Computer science and information technology have been my passion since a young age.

I
always wanted to be a technology expert and be successful in the sector of IT. So, I decided
and attained a bachelor’s degree in computer science and information technology.
While I was waiting for my bachelor’s results, I saw a vacancy at Ayata Incorporation Pvt.
Ltd and I applied for it immediately. I was interviewed, and after meeting the necessary
requirements, I finally got to join the company as a junior web developer on September 4,
2020. I worked with all my passion and dedication and got promoted to mid-level developer
in September 2021. I worked as a backend developer, and they were happy with my
performance. Finally, my hard work paid off, and I got promoted to senior web developer in
March 2022. I was working well, but I strongly felt I was lacking lots of concepts and
expertise. Seeking the best course of action, I made the decision to study abroad after much
rigorous research. With that intention, I prepared for and took IELTS examination on August
6, 2022 and got an overall band score of 6.5. After that, I left the job on August 12, 2022, and
decided to start the abroad study process and documentation.
After I got my IELTS result on August 19, 2022, I started searching for the best course and
destination for me to study abroad. I visited many universities and colleges in Australia over
the internet. Finally, with some time spent on the internet and consultation with seniors and
friends, I finally decided to choose to continue my study in the same stream as my work and
bachelor's degree and chose the International Institute of Business and Information
Technology at Federation University. I first received the offer on September 7, 2022, for
studying software engineering for the November 2022 intake. I then approached Sanima
Bank for an education loan after receiving the offer letter. However, getting the loan
sanctioned consumed a lot of time because of the lack of liquidity at banks. Because of that
difficulty, I had to defer my intake to February 2023 and then to July 2023. I have attached
the offers I received from the institution for this. I finally got to submit my GTE documents at
the end of January 2023. All these times, I had also thought of continually involving myself
engaged in a job, but I did not as I had to manage documentation and nowadays employers
hire on a contract basis, and I did not want to break the contract sooner. I put all my efforts
and time into planning and processing for my abroad study, and I am happy at the end that I
have made the visa lodgement after clearing all the requirements from the institution.
Though I got my first offer letter for Masters in Software Engineering I was bit in dilemma
during this decision making. When I researched well and thought of my real interest I found
my choice shifted towards data science and changed my offer letter for Masters in Data
Science when I got my defer. While I have always enjoyed software engineering, I have
become increasingly interested in using data to solve problems and drive decision-making.
With a careful research I believe that a career in data science would allow me to use my
technical skills in a more meaningful way with huge impact. Data science is a rapidly
growing and interdisciplinary field that involves using statistical and computational
techniques to extract insights and knowledge from data. It can be used in many fields, such as
healthcare, finance, marketing, government and many more, and is a skill that is in high
demand in the Nepalese job market today (https://datamites.com/blog/data-scientist-jobs-
salaries-and-course-fee-in-nepal/#:~:text=Job%20Opportunities%20in%20Nepal&text=Data
%20scientists%20are%20in%20high,titles%20based%20on%20your%20preferences). I have
done some research and believe that the Master of Data Science programme is the best fit for
my interests and goals. The programme emphasizes needed data analytic skills, and I am
confident that it will provide me with the knowledge and experience I need to succeed in this
field.
Personally, I find data science to be the most fascinating subfield of IT. Web development,
software engineering, penetration testing, ethical hacking, etc. are just a few of the many
niches that people work in and I was working in web development as well. Now, I want to
take a challenge of becoming an expert Data Scientist. Algorithms, machine learning,
software and frameworks, and data all come together to form the field of data science. The
field of data science is crucial in revealing the hidden structure in the seemingly random
collection of data and information. In today's technological world, data is the most valuable
resource and asset. It has become crucial that we protect, respect, and cherish this resource.
With interest slowly developing in data science, I looked for various articles and
documentaries to expand my knowledge. During that, I came across a documentary called
The Great Hack that provides a great depiction of how data science skills can be put to use.
