Student story: Elif Bayat

My name is Elif Bayat. I am a German-Turkish graduate student and Clarendon Scholar reading for an MSc in Global Governance and Diplomacy at the Oxford Department of International Development and Lincoln College. Before Oxford, I studied Sociology and Political Science in Frankfurt, Paris, and Istanbul, and was a Fulbright Scholar in San Antonio, Texas.

I am originally from the Ruhr area, known for its industrial landscape and its multicultural population. I grew up in a working-class family: My older brother and I are the first in our family to attend university. My roots lie on the Black Sea coast of Turkey. It was my grandfathers who were the first to come to Germany to work in the mines, deep underground.

I do not take my path to Oxford for granted; a few years ago, I would not have considered it for a second. But when I achieved the grades I needed during my bachelor’s studies and occasionally met people studying in the UK, I thought: Just give it a try – you have nothing to lose. To be on the safe side, I also applied to the other place and received several offers from both universities and was incredibly happy. But why Global Governance and Diplomacy now? In the past years, I have lived, worked, and studied in seven different countries across the world. My voluntary engagements and delegation travels, for example to the United Nations or the G20, have strongly shaped my interests. Deepening my understanding of the theories I have so far mainly encountered in practice was a logical step. Oxford offers the perfect intellectual environment for this.

But when I think of Oxford, I am reminded of the range of opportunities I have here as a student and the various areas I am already involved in. On the one hand, I devote most of my time to studying and often spend hours in the library. I see it as a privilege, as I have access to an outstanding education and find my courses incredibly exciting. On the other hand, there are endless opportunities to get involved. I play football for various university teams, regularly attend events such as those at the Oxford Union or different societies, or spend time with my coursemates and college friends. Recently, I was elected as the Communications Secretary of the Clarendon Scholars’ Council, which I enjoy because the Clarendon Scholars community consists of graduate students from a wide range of academic fields. There is always something happening in Oxford, and I try to find the right balance.

And the future? Nothing is set in stone yet. I have many ideas and plans, and time will tell where my path leads next and what awaits me. But one thing is already certain. Nowhere else have I grown as much as I have in Oxford, both academically and personally. I deeply appreciate this experience and know that it will stay with me for life. I can only encourage anyone considering applying to Oxford to take the leap because if you never try, you will never know.