My scholarship application experience

Many people often ask me, "How did you apply for your scholarship?" "When did you start applying?" "How did you prepare for the scholarship interview?". These are a few out of the many questions that students always ask when trying to apply for a scholarship to university as the cost of studying in private universities are quite burdensome for most parents. 

For me, the key to getting a good scholarship is to apply as many scholarships as I can and as early as possible. With that only can I choose the best offer and be ahead of other students. I started applying for scholarships in Form 5 after my midterms examination. I used my midterms results to apply for few universities that I was looking at during that time. I know of some of my friends who did not apply during that time because they thought they could get better offers with their final SPM results. That is not really true because scholarships can be upgraded if your final results are far better than what you got before. To me, the earlier you apply, the better offers you can get as the saying goes, 'the early bird gets the worm'.

Preparing my CV for scholarship application was a challenge. At first I did not know what I needed to include to have a better first impression. So all I did was include all my achievements in academic and extra curricular activities in a list. It is also very important to include any social work participation and leadership experience in the CV as this will make you stand out among the rest of the applicants. After preparing my CV, I sent them to the various universities that I was thinking of enrolling. 

Fast forward a few weeks, I received a few offer from different universities for an interview. At that point of time, I have not decided which offer was the best so I just went for all the interviews I had gotten. Prepping for the interview was a challenge. I was very worried that I could not answer the questions given to me but I still went for the interview hoping for the best. After attending a few interviews, I started to understand what most interviewers wanted out of me. All they wanted to see was how I speak and how I bring out myself as a person. Speaking fluent English is a plus point. 

A few weeks later, I got a few scholarship offers from the various universities that I had interviewed. My parents left the choice of university that I wanted to enroll in to me. I read through the scholarship offer letters thoroughly. 

After much thinking, I chose UCSI's Principal Award Scholarship Offer because it was the best among the rest. There was no bond I had to fulfill and their offer was for my entire university life instead of just pre-university. Of course there were many other reasons why I chose UCSI but that was one of the main reason. I accepted the offer even before I sat for my SPM which was quite a relief for me because I knew I was guaranteed a full scholarship even before the dreaded exam. After my SPM, I was invited for the scholarship presentation ceremony at UCSI College. 

It was really a privilege for me to be able to be one of UCSI's fully supported scholars and I am truly grateful for that. Being a scholar in UCSI, we are also given the chance to do social work and learn many different skills. I was given the chance to teach the Malay Language to orphanage children under the UCSI Scholarship Enrollment Program. There were also many other activities that I was able to join to cultivate social and leadership skills in preparation for my future development.

My scholarship application and experience has been fun no doubt. My advice to high school students who wish to get a good scholarship offer in the future is to apply as early as you can and do not be afraid of the steps you have to go through later on. It is a good experience that we as students need to go through in life to learn important development skills.

Some students might be afraid to apply scholarship because of the fear of being unable to maintain it or the fear of the work that comes with it. However, after being a scholar for almost 2 years, I would think that the experience that comes with the scholarship is very valuable and not as demanding as people might say. It has been a great journey in my university life and I believe it will be till I finish my course here in UCSI. I have never regretted this choice of mine and I am forever grateful to UCSI for giving me this opportunity. 

Why I chose UCSI?

UCSI University

As a student, everyone goes through a huge transition from high school to college or university. Students face challenges choosing the right university to attend. After SPM or O-levels, student and their parents start searching for the university they think is best for the child. Going for education fairs, open days and doing online research are some things I went through during my transition period. 

Some people might ask me, Why UCSI? Why did I choose this university out of every other ones? 

Firstly, I chose UCSI because of the scholarship I was awarded. I was very blessed to be awarded a 100% scholarship throughout my pre-university and degree under the principal's award scholarship.

To be very honest, I did get a few other scholarships from other universities but I chose UCSI because this scholarship was given to me for my entire university life unlike some others that required me to reapply after I finish my pre-university. UCSI University provides a huge range of scholarships for all students from different backgrounds. They also provide scholarships for international students so you do not need to worry if you are not a Malaysian.

Secondly, I personally chose UCSI University because of the course I was interested in my university. As for me, I decided that I wanted to study Actuarial Science back in my high school days. UCSI University is one of the best private university when it comes to Actuarial Science courses. It is the first private institution in Malaysia recognized by Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), UKd. UCSI is one of the few Malaysian private universities recognized as one of Society of Actuaries's UCAP (Universities and Colleges with Actuarial Programmes) schools. Besides, UCSI provides the most comprehensive SoA exam coverage in Malaysia. With all these credentials, UCSI stood out among the rest of the universities that I was looking at.

Thirdly, UCSI is located in a very lively location in the heart of Cheras. There are plenty of restaurants within walking distance from the university. We as students need not worry about having to eat the same food over and over again because there are just so many choices around the university. Also, every Wednesday night, Connaught Pasar Malam which is Malaysia's longest night market is located right outside UCSI University. With a huge variety of cuisines available at you doorstep, you do not need to worry about getting bored of the same kinds of food even if you stay on campus.

Lastly, UCSI University is also located in a very accessible location in Cheras. Students can either drive or even take public transport to university. There are ample parking spaces provided on campus with a very reasonable rate of maximum RM 5 for the whole day. Students do not need to worry about parking problems. The public transport to UCSI University is also very convenient. The Terminal Bersepadu Selatan is just 5 minutes away from the University. This is the main long distance bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is integrated with the adjacent Bandar Tasik Selatan station rail interchange station, the forms the TBS-BTS integrated transportation hub. UCSI provides a shuttle bus to and from this station every 20 minutes. This makes it very convenient for students without a car.

In conclusion, there are just so many reasons why I chose to study in UCSI University. This University has been nothing short of great since I started university 2 years back in 2017. I have never regretted this choice to study in Malaysia's No. 1 Private University.