is too early to talk about chances, but the application itself is already “packaged.”

We also submitted several internship applications together - to EMBL in Heidelberg, Germany and to Lausanne, Switzerland. Political situation made things more complicated for me, and the work we did on the documents helped a lot.

Evgeniya: What was especially valuable for you beyond the career-related part?

Elizaveta: The community. Even though I could not always participate actively in Discord because of my university workload, the overall feeling of belonging, the meetings, and the support - it was all very motivating.

And the psychological part of the program. Sometimes it felt like genuinely helpful support group: reflection, self-analysis, an outside perspective.

Evgeniya: Was anything challenging?

Elizaveta: The only challenge for me was that I was still in my third year of bachelor’s studies, so not all meetings were directly relevant to me. For example, discussions about industry careers were more suitable for those considering career transitions after their Ph.D.

But I would not call that a disadvantage - it is simply the specificity of my level of preparation.

Evgeniya: What would you say to someone who is unsure whether they should apply?

Elizaveta: I would say: definitely apply.  Even if you do not have a clear goal or a well-defined plan.

Someone who is inside the system sees things that you cannot understand from websites and forums. Every country has its own hidden pitfalls in the admission process that are difficult to navigate alone.

In the program you will get an external perspective and honest helpful feedback. Even if you are not matched with an individual mentor, you can still participate in many group events - and that is extremely valuable.

The program helps you structure your thoughts, create an action plan, and understand where it makes sense to apply and where it does not.

Evgeniya: What left the strongest impression on you?

Elizaveta: I was particularly impressed by how warm and supportive the community was. This is not a situation where you simply pay for a consultation. It is a sincere desire to help one another, to share experience, to support.

I would really love to become a mentor myself in the future when I feel ready. Because what this programme does is incredibly important.

About Sci.STEPS

Are you a scientist seeking to work on your education and career? Sci.STEPS scientific mentorship program offers insights and guidance from experts all over the world in the form of long-term structured guidance or targeted short consultations. From refining your research and soft skills to navigating the complex world of academia and industry, the program is designed to empower you with the knowledge and confidence needed to excel in your scientific journey.