This documentary revealed how a British data science firm called Cambridge Analytica used
publicly accessible online information to manipulate users' emotions and thoughts while
using the social networking site Facebook. This film sparked a strong desire to learn more
about the data science profession and earn the appropriate certification. It's no secret that data
science is all the rage these days, and Nepal is no exception. A growing number of businesses
in Nepal are advertising for positions such as business analysts, data scientists, etc. After
doing some preliminary research into the job market, I've come to the conclusion that a data
science degree will serve me well in the future.
Having done extensive research into the potential of data science and analytics, I have
decided to pursue a data science degree that will not only satisfy my curiosity but also open
up many doors for me professionally, both at home and abroad. Nepal's IT sector is beginning
to appreciate the value of data scientists and is actively recruiting qualified candidates
(https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/data-scientist-jobs/?originalSubdomain=np). There are not
many data experts in Nepal. In light of the fact that success in this area is both rewarding and
challenging, I've taken an interest in it.
The reasons behind my attempt to study in Australia over other international countries and
my home country are many. Firstly, to talk about why not study in Nepal, there are some
explanations I would like to provide. Nepal's education system has come a long way in the
past 50 years, but it still needs well-trained teachers, an intensive practical curriculum, and a
welcoming environment if it is to attract and satisfy Nepalese students. Students who are
looking for a rigorous academic experience also tend to favour international colleges. When
compared to educational institutions in Nepal, most students have restricted exposure to
fieldwork and practical knowledge. The fact that most educational colleges in Nepal rarely
satisfy the requirements set by international institutes is another reason I did not seek higher
education in my home country. Nepalese universities have a hard time attracting young,
energising faculty members who have expertise in a wide range of fields, which hinders their
ability to participate in intellectual exchange and development.
One of the reasons people choose not to study in Nepal is that the value of having studied
abroad is a lot greater than having studied in Nepal. While we can argue that just having an
international degree is not a reward but I strongly can tell that the skills and expertise
developed during the coursework is the one that will set up people successfully and
professionally. Since my first preference was to attend an institution in Nepal, where I could
stay close to my family, I looked into the various educational institutions and even visited
some colleges such as the Nepal College of Computer Technology, Islington College, The
British College, and the main Tribhuvan University campus, which provide courses in the
field of information technology at the master’s level. So, at the end, studying abroad attracted
me more due to the availability of international exposure, experience, multicultural exposure,
state-of-the-art facilities, and many more.
Australia is a comparatively better country than other countries such as the USA, the UK,
Canada, etc., because of world-class education and an affordable cost of living and studying.
The climate, education standard, medium of communication, cost of living and studying,
safety—everything is favourable in Australia. Because of safety aspects such as the ESOS
Act, TPS, the AQF, CRICOS, TEQSA, etc., international students feel safe and secure in
every aspect, including rights, tuition fees, access to quality education, the value of the degree
attained, and many more. Hence, Australia is a very good country, and since many Nepalese
students choose to study in this wonderful country, there must be many good reasons for this
as well.
Master of Data Science is a full-time, 2-year course at IIBIT under Federation University.
The course costs AUD 53,800 in total, and I have received a 20% scholarship. I had
researched other institutions as well, such as La Trobe University, Deakin University, and the
University of Sydney, but their fee structures are quite heavy. At IIBIT, I will be studying
units such as Foundations of Programming, Data Science for All, Statistics and R,
Professional Research and Communications, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning,
Advanced Data Science Projects, Data Science OAE Studies, Computational Methods for
Data Analysis, Business Intelligence and Data Warehouse Housing, Regression and
Multivariate Data Analysis, etc.
During the coursework, I will be gradually developing skills in programming languages such
as Python, R, and SQL, data cleaning and pre-processing techniques, exploratory data
analysis, data visualisation, machine learning, statistical modelling, big data processing and
storage, communication and presenting data-driven insights to non-technical stakeholders,
data governance, privacy, and security best practises, domain-specific knowledge in the
industry or field in which the data science is being applied, and many more. These skills are
the most in-demand in the IT field in Nepal.
