Scholarships and US universities
If a scholarship specifies that you cannot apply by yourself, but must be nominated by the school, please inform any of the college counsellors that you are interested. Include your name, class, Civics Tutor, Teacher-Mentor (if you're a foreign scholar), e-mail address, deadline, and URL where we can request the forms.
Please note that there are other schools which offer considerable merit- or need-based aid to internationals, such as Grinnell. The ones listed below are distinctive chiefly in that they have given a name to the scholarships.
Your seniors have applied for these awards, and many have been successful:
You may also wish to search for scholarships from other US sources. scholarships from other US sources.
Scholarships from US universities
Besides financial aid, a number of universities give special scholarships for international students. There aren't many full rides, but there are quite a few with partial coverage. Please email us at rjc_ssc@moe.edu.sg if you know of any others.
Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholarships
- Deadline: January 1.
- Notification: April 1.
- Covers: Costs for tuition, room, and board for four years, and one-time transportation to and from the United States.
- For: Two students each from Singapore, the PRC, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- Targets: "... We consider a student's overall school record. Likelihood of returning home to become a leader and potential for cultural ambassadorship while in the United States are also crucial selection criteria."
- Official details: http://www.wesleyan.edu/admission/international/freeman.html
- Institution: Wesleyan University
- For further information about the program, please contact:
Dean Terri Overton
Office of Admission
Wesleyan University
70 Wyllys Avenue
Middletown, CT 06459, USA
Tel: (860) 685-2988
Fax: (860) 685-3001
E-mail: toverton@wesleyan.edu
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Local contact to obtain application materials:
Singapore
American Home Assurance Co.
AIG Building
22 Martin Road
Singapore 239058
ATTN: Elaine Phang
telephone: 6419-1025
fax: 6835-7401
email: elaine.phang@aig.com |
Duke University
- Forms: No specific forms for this scholarship - all Duke applicants are considered.
- Notification: Shortlisted candidates will be announced next April. We are not sure when the actual winners are announced.
- Covers: Full tuition. Additional aid (room and board) if demonstrated need.
- Forms: No specific forms for this scholarship - all Duke applicants are considered.
- Notification: Shortlisted candidates will be announced next April. We are not sure when the actual winners are announced.
- Covers: Full tuition. Additional aid (room and board) if demonstrated need.
- Forms: All Duke applicants are considered, but submitting this supplementary form guarantees consideration and provides more helpful information.
- Deadline for the supplementary form is December 1.
- Notification: late February.
- Covers: Full tuition (not the same at UNC-Chapel Hill); laptop; funding for summer programs; participation in special programs.
- For: 18 students at Duke and 18 at UNC-Chapel Hill. Americans and internationals are all eligible.
- 6 criteria:
- Behavior that is grounded in strong ethical principles;
- Superior academic achievement and intellectual curiosity;
- Strong leadership potential;
- Active commitment to helping others and to community service;
- Courage
- Collaborative spirit
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Forms: All UNC-Chapel Hill applicants are considered, but submitting the supplementary form guarantees consideration and provides more helpful information.
- Deadline for the supplementary form is December 1.
- Notification: late February.
- Covers: Full tuition, room, board and monthly stipend (not the same at Duke); laptop; funding for summer programs; participation in special programs.
- For: 18 students at UNC-Chapel Hill and 18 at Duke. Americans and internationals are all eligible.
- 6 criteria:
- Behavior that is grounded in strong ethical principles;
- Superior academic achievement and intellectual curiosity;
- Strong leadership potential;
- Active commitment to helping others and to community service;
- Courage
- Collaborative spirit
Columbia University
- Deadline: With rest of application.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Need-based, aid usually comes as grants rather than loans.
- For: Not set in stone, but about 20 were awarded worldwide in 2003-4, and rather spectacularly 2 were given to RJC students.
- Targets: "Each year outstanding high school seniors with impressive academic accomplishments and personal achievements are nominated for selection as Global Scholars by the Committee on Admissions. The Global Scholars represent the best of international candidates to Columbia College. They are both foreign students and Americans studying in schools outside the United States. They stand out for their remarkable academic and personal achievements, their dynamism, and their intellectual curiosity. They enrich our community with the diversity that stems from their different cultures and their varied educational experiences."
- Requirements: No special form, but must apply for financial aid.
UC-Berkeley
- Deadline: March 15
- Notification: End of May.
- Covers: A bit complicated, but basically all costs up to US$28,000 per year.
- For: Number of awardees not specified.
- Targets: For non-U.S. resident, non-immigrant undergraduate students of Chinese descent from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan or elsewhere outside of the United States. For studies at UC-Berkeley.
- Requirements: Special application form available from website.
- Note: This scholarship is administered by the Rosita Ho Foundation, separately from the Berkeley admissions office.
University of British Columbia
- For: All international students, that is, students who are neither Canadian citizens nor permanent residents of Canada, limited to 1 student nominated per school.
- Targets: “In addition to superior academic merit, consideration is given to leadership skills, involvement in student affairs or contribution to community service, recognized achievement in fields of endeavour such as the performing arts, athletics, debating or creative writing, or achievement in external math or science competitions or examinations.”
- Covers: Starting from $14,000 CAD annually, depending on financial need. Please note that ILOT Award funds cannot be used to pay for tuition and other costs for programs at other academic institutions (for example, the ILOT Award will not pay for the years of study at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in the joint UBC/BCIT Bachelor of Science program in Biotechnology).
