I’m Shana, a postdoctoral researcher in London and co-founder of Apply Kite, but getting here wasn’t easy.
When I first set out to apply for a PhD abroad, I faced countless challenges. Finding fully funded opportunities and the right professors felt like navigating a maze. Every day, I searched multiple websites, testing endless keywords, yet still missed key opportunities and ideal professors. Balancing this exhausting process with a full-time job only made it harder. But after months of persistence, I secured a Principal Scholarship and began my PhD.
During my research in Electronic Engineering, I thrived. My work in early cancer detection biosensors was published in leading journals and even gained multiple talk with major Press News. I spoke at international conferences and won multiple awards for my research. But alongside this academic journey, something else was growing—a community.

While pursuing my PhD, I started a Telegram channel, voluntarily mentoring students who dreamed of graduate study abroad. I shared my experiences, answered questions, and helped others avoid the struggles I had faced. What began as a small initiative quickly grew into a massive network.

After four years, I understood exactly where students and researchers struggled the most. That’s why, after graduating, I teamed up with a passionate group of experts to build Apply Kite—a platform designed to make this journey easier.
Our team includes AI engineers, developers, designers, and journalists, all driven by the same mission: to help students and researchers like you. We know the challenges, because we’ve lived them.
Today, Apply Kite empowers students and researchers worldwide to secure scholarships and fellowships. And this is just the beginning. We’re continuously evolving, learning from our users, and refining our platform to provide even better support.
Because we’ve been in your shoes, and we know what it takes.