Magali Maleh, Recipient of the ENSTA Foundation’s Excellence Scholarship

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Magali Maleh, Recipient of the ENSTA Foundation’s Excellence Scholarship

It takes a great deal of determination to stay motivated in your studies when you have to spend three hours a day commuting, with few career prospects in a sluggish economy. Magali Maleh, who grew up in crisis-stricken Argentina, knows this better than anyone. Today, she can also attest to the fact that hard work and tenacity eventually open doors you might not even have known existed.

Just two years ago, Magali Maleh might have despaired of her situation. Being a brilliant student at the prestigious University of Buenos Aires didn’t stop her from having to get up at the crack of dawn every day to spend three hours commuting. Argentina’s current difficult economic situation wasn’t about to help her fulfill her dream of discovering the world, either.

Yet she never lost heart and always gave her best in her studies, well aware that it was first and foremost for herself—to become a better person, and perhaps to make the world a better place along the way—that she studied with both humility and ambition.

Then one day, she received an email from the university administration that she never would have imagined being the recipient of—a sort of “golden ticket” from Willy Wonka, but this one in real life: her university grades were so good that they opened the doors to an exchange and dual-degree program with the top French institutions of higher education.
 

The University of Buenos Aires (UBA), one of the top 100 universities in the world according to the 2027 QS Rankings

At first, she could hardly believe it. Then she quickly began to see all the obstacles—mainly financial—that would stand in her way. Nevertheless, determined not to let this opportunity slip away, she began researching French institutions that might accept her. Among them, ENSTA—with its excellent ranking and specialized robotics program—immediately stood out to the electronic engineering student.

Once again, the work she had previously done at the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) paid off, as her application was immediately accepted by ENSTA. 

The challenge now was to find a way to finance this ambitious project. The entire family was prepared to make significant sacrifices to make it happen, but even so, it might not be enough. The student then researched the various scholarships she could apply for and submitted several applications.
Once again, it was ENSTA that opened its doors to her, through its Foundation’s Excellence Scholarship, alleviating most of the financial concerns associated with her move to France.
 

The ENSTA Foundation. Your donation can make all the difference!

Upon arriving in France in July 2026, Magali first took intensive French courses, which enabled her to reach the required level to begin her other studies. Although she was the only student from Argentina to be admitted to ENSTA, she met other students from Latin America with whom she could communicate and share her amazement at the French educational system.

“In Argentina, university education is of a very high academic and scientific standard, and we study subjects in depth, with fewer courses per semester. In France, we tackle everything at once. It’s impossible to keep up without a lot of dedication, but with the student residence literally a two-minute walk from the school, I no longer have to worry about getting there on time in the morning! ”

Today, Magali Maleh is a thriving student, passionate about her courses—particularly information theory—and has a much clearer vision of her career path, where, for personal reasons, she would like to combine engineering and healthcare.

Although she comes from a country that’s a powerhouse in this field, she discovered soccer through the School’s student clubs and took her first rock dance classes a few weeks ago. It’s a life she never would have imagined just a few months ago, and one that allows her to envision a future far greater than she ever dreamed possible.
 

I am deeply grateful to the ENSTA Foundation for awarding me this scholarship of excellence, without which my plan to come study in France would never have come to fruition. I’d also like to thank the ENSTA International Relations team, who welcomed me with great kindness and understanding, answering all my questions—which is so important when you’re so far from home.

Magali Maleh Recipient of the ENSTA Foundation’s Excellence Scholarship
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