- To be eligible for nomination by RJC:
- You must have successfully completed UBC's online application for Undergraduate Admission and received a UBC student number as confirmation.
- You must demonstrate that you have annual financial need of at least $14000 CAD.
If you satisfy the criteria above and wish to be considered for nomination by RJC, please send the following by email to Miss Chiang Huimin (chiang_huimin@moe.edu.sg) by 3 Dec 2009:
- Your UBC student number
- Results for 'O' level, J1 promos, J2 prelims
- SAT results if you want them to be taken into consideration
- Names of all your civics tutor, subject tutors, CCA teachers & teachers-in-charge of CIP, etc.
- List of extracurricular activities & community involvement. Tell us which activity was the most meaningful and why (no more than 250 words). You may also provide a brief list of any awards or honours you have recently received, including participation in math, science of physics Olympiads, writing competitions, or other external competitions.
- An essay of no more than 500 words answering two questions:
- Describe a significant experience or situation that transformed your thinking or beliefs, and why.
- What do you dream of accomplishing after you have completed your studies at UBC?
- Deadline: 28 February 2009
- Notification: If nominated, adjudication for the award will be conducted by UBC’s International Student Awards Selection Committee. Successful candidates will be notified by UBC in early April and no later than April 15 2009.
- Covers: $10,000 per year over four years.
- For: 75 students (unclear whether internationals are eligible)
- Targets: Top students entering UBC from Grade 12 (i.e. after 'A' Levels)
Carleton College
- Deadline: With rest of application.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Need-based, up to full need met (including two economy-class flights).
- For: Number of awardees not specified; a Malaysian RJC student was awarded the Starr Scholarship in 2003-4.
- Targets: Qualified students from Asia for four years of study at Carleton.
- Requirements: Apply to Carleton College, requesting financial aid, and specify interest in being considered for the Starr Scholarship.
- Deadline: With rest of application.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Need-based, up to full need met (including two economy-class flights).
- For: Number of awardees not specified; a Singaporean RJC student was awarded the Starr Scholarship in 2003-4.
- Targets: Young Singaporeans for four years of study at Carleton leading to a B.A. degree.
- Requirements: Not specified: most likely same as Starr above.
Brandeis University
- Deadline: With rest of application.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Need-based, going up to full tuition, fees and books. May offer additional work and loan component if you still need additional aid.
- For: 12-15 awardees each year.
- Targets: International students. Loan component forgiven if the student returns to his/her own country after graduation.
- Requirements: Application form, apparently in addition to normal application.
Washington University in St. Louis
- A variety exist - see the website.
Kofi Annan International Scholarship (no link available)
- Deadline: Not specified.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Full need.
- For: Number not specified.
- Targets: Tough minimum criteria based on scores and percentiles, which they will probably bend a little for RJC.
- Requirements: No additional scholarship application required.
Boston University
Trustee Scholarship
- Deadline: Dec 1.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Full tuition and certain mandatory fees.
- For: Number not specified.
- Targets: Truly outstanding students, usually the top one percent of their class (a requirement which will probably be bent a little for RJC) and also leaders in school and community.
- Requirements: Some special procedures and forms required.
Deadline: Unspecified. Looks like the normal deadline but check.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Half-tuition.
- For: Number not specified.
- Targets: Students with exceptional academic records.
- Requirements: Unspecified - better check.
University of Southern California
- Deadline: Dec 10.
- Notification: April 1.
- Covers: Full tuition (approximately US$28,000).
- For: 100-120 per year.
- Targets: Candidates are selected by USC faculty and staff from an extremely competitive international pool. Applicants take the most demanding curriculum and achieve at the highest level. Average SAT I and ACT scores are in the top 1-2% of all students nationwide who take these examinations.
- Requirements: No additional scholarship application form required.
- Note: Other scholarships available at USC include the Presidential scholarship Presidential (half-tuition)
University of Miami
- Deadline: With rest of application.
- Notification: Date not specified on website.
- Covers: Full-tuition, 3/4 tuition, 1/2 tuition, 1/3 tuition, 1/4 tuition.
- For: Number not specified.
- Targets: Tough minimum criteria based on scores and percentiles, which they will probably bend a little for RJC.
- Requirements: No additional scholarship application required.
- Note: Miami is apparently a private school, not a public one.
Financial aid from US universities
Applying for financial aid will reduce your chances of getting admitted at most universities, and it is difficult for Singaporean families who own an HDB flat to qualify for financial aid. PRC students have a better chance of qualifying, but much stiffer competition.
To cover your bets, you may like to consider applying for both financial aid and Singapore Scholarships. If you get a scholarship, you can cancel your financial aid application.
Please also see our FAQ and financial aid glossary
Scholarships from other US sources
American organizations give a very wide variety of scholarships, some intended for international students. Just don’t get conned. (hyperlink http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/scams.phtml)
Usually coverage is minimal or partial, so you will need money from multiple sources. The good news: bonds are rare. You can search here:
Singaporean scholarship boards
The Public Service Commission (http://www.pscscholarships.gov.sg/) has no official list of approved universities. They say they will consider any university if you can make a good case for your chosen course of study there.
Some other scholarship boards do have such lists, but we don't have access to them. One exception is the A* Scholarship. You can view their lists of approved engineering and biomedical universities at (http://www.a-star.edu.sg/)
The US counselors do not oversee Singaporean scholarships, so we suggest you attend the many events organized by the RI (JC) Scholarships Committee.
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