Leap Scholar Review: I Found Out I'd Won a Scholarship I Never Actually Applied For

I told myself I wouldn't go abroad at all unless I got into one of the very few universities that actually offered my niche course. Here's my Leap Scholar review, in my own words, on applying late in the cycle for a highly competitive program and discovering after the fact that my counselor had quietly applied for a scholarship on my behalf.

Q1. Tell me a bit about yourself.

I'm Sridhar Tadikonda, from Hyderabad. I'm currently working at my own company, in the civil space. I did my civil engineering at VIT Vellore in Tamil Nadu, and I did my schooling in Hyderabad as well, since I was born and raised here. Right now I work at a company my father and I own together.

Q2. When did the idea of studying abroad first come to you?

I'd always wanted to do my masters abroad. But while I was doing my B.Tech, I realized there were genuinely good colleges here in India too for what I wanted to study. After doing more research and shortlisting a few institutions, I decided pursuing a masters abroad made more sense, specifically at a few of the top colleges in the world for my exact field. I applied only to those, and I told myself I simply wouldn't go if I didn't get into one of them. Fortunately, I got into the one I wanted most.

Q3. Which countries and colleges were you considering?

I focused mainly on the UK and a few countries in Europe. In the UK, I applied to three or four Russell Group universities. In Europe, I applied to TU Delft, which is genuinely excellent and had my exact course. I ended up with admits everywhere I applied, but I chose UCL specifically because it offered my course and is considered the best in the world for it.

Q4. What course did you end up choosing?

Masters in Construction Economics and Management, offered through the Bartlett School at UCL. It's mainly a management-focused subject with a genuine economics component woven through it, all tied to construction. The Bartlett School is considered the number one school globally for architecture and the built environment.

Q5. Why this specific, fairly niche course?

My father and I run a construction management consultancy business here in India, and the services we offer are genuinely niche; only a handful of larger companies operate in that exact space, and we're currently in a growth phase. I wanted to build that specific skill set at a bigger university and get some real exposure working at a larger company abroad so I could bring those skills back and apply them within our own business here.

Q6. How did you actually go about your research and application process?

Like most people, I started by googling which colleges actually offered my specific course. It turned out to be a genuine bummer; very few colleges worldwide teach it. UCL and TU Delft stood out as the strongest options. Once I started looking into the actual application process, I noticed the acceptance rates were quite low, and I didn't want to risk mishandling something of such significance on my own. That's when I started reaching out to consultancies, and that's how I eventually found Leap Scholar.

Q7. How important was it for you to land this specific course?

It was genuinely central to the whole decision. Since our business is already in this niche space, I wanted deeper, more advanced exposure from a bigger university and some international work experience, specifically so I could return home and apply everything I learned within our growing company.

Q8. How did you first hear about Leap Scholar?

I'd first connected with a local, offline consultancy here in Hyderabad; they had a physical office, and things were going reasonably well with them. But I was keen to explore some bigger, more established options too, so I started researching online. I came across Leap Scholar along with two or three others and called each of them. My counselor at Leap Scholar responded really well to my specific questions and helped me understand the best possible approach to actually maximize my admission chances. That's what led me to choose them.

Q9. What was your biggest concern going into this process?

Timing, honestly. For a top-tier, well-known university, applying right when the cycle opens matters a lot for your chances. In my case, I was ready to apply around January or February, which was genuinely late. I was seriously unsure whether to go ahead or just wait an entire additional year. My consultant reassured me that my academics were strong enough and that a well-prepared application wouldn't automatically get rejected just because of timing. That confidence is exactly what I needed. I had my SOP ready within two to three weeks and secured my LORs, and we submitted the application.

Q10. What was your overall experience with Leap Scholar like?

Genuinely phenomenal. I never felt like I was struggling to put together an application for a major, highly competitive university. It never felt like a burden; it was smooth throughout. They helped me a lot with my SOP, and I also want to mention something specific: I received a scholarship called the India Excellence Scholarship. What actually happened is that I hadn't applied for it myself, my consultant applied on my behalf without me even knowing, and I only found out once I'd already been awarded it. That kind of proactive effort genuinely impressed me.

Q11. Can you tell me more about that scholarship?

It's called the India Excellence Scholarship, and UCL only gives it to 33 students a year across all their master's programs, combined. It provides a £5,000 fee waiver on tuition.

Q12. Who was your counselor, and how would you describe the overall support?

My counselor was Pushpalata, and she was excellent throughout. My experience with Leap Scholar overall was really good, genuinely smooth. I never felt like applying to a huge, competitive university was a burden. They helped me significantly with both my SOP and my scholarship.

Q13. Was there anything specific that felt genuinely difficult to figure out on your own?

Not really the admissions process itself; it was pretty clear from the start, with no real confusion about what I needed to do. What I actually needed was a bit of a push. I had genuinely low confidence about whether I could get into such a competitive university, and they gave me the reassurance and belief that it was possible.

Q14. How did the SOP process actually work?

The first time I reached out to Leap Scholar, they sent me a Word document with a fairly large set of questions, around 20 to 30 in total, covering my education, my professional background, and my academics. They wanted me to answer everything clearly and thoughtfully so they could understand exactly where I stood and why I specifically wanted to pursue this course at UCL. I took some time to fill that out properly, since I knew it would directly shape the SOP they eventually drafted for me.

Q15. Would you recommend Leap Scholar to others?

Definitely, especially if you're applying to the UK specifically. They have strong connections and many partner universities in the UK, as well as a presence in other regions. But since my experience was UK-focused, I'd vouch for Leap Scholar without hesitation.

Q16. When are you flying out?

Mid-September, heading to the UK for my masters.

From telling himself he simply wouldn't go abroad unless he got into his top choice, to discovering a scholarship he never knew he'd applied for, this journey is a reminder that sometimes the right support shows up in ways you don't notice until after the fact. For anyone chasing a genuinely niche course or worried they've applied too late in the cycle, this Leap Scholar review is worth reading in full.