Scholarship Programme
The UWCSEA Scholarship Programme provides access to the highest quality education for young people who otherwise might not have the privilege of educational choice, reinforcing UWCSEA’s commitments to both academic excellence and serving others.
Scholars and non-scholars alike discuss the political realities of their home countries, share traditions and develop lifelong friendships, with diverse points of view and life experiences helping to enrich learning and growth for all.
Who We Serve
Scholars are selected through the UWC National Committees, a network of more than 3,000 parent and community volunteers that works in 150 countries worldwide to identify young people with the promise and potential to make a positive impact. Scholars are selected on the basis of their intellectual curiosity, resilience, socio-economic need and proven, active commitment to making the world a better place.
UWCSEA’s scholars come from a wide range of backgrounds and often experience challenging life circumstances, including financial hardship and civil unrest. Several young scholars each year are internally displaced people, forced to flee their homes in the months or years prior to joining the College resulting in disruption to their educational journeys. With diversity as a core value, UWCSEA seeks to continue to identify scholars from new geographies, backgrounds and perspectives who can both benefit from the gift of a UWC education and bring new awareness, experience and depth to the College and our students.
As scholars approach graduation, they work with our UWCSEA university advisors to explore post-UWCSEA pathways, which in some cases include a gap year to give back to their communities and countries back home or to put their ideals into action. All scholars are eligible for higher education scholarships through the Shelby Davis Dare to Dream Scholarship Programme. A gift to support scholarships at UWCSEA therefore unlocks further investment in our students and truly sets them on a path to reaching their full potential and making a real difference in their communities.
Community voices
Perhaps the best way to show impact is through the stories and voices of our scholars themselves and the educators and donors who support them
After two years of enriching education, I have received the Donald Wehrung International Students Award from the University of British Columbia. If I could compare this opportunity to one thing, it would be to a blacksmith’s workshop where everyone’s dreams, aspirations, and ideas are deftly transformed into their physical equivalents. I am set up to achieve my goals, and that feels amazing. The UWCSEA scholarship opens doors to the greatest opportunities, and for that I am humbly grateful.
Sylvain Yabre, Scholar from Burkina Faso, Class of 2020
I am in the privileged position to experience daily the very special magic of bringing together talented young people of vastly divergent backgrounds and experiences. The impact of this richness of perspective and motivation on the community and each individual is profound - the learning in everyday conversations and shared moments cannot be taught in any classroom. From cooking traditional recipes from home to share with school friends to debating politics over dinner to rallying roommates to clean beaches on weekends; the impact is lifelong and life-changing.
Marcel Campbell, Director of Residential Life, East Campus.
As a scholar myself nearly 20 years ago, I'll be forever grateful for the UWC experience. I did not just receive a first class education, but also the opportunity to experience a wide range of cultures first hand, and understand how our different paradigms shape our views of current affairs in an increasingly globalised world. I learnt how to meaningfully connect with people from all over the world and gained the confidence to share and grow my own story and contributions along the way. These skills and qualities remain critical to my success today, and I feel passionately that others should have access to the same opportunity for transformative education - hence I am proud to give back to the Scholarship Programme.
Fredrik Fosse, Scholar, Class of 1992.
“I’m one of the lucky ones.”
Sreylin came to UWCSEA in 2013 on a five-year donor funded scholarship. She graduated in 2018 and is currently attending Davidson College (USA) and will graduate in 2022. Here’s the story of her UWCSEA journey. Read more
Can we put a video in the call out box?
UWCSEA has challenged me, taught me, changed me, transformed me, and will continue to stay with me as I graduate from this incredible school which took me out of my comfort zone and awakened me to become a globetrotting changemaker.
Caspar Oehlers ‘19, Scholar from Denmark
Scholarship programme in action
UWCSEA scholars live in our boarding houses, benefiting from the same far-reaching learning programme as all other UWCSEA students. They participate in all aspects of campus life, and take regular opportunities to reflect on their experience and share their journeys with other students and the broader community. Scholars regularly contribute to campus life and events, ranging from cultural exchanges for our youngest students to panel presentations at our annual Scholars Dinner, where scholars share their stories with other UWCSEA families over a globally-inspired, home cooked feast.
Funding Needs: What a Scholarship Provides
For scholars joining UWCSEA in 2021, each full scholarship will cost S$170,000, and supports a 2-year International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma education. This includes
- tuition fees
- boarding fees
- compulsory outdoor education and activity programme fees
- IB Diploma examination fees
- school supplies including a laptop and uniforms
- standard medical insurance
- allowance for other expenses and incidentals eg pocket money, paid activities
Scholarships also cover compulsory trips, standard medical insurance, and an allowance for other expenses and incidentals. We acknowledge the investment for an individual scholarship at UWCSEA is significant and we welcome other giving levels to our wider Scholarship Fund where supporters can join together to fund a student in need.
Opportunities for Engagement
As a Scholarship Programme donor, there are many ways to be involved, get to know our scholars, and see the impact of your gift in action. Supporters are invited to events, such as the annual Scholars Dinner, and can participate in programmes such as Home Away from Home, which offers the opportunity to invite a scholar or other boarding student to join your family for a meal at your home. Recognizing it may not be possible for all supporters to join in-person events, donors receive annual impact reports where scholars share their insights about life on campus, favourite courses and teachers, learnings that will stay with them, and plans post-graduation.
Find out more or donate to support our scholarship programme.
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