Master's in Hydrology in Europe

Aloha! 

I graduated from the University of Hawaii Maui College (UHMC) in 2017 with a BAS in Sustainable Science Management.  During my  time there I began to focus my studies on sustainable water resource management. In pursuit of a career in water resource management I worked as an intern and a contractor for the local water utility and for my senior capstone project I worked  with a professor at UH Manoa on creating a model of groundwater resources in East Maui. 

By the time I graduated, my interest in specializing in hydrology and water resource management was solidified. Water plays an essential role in everyone's life, and the distribution of water resources is changing in step with the changing patterns of our global climate. Watershed destruction, loss of precipitation, and overuse of groundwater resources can render reliable water sources unusable, or damage them to the point of needing costly filtering and treatments before use.

Almost Immediately after I graduated I applied to a program I thought I had very little chance to get into.  The program was for a Master's degree in Water Science and Engineering with a Specialization of Groundwater Use and Global Change. If admitted, I would study in IST Lisbon in Portugal, IHE Delft in the Netherlands, and TU Dresden in Germany. 

Here is a link to the program's webpage

Two weeks later I received an email admitting me academically into the program. 

I got in.  But there was a catch.

I had to prove that I could pay tuition (19,281 Euro) and cover my costs of living (25,000 euro) for the whole 2 years which total up to 44,281 Euro or $52,251 dollars by July 1st in less than a month.

There was no way I could find that kind of cash so quickly, and IHE Delft (the main institution in the program handling admission) does not participate in the federal direct loan program, so no student loans. I couldn't qualify for any personal loans either. Disappointed, I decided to save and try again next year.

Taking a year to work in Maui offered me the time to save money and secure scholarships, and develop my skills. This year, I was accepted again, and though I was definitely better prepared I still was short of my goal.

I decided then that if once the month of June starts I go public with my goal and ask for help from all of you.  

It pains me to have to for help like this, but it's the best way I have to make this happen. I must submit my financial documentation to prove capability by no later than July 1st to be issued a student visa. 

I managed to secure enough money in scholarships, cash savings, and even stocks to be only $4,017 short (this is including me selling practically everything I own).  With the fees taken by gofundme I will need about $4,522 dollars to meet my goal. 

The goal as it is right now would cover my cost of living for about 3 months, or half a semester.  If I don't manage to raise the funds this year, the scholarship I was awarded will be no longer available. 

There is no way I could express the amount of gratitude I would have to any and all of you that decide to support this dream. I don't have anything that I could offer as a reward except possibly a couch to crash on in Lisbon, Delft, or Dresden. Ask me, I'm sure I could come up with something.  

Mahalo