PETALING JAYA: The Star Education Fund Scholarship 2021 is now open for applications.
This year, 227 scholarships worth RM14.3mil from 27 institutions are being offered.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this is the first year applications will be done fully online, said fund manager Susanna Kuan.
“We have prepared a guide to assist students through the application process and have included a list of supporting documents that they must submit with the e-application.
“Students should read the e-Application Guide before applying so that they can prepare all the documents in JPEG or PDF formats, ” she said.
All applications must be submitted online through The Star Education Fund website at thestar.com.my/edufund.
Hard copies of the application forms will not be accepted.
All scholarships will cover full tuition fees, Kuan said, except for the MBBS programme at Quest International University, Perak.
Some of the courses include pre-university programmes such as A-Levels and Australian matriculation, foundation leading to degrees, and diploma courses for SPM leavers and undergraduate degree courses for students with STPM or other university qualifications.
Paving the way: (From left) Prof Walker, Joseph, Dr Whitford and Prof Lee.
To be eligible, students must be Malaysian citizens aged below 25 as at Jan 1,2021, she said.
Monash University Malaysia president and pro vice-chancellor Prof Andrew Walker said the Star Education Fund has paved the way for the varsity to promote world-class education in Malaysia.
“Our goal is to aid exemplary students in their education by presenting them with opportunities that would not otherwise have been possible due to their circumstances.
“Our students are taught by excellent academics who are involved in cutting-edge research and innovation. A partnership with the Star Education Fund enables us to lend a helping hand to merit students to make a difference in their lives, ” he said.
The RCSI & UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC) is offering a full scholarship to enable a deserving student who might not have the opportunity to afford a high-quality medical degree course to pursue his or her dream. This year, the varsity’s scholarship is worth RM680,000, its chief executive officer and registrar Prof Dr David Whitford said.
Potential scholars, he said, must gain a minimum of 3As in A-Levels or STPM and write two short essays that are graded by two faculty members to assess their critical thinking.
“They will then undergo an admissions interview followed by an interview with three members of RUMC academic staff.
“This is a challenging interview to identify their ability to think critically. The university partnered with the Star Education Fund to expand the diversity of applicants for our scholarships, ” he added.
Sunway Education Group chief executive officer Prof Elizabeth Lee said the varsity is looking for all-rounded candidates with academic and extracurricular excellence.
Students who are in need of financial aid are their main priority, she said.
“We look for quality candidates whom we believe have a lot of potential and talent. The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation has been providing scholarships to deserving students through the Sunway Education Group throughout the years.
“We believe a good education is the best hope for a better future and this is epitomised by our scholarship recipients. All youths deserve a chance for good quality education.
“There is much potential which can be tapped given the right opportunity and through our participation with the Star Education Fund, we can reach out to more youths nationwide, ” she said, adding that the varsity has gained a wider audience through The Star.
University of Nottingham Malaysia registrar Patrick Joseph said the varsity wants to make education accessible to deserving students and is offering nine scholarships amounting to a total of RM1,032,200.
“Everyone has the right to education which opens doors for a brighter future.
“We want to provide students with a quality education that prepares them to thrive in a future without borders.
“We look for attributes such as leadership skills and a passion for their chosen course, students with enquiring minds who are confident, able to identify their strengths and areas of growth, demonstrate agility and strive to be future-ready and those who are willing to contribute towards society, ” he added.
