"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."- John Dewey.
From the job market to tertiary education, from UPSR to A-Levels, Education in Malaysia focuses on bringing you the latest news and analysis on our nation's best bet on the future.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Agong Scholarship
For those who are below 30 and want to pursue a Masters or a PhD, check out the Agong scholarship. 12 scholarships, 6 for Masters programs and 6 for PhD programs, are up for grabs. Deadline is 6th of August, 2008. Good luck!
For Phd, the financial support is for 3 years. They expect you to get into Ivy League universities where the average finishing period for a phd is more than 3 years ...
Most departments at top schools are quite generous with funding (compared to other schools). Most of the time, even humanists will have five (academic) years of guaranteed funding of one kind or another with further access to summer, conference and travel funding possible.
Note also that most fellowships such as NSF, NDSEG etc. are also only for three years (if I remember correctly). What sometimes happens in this case is that the university can 'mix-and-match' with the external agency.
For instance, if one receives internal Stanford funding in the form of an SGF (sgf.stanford.edu) and also an NSF (both lasting for three years), you can delay one of them such that in the end you get funded for a total of five or six years, which should take you almost to the end in most fields. Many people who have done things like this.
So finally there is nothing wrong with the scholarship being three years as long as JPA is willing (like the NSF etc.) to play 'mix-and match' with the universities AND also if they don't require people to return right away because most people take 5-10. (Do they require this?)
Personally though, if one has been accepted to a top school in the US, normally enough sources of funding available that I would not accept anything that came with a bond.
What is the purpose of this programme, in any case? I don't see the point from the JPA's point of view to be honest.
Is this a fair system? Fair without considering ur race, colour, etc? Do u think a chinese can get scholarship if he/she is good enough to be eligible to get it?
1) Just a few points of clarification. 6 of the scholarships are given to those on Masters programs. It's difficult to get funding for these programs even in US universities.
2) Only a small % of potential applicants from Malaysia can ever hope to get into a top US school for a PhD program which is fully funded. So, the target of this scholarship are the rest who might get into a US program which is not fully funded or a program in the UK or Australia which are mostly non funded.
3) Correct me if I'm wrong, but as non-US citizens or PRs, we're not eligible to apply for certain scholarships. I think the NSF is one of them.
1) You are quite right about the masters programmes. I was mostly reacting to the comment by Tek Seang.
2) Hmm...I suppose it depends what they mean then by 'Ivy League dan setaraf'. Generally these programmes are funded one way or another, you are right that there are probably some that are not. After all my experience is limited to the US and to some extent France.
3) You are also right about this. I was referring to internal university funding such as the SGF. I was trying to draw a comparison between the Agong scholarship and NSF, not to say that one can have both at the same time. (Clearly one cannot.)
I managed to get a place to do my master in cambridge university. However, no funding is available yet. I was rejected by bank negara and jpa. My last resort will be the Agong's scholarship. In what ways i can better my chance of getting this scholarship? I really have no qualms attending the boot camp.
People (bumi and nonbumi) who believe that they are qualified to apply for this scholarship SHOULD apply. Be positive about it and apply. If you don't bother to apply for the scholarship, then you do yourself injustice and have no right to complain.
I know a number of nonbumi graduates (Bachelor degree holders) who successfully obtained Perdana scholarships to do their postgraduate degrees overseas.
Will the successful applicants be required to attend the BTN brain washing boot camp?
ReplyDeleteFor Phd, the financial support is for 3 years. They expect you to get into Ivy League universities where the average finishing period for a phd is more than 3 years ...
ReplyDeleteTek Seang,
ReplyDeleteMost departments at top schools are quite generous with funding (compared to other schools). Most of the time, even humanists will have five (academic) years of guaranteed funding of one kind or another with further access to summer, conference and travel funding possible.
Note also that most fellowships such as NSF, NDSEG etc. are also only for three years (if I remember correctly). What sometimes happens in this case is that the university can 'mix-and-match' with the external agency.
For instance, if one receives internal Stanford funding in the form of an SGF (sgf.stanford.edu) and also an NSF (both lasting for three years), you can delay one of them such that in the end you get funded for a total of five or six years, which should take you almost to the end in most fields. Many people who have done things like this.
So finally there is nothing wrong with the scholarship being three years as long as JPA is willing (like the NSF etc.) to play 'mix-and match' with the universities AND also if they don't require people to return right away because most people take 5-10. (Do they require this?)
Personally though, if one has been accepted to a top school in the US, normally enough sources of funding available that I would not accept anything that came with a bond.
What is the purpose of this programme, in any case? I don't see the point from the JPA's point of view to be honest.
Cheers,
Charis.
Is this a fair system?
ReplyDeleteFair without considering ur race, colour, etc?
Do u think a chinese can get scholarship if he/she is good enough to be eligible to get it?
I'd like to know whether it's bonded or not?
ReplyDeleteAnyone knows? Thanks...
Hey Charis,
ReplyDelete1) Just a few points of clarification. 6 of the scholarships are given to those on Masters programs. It's difficult to get funding for these programs even in US universities.
2) Only a small % of potential applicants from Malaysia can ever hope to get into a top US school for a PhD program which is fully funded. So, the target of this scholarship are the rest who might get into a US program which is not fully funded or a program in the UK or Australia which are mostly non funded.
3) Correct me if I'm wrong, but as non-US citizens or PRs, we're not eligible to apply for certain scholarships. I think the NSF is one of them.
Kian Ming,
ReplyDelete1) You are quite right about the masters programmes. I was mostly reacting to the comment by Tek Seang.
2) Hmm...I suppose it depends what they mean then by 'Ivy League dan setaraf'. Generally these programmes are funded one way or another, you are right that there are probably some that are not. After all my experience is limited to the US and to some extent France.
3) You are also right about this. I was referring to internal university funding such as the SGF. I was trying to draw a comparison between the Agong scholarship and NSF, not to say that one can have both at the same time. (Clearly one cannot.)
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI managed to get a place to do my master in cambridge university. However, no funding is available yet. I was rejected by bank negara and jpa. My last resort will be the Agong's scholarship. In what ways i can better my chance of getting this scholarship? I really have no qualms attending the boot camp.
ReplyDelete12 scholarships, under the name of Agong.
ReplyDeleteWoot, Malaysia indeed a ...... poor country.
People (bumi and nonbumi) who believe that they are qualified to apply for this scholarship SHOULD apply. Be positive about it and apply. If you don't bother to apply for the scholarship, then you do yourself injustice and have no right to complain.
ReplyDeleteI know a number of nonbumi graduates (Bachelor degree holders) who successfully obtained Perdana scholarships to do their postgraduate degrees overseas.
So please APPLY!