From Bayan to Boston: One Graduate's Path into International Research
How Noor Al-Zadjali turned her Bayan College foundation into a graduate research fellowship at a leading American university.
Noor Al-Zadjali graduated from Bayan College in 2022 with a degree in English Language and a long list of questions she wanted to pursue. Three years later, she is a research fellow at a Boston university studying multilingual communication in digital media environments.
The journey was not straightforward. It involved applications, rejections, a preparatory language programme, and a great deal of patience. But Noor says the habits she built at Bayan made the difference.
Building the Foundation
During her studies at Bayan, Noor developed an interest in how people switch between languages in online spaces. She wrote her final research paper on the topic and used it as the basis for her postgraduate application.
The research skills I learned at Bayan were directly transferable. I knew how to construct an argument, how to find sources, and how to write clearly under pressure.
Noor Al-Zadjali, Research Fellow
The Application Process
Noor applied to seven graduate programmes in the UK and US. She received two offers and accepted the Boston fellowship because it aligned most closely with her research interests and offered funding.
She advises current students to start building their academic profiles early, to attend faculty office hours, and to treat their final-year projects as genuine research rather than a graduation requirement.
Life in Boston
- Noor is currently completing her second semester of doctoral study.
- She has presented a paper at two international conferences.
- She stays connected with Bayan faculty through regular email correspondence.
- She hopes to return to Oman to teach and research after completing her degree.
Her story is one of many. Bayan graduates are now working and studying across the region and beyond.
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