scholarships

Raesa NIKSHIQI
(impact year 2018)


Raesa is currently a 10th grader at “Mileniumi i trete” high school in Prishtina. She has been a member of jCoders Academy since 2015, an organization aiming to familiarise students from a very early age with coding. She is an avid coder herself, programming in: Scratch, Python, Stencyl, c++, etc. She won ICT Albanian Awards in 2017 with her robotic hand to be used as a tool for sign language. She is also a member of the Mensa International community (https://www.mensa.org.uk/).

Needless to say, this young lady is gifted, determined and hard working. She first got in touch with us in April 2018 and shortly thereafter sent in an application to our foundation stating her case to receive funding to attend the Young Yale Global Scholars (YYGS) program in New Haven.



Jon SYLA

(impact year 2019)


Jon (on the right, second row) is currently an 11th grader at “Mehmet Akif” high school in Prishtina. He is a semi-professional chess player with a love for the natural sciences. He has won first place in the national Chemistry Competition and the Kosovar Physics Olympiad. He has also won first place at various debate tournaments.

Jon and four other students were chosen to represent Kosovo, for the first time in history, at the European Physics Olympiad (EuPhO) (https://eupho2019.lv/) held in Riga, Latvia. The concept of EuPhO is similar to real research situations, with short problems description and plenty of space for creative solutions.  Jon has never had the opportunity to attend these international contests and therefore sent in an application to our foundation, expressing his desire to be the first to represent his country.

Elbion REDENICA
(impact year 2022)


Minerva University was established in 2012. The university employs a unique pedagogical model in which all classes are conducted as online seminars capped at 19 students. Ranked #1 Most Innovative University in the World, according to World's Universities with Real Impact (WURI) 


Elbion applied to XhMF and received a partial scholarship to be able to travel and start his academic journey at Minerva University and major in Computer Science.


"With no other voice to attend to my anguished call for recognition, I had to find consolation in the one within, becoming the Magellan to my Computer Science world.." 


Ideja BAJRA

(impact year 2022)


Based in Science (BIS) aims to encourage students of all ages in the Balkan region and the UK to pursue STEM through after-school BIS clubs that introduce engaging STEM topics. Ideja, an 18-year-old undergraduate student studying Biochemistry at the University of St Andrews in Scotland, is one of the program’s participants. Thanks to financial support from XhMF, she has been able to continue her program, BIS and continue empowering other young students to explore science.


"My passion for science has extended beyond my studies, in the form of Based in Science." 


Leotrim BERISHA, MD
(impact year 2025)


Dr. Leotrim Berisha is a recently qualified medical doctor from the University of Prishtina, distinguished by his leadership in Kosovo’s medical student community and extensive involvement in clinical education and public health initiatives. With international experiences, and research presented at regional medical congresses, Dr. Berisha demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing healthcare through both practice and education. Thanks to a scholarship from XhMF, he is now able to attend the Orthopaedics and Trauma Summer School in Groningen, Netherlands, further expanding his expertise in the field.

"This program will significantly enhance my clinical skills, broaden my international perspective, and better prepare me to contribute to the development of trauma and orthopaedic care in my home country. "

Vesa XHYMSHITI
(impact year 2025)


XHMF proudly supported 13-year-old Vesa Xhymshiti, an exceptionally gifted young mathematician from Kosovo, by providing a scholarship that enabled her to attend the Harvard–MIT Mathematics Tournament (HMMT) in November 2025. Vesa has already distinguished herself on the international stage: at just 12 years old, she represented Kosovo at European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad 2025, earning an Honorable Mention, and she consistently ranks first in municipal and regional mathematics competitions. Her dedication, talent, and determination embody the spirit of Kosovo’s next generation of scientists/mathematicians, and XHMF is honored to accompany her on this early chapter of her academic journey.