Getting Rewarded Through Scholarships In Singapore

By Author: Stanley
Total Articles: 3

Enrolling your child in the right school can be a pretty daunting experience. Researching and short-listing the best schools is only half the work done. Next, comes the task of applying to and getting selected in these schools. Though for some the monetary factor isn’t a huge factor, for some it can be a great hindrance. For the latter, scholarship programmes are a great help. Also, some of the brightest children who deserve to be in top schools may not get enrolled due to high fees. The good news is that many schools in Singapore have scholarship programmes that enable children that are outstanding in academics, sports or arts, to get admissions on full or partial scholarships. The scholarship programmes are also aimed at inclusion and students from economically weaker backgrounds could have a chance to get into the schools that deserve their talent.
How does one get rewarded through scholarships in Singapore schools?
Study the brochure/ prospectus/ official websites of the schools of your choice and look through the scholarship programmes on offer and you will come across some very useful information. For example, a very encouraging scholarship programme is offered at the Canadian International School, Singapore. This is a multicultural campus comprising of students and faculty from over 70 nationalities and offering world class teaching and learning programmes. The IB (International Baccalaureate) diploma programme is for students in grade 11-12 and the CIS IB DP scholarship is awarded to students who are outstanding in personal development, academics and sports or the arts. The scholarship is open for both, existing students at CIS and new admissions. The scholarship covers 100% of the tuition fees and boarding and other expenses for overseas students. Students/ parents can apply for the scholarship every year from 1st September to 31st January eligible for entry to grade 11 in the following August session. The selection criteria, apart from outstanding academic excellence in various fields also includes an understanding of the student’s school of thought and recommendations from past and present teachers. Students who are highly motivated, creative and display exceptional personality traits have a shot at gaining the prized scholarship.
The United World College South East Asia (UWCSEA), is another very distinctive school offering high-quality education and overall personality development to their student community. The tuition fee ranges from S$23,369 to S$29,195 for day boarders and an additional S$27,237 for boarders. However, the school also has on roll 60 students on scholarship programmes. These students are chosen from around the world, so competition can be tough but it also means that the best and brightest are taken in. The selection process involves a round of interviews, group activities, group discussions, community service activities and selection camps. A student’s merit is the sole criteria irrespective of his/her religion, financial status and race. (Ref: http://www.uwcsg.org/selections)

When it comes to schooling, students and parents can benefit greatly through scholarships. By selecting and rewarding the best and brightest, the school not only creates examples to follow and aspire for by other students, it allows students from not so strong economic conditions to have an opportunity to learn and thrive from top class educational institutes which wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. It also helps schools to select distinguished student candidates to the campus and enrich the educational experience for the entire school community of faculty and students.