Mera Mustaqbil

Fatima Akhai

Advisor: Sharleen Smith

How might we design a digital tool that empowers under-resourced Pakistani students to pursue higher education by helping them identify affordable universities and scholarships tailored to their needs and aspirations?

Project Website Presentation
Education App

Project Description

“Mera Mustaqbil” is a mobile platform designed to help under-resourced high school students in Pakistan navigate the journey to university by connecting them with affordable local institutions, scholarships, and financial aid opportunities. Drawing from my own experience living and studying in Pakistan, I saw firsthand how talented students with limited means often abandon their academic aspirations, not due to lack of intelligence or ambition, but due to a lack of access, information, and guidance.

This app eliminates those barriers by offering a personalized experience from the moment a student signs up. The onboarding process tailors university and scholarship suggestions based on academic standing, financial limitations, and personal interests. Instead of overwhelming users with endless data, the app provides only what’s most relevant simplified, actionable options.

Through research, interviews, and user testing, I narrowed the app’s focus to what matters most: affordability. The core experience now centers around helping students shortlist Pakistani universities they can actually attend by budget, by scholarship fit, or by loan options while building a sense of empowerment and possibility.

This project is more than an app, it’s an intervention in the systemic barriers that prevent brilliant students from pursuing higher education.

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Technical Details

The app prototype was built using Figma for UI/UX design and Adobe Illustrator for visuals. Research was organized using Notion and Miro, and user testing was conducted via Zoom interviews. If developed, the app could use React Native, Firebase, and Pakistan’s HEC open data for APIs or partnerships.

Research/Context

This project emerged from personal observations while studying in Pakistan, where I tutored children of domestic workers and witnessed the disparities in access to education. Many students lacked awareness of financial support options or the pathways to get into university, often giving up on higher education entirely.

I studied local education systems, compared scholarship programs, and interviewed students, educators, and NGOs to better understand the friction points. Products like Khan Academy and Pakistan’s National Talent Hunt Program provided examples of accessible learning, but few addressed the transition from high school to university in an integrated, personalized way.

User interviews highlighted that affordability, not academics, was the largest obstacle. This insight reshaped the app from a multi-feature prep platform to a focused tool that curates realistic university options based on what a student can afford or access through aid. The emotional weight of this issue, especially for first-generation college students, continues to guide my design decisions.