The Value of a NUS Scholarship

Attended a NUS scholar's welcome tea on Monday. My first of such events.

The NUS vice-provost was the host, and he made a speech with certain points I would like to share. Note that this is not a transcript, in fact I have forgotten details about it, and it may contain my personal perspectives.

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How the NUS Scholarships came about
Just about 5 years ago, members of the university's board noted the unbalanced proportions of Singaporean scholars and foreign scholars in NUS. When one talked about the scholar's community in NUS, it is dominated by foreign scholars. Few local scholarship holders chose to study at NUS, most would chose to go Ivy league Universities. At the same time, the Singapore government was expanding foreign scholarships schemes to address the falling birth rates.

The university saw the need to "balance" the situation, by recognising and developing local students. There was a need to address the image of a foreigners-dominated scholar community. The university's endowment funds were unlocked to start the 5-tiered Singaporeans-only (PRs and foreigners excluded) NUS Scholarships.

Why the NUS Scholarships are relatively "accessible", bond-free and obligation-free
The NUS scholarship criteria is relatively less selective that many other scholarships. It is meant to be a "humble scholarship", contrasting that to the likes of PSC scholarships.

The university does not have a compulsory, unified and exclusive programme for NUS scholars, instead scholars are encouraged to integrate into mainstream student activities. Especially for the faculty-level (lowest tiered) NUS scholarship, many holders are "first-time" scholars from relatively humble backgrounds.

The university does not impose any bond, but the vice-provost encourage all scholars to discharge their moral obligation by doing their best, serving the community and bring honour to NUS.

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I am greatly touched by the university's gesture to do more for local students, at a great cost. Each year, more than 300+ scholarships (I may have remembered the stats wrongly) are given out. I am a "first-time" scholarship holder, and have came from a string of humble, but respectable neighborhood schools (Shuqun Primary, Commonwealth Secondary, Anderson JC).

My family is not in financial difficulties, but the university tuition fee would still be painful. I am very grateful that the scholarship had made my University studies a lot more affordable, and relieved my parents' financial burden.

The financial aspects asides, it had given me a sense of recognition and worth. I do not have a particularly impressive academic and CCA records. This scholarship gave me the confidence and motivation to work towards my goal of being a researcher one day.

Being able to study at a world-class university on a scholarship, it perks me up each day when I take the train to school.

This scholarship means a lot to me, and I am grateful to the contributors of NUS's endowment funds.