Sunday, February 05, 2006

United World College Scholarhips

There are many who have asked - what are the options for students who have just completed their SPM besides the traditional STPM, or 'A'-Levels. Well, there's the less conventional but increasingly popular International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, which I've yet to write about, which is also offered at the United World Colleges.

So if the picked up the Star Education today, you would see an article introducing the 12 United World Colleges (UWCs) around the world and the scholarships being made available for Malaysians.
For the academic year 2006-2008, Malaysia has been offered places for SPM/ International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) holders at UWC in Hong Kong, India, Norway, United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

Two places are offered at two new colleges: UWC Costa Rica and UWC Bosnia. For the first time this year, Malaysian students with good SPM or equivalent results can also apply for the UWC of the Adriatic in Italy with the view of specialising in Physics or Music at tertiary level.
Prospective candidates will need to know that the selection criterias are highly competitive and stringent and only students with "at least six distinctions at SPM or 50% A/A* at IGCSE with good co-curriculum records should apply."
Successful applicants must be committed to community service and have a passion for music, drama or sport. The selection process looks for candidates with an open mind and the personal qualities which will enable them to live and study for two years in an intensive multicultural environment.
For more information as well as application forms, you may contact the Malaysian National Committee secretariat at infomy@uwc.net or call +603 7880 5455/66.

For those interested in first hand accounts of experiences as a student at the UWCs should visit TinKosong. Nithiya, a current a first year at UWC-USA, New Mexico, wrote a nice little piece of his experience as well as providing a background to the history of UWCs.
... 200 students from over 90 countries in a setting that facilitates cultural, political, and socio-economic exchange. I’ve only been in the UWC-USA, New Mexico, for about 5 months, and my world-view has experienced an incredible shift. Imagine, walking to the cafeteria and sitting at a table with students from 6 other countries, discussing the latest elections results in Liberia, with each region bringing a completely different mode of thought, or, staying up till 2 in the morning discussing the virtues and pitfalls of Marxism. It’s all very intellectually stimulating.
One of co-hosts of TinKosong, Ng Eng Han is also currently a student at UWC-USA, has received his admission into Dartmouth College via early admission. He has also written a short piece on the IB diploma programme - what it's about and where it's offered - yes, it's actually offered in Malaysia as well.

The guys at TinKosong runs an active conversation thread at the site for any prospective students interested in finding out more information with regards to either the UWCs or IBs or for that matter, about getting into the top schools in the United States.

Good luck! And thanks to LYL for the alert.

4 comments:

Andrew Loh said...

Nithiya is a he. :)

Golf Afflicted said...

oops. updated :-)

Anonymous said...

IB is offered in malaysia but it is not opened to everyone like A-levels. Only those who are sponsored are likely to take this course ie JPA/Mara scholars etc.

Anonymous said...

I was told to refer here (which to my knowledge that I wasnt aware of this blog existence).

I can see a link for the application form is posted in your entry. But I think it would be more COMPLETE to link an application guideline (such as on how to fill up the form or whatever relevant documents to attach along with a completed form).

For this academic year 2006, the secretariat's office kept receiving non-completed form (no photos, no copies of relevant documents, etc). Most students think that THIS BLOG belongs to the UWC Malaysia National Committee. So, when one turns in to the office to submit their forms, they were asked for the relevant documents, and this will bring upset to them, since they have to come twice in order just to submit a completed form.

FROM THE SECRETARIAT'S OFFICE