After I complete the course, I am very confident in using the post-study work rights to my
advantage by joining a reputable IT company. Learning international practises used in data
science—the techniques, concepts, and standards—will be very important to me when I
return to Nepal and make job applications. Once I return to Nepal, I will be working for a
multinational Nepalese company such as Unilever Nepal, Dabur Nepal, the Chaudhary Group
of Companies, etc. (all of which you can find online at https://www.unilevernepal.com/,
https://www.dabur.com/, and https://www.chaudharygroup.com/, respectively). Businesses
like these have started hiring business analysts and data scientists because they have
understood the value and need of a data analyst, and they strongly want to grow on a national
and international scale. The IT industry in Nepal is booming, and if I chose not to work for
above-mentioned companies, I can easily find work as a data engineer, data analyst, business
analyst, machine learning engineer, data manager, etc. at any number of reputable IT firms,
including F1 Soft (https://www.f1soft.com/), Verisk (https://verisknepal.com.np/), Deerwalk
Inc. (https://www.deerwalk.com/careers), etc. Working here and significantly improving my
skills, exposure, and proficiency, my chances of getting employed for a multinational IT
company such as Google, Facebook, or Amazon also substantially grow, and I strongly want
to work for any such esteemed organisation for some period to prepare myself for opening
my own company. For that, I am prepared to invest in my abroad education and learn the
necessary skills. The long-run plan in my career is to open my own data science company
providing data analysis, visualization, and market segmentation and analysis services and
enjoy the perks of being both a data scientist and an entrepreneur.
Given the versatility of data science and statistics, I can find work in virtually any industry.
Companies of a significant size in Nepal are beginning to incorporate data scientists into
internal teams or outsource projects to specialists in the field. There is a lot of room to grow
in this industry, and I see a lot of opportunities for work in the future, so I don't expect to be
jobless. After doing some research, I learned that the typical hourly wage for Nepalese data
scientists working on Upwork is USD 35 (https://www.upwork.com/hire/data-scientists/np/),
and for experts, it's more than USD 50, which is not a bad pay rate.
Data scientists and senior analysts usually make around NRS 1 lakh per month, which
includes their salary and any perks they get. There will be a lot of doors open to me once I've
finished the course and am back in Nepal. I have searched extensively for work openings in
Nepal, visiting numerous job boards such as www.hamrojob.com, www.ramrojob.com,
www.merojob.com, and https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/data-scientist-jobs/, and have
carefully analysed that, compared to the past, the rise in demand for data scientists is heavy as
the need for data collection is rising as well.
I come from a financially sound family and my family holds good financial ground in society.
My family’s support for my abroad study is something that will make my career bright and
their quality of life improve as well, and I am sure to fulfil that. We have various income
sources and that financial strength is vital for managing my study and stay expenses in
Australia. For the coverage of first year tuition, living expenses and health insurance
including travelling my parents have sanctioned an education loan from Sanima Bank
Limited and there is also a good amount of cash maintained in my uncle’s account. I have
included all the related documents to prove my financial self sufficiency.
Being the youngest son in the family, I personally feel that my family has put a lot of effort
into my growth and satisfying every need of mine. I felt very emotional when I presented my
first earnings from my job to my family, and they were proud of me. So, from that day until
my last month at the job, I felt very fulfilled that I was able to support family in some way,
and in the future, I want to have a greater sensation than that. Fulfilling every family demand
is not an easy task, but me and my brother are determined to make everything possible for our
family. Likewise, as per culture and our own understanding, it is our dire responsibility to
take care of family and the withholdings. I am sure to return to Nepal in the future after
course completion, not only to fulfil social ties but also because the economic ties are very
strong. Nepal is a developing country with increasing data collection, and the industry is
slowly realising the importance of data analysis and engineering. So, in the future, I am sure
there will be a rapid demand for experts and professionals in the field, and to reap those
benefits easily with my abroad study experience, I will return to Nepal. Considering all these
reasons, I will surely return to my home country.
I strongly understand that I need to abide by all the rules and conditions under the SSVF 500
subclass and fulfil the criteria of being a genuine temporary entrant. I have strong plans for
my future in Nepal and am taking every step to make them a success. So, I positively believe
that immigration will consider me a genuine temporary entrant and grant me an entry to study
in Australia, fulfil my expectations, and build a bright career in Nepal.
I look forward to receiving a positive response.
Yours Sincerely,

Suman Humagain