All scholars are the same? 3 S’porean scholarship recipients address common stereotypes people have of them

Every year, hundreds, if not thousands, of applicants apply for government scholarships hoping for the chance to secure full funding for their tertiary studies.

While Singapore has a longstanding history with scholars, it’s important to note that the scholarship landscape now is vastly different from how it was in the past.

For example, between 2019 to 2021, less than half of the Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarships were awarded to students from top tier junior colleges like Raffles Institution or Hwa Chong Institution.

This is a significant decrease from the period between 2012 to 2018, where more than 60 per cent of scholarships were given to students from these schools.

Conversely, there has been an increase in the number of Singaporean students from polytechnics who received government scholarships across the board from one per cent to five percent previously, to six per cent to 10 per cent in recent years.

But while the scholarship landscape in the country might have changed over time to be more inclusive and diverse, the impressions most Singaporeans have of the scholarship landscape might not necessarily reflect that change.

We spoke to three Singaporean recipients of the Smart Nation Scholarship to find out what they had to say about some common stereotypes Singaporeans have of scholars.

The Smart Nation Scholarship, first launched in 2018, provides funding for post-tertiary students to pursue relevant disciplines and contribute to Singapore’s Smart Nation efforts.

Here’s what they said.

Not all scholarship recipients are from the same mould

23-year-old Seh Xin Ru is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Computing in Information Security at the National University of Singapore.

Growing up, Xin Ru came from a low-income family and relied on bursaries and scholarships to help fund her studies.

She also attended polytechnic after her secondary education.

While Xin Ru considers herself privileged to have secured her university education with a scholarship, she does not consider herself ‘elite’ in any way.

“We don’t all come from the same mould. We are simply people who strived for what we wanted and what we believed in. All with different stories, different struggles but ended up at the same place.”

Like Xin Ru, 24-year-old Lee Penn Han points out that he did not come from “top-tier schools” growing up, although he can understand why some Singaporeans may have this perspective of scholars.

“There are people privileged to receive opportunities to expose and nurture themselves and there is a consensus that many scholars come from “better” schools. However, this is, by no means, a selection criterion for scholarship recipients.”

According to Penn Han, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Computing at the National University of Singapore, scholars are expected to possess the aptitude and capability to contribute towards their organisation, regardless of background.

23-year-old Lee Wei Jie, who is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science at the University of Michigan, concurs.

“I think that scholarships value applicants from diverse backgrounds, and look for more than (just) aptitude - the interests and fit a scholar has for the agency or scholarship is very important, too.”

Additionally, Wei Jie says scholars are not all from the same mould, and many have different backgrounds and strengths.

“The scholarship landscape today is very different from the past with a greater variety of scholarships, and I would encourage students who are doubting if a scholarship may be suitable for them to take a closer look at it and to talk to current or past scholars to better understand their experiences.”

Facing challenges head on, both aptitude and attitude matters

When asked about the perception that scholars have a “paved” way in the civil service once they start their bond, all three begged to differ.

According to Xin Ru, having a scholarship might pave a way at the start and yield a more direct career path as scholars are expected to serve a bond for a few years after graduation.

For example, Xin Ru will be placed on the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA)’s Cybersecurity Development Programme (CSDP) upon graduation where she will hone her skills in technical and non-technical domains, making her an all-rounded cybersecurity professional.

However, this is not to say that scholars will not face challenges.

Xin Ru feels that rather than generalising the experiences of all scholars, one’s career is highly dependent on an individual’s aptitude and attitude.

Similarly, Penn Han feels that scholars are treated similarly to other staff members and do not have an easier time at work.

“In my two internships with Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), I was given real life projects to work on with the same level of expectations as other staff members. I also believe that for IMDA, scholars and graduates that join the company will all be put into the same Associate in Infocomm Media graduate development programme regardless. So that’s probably a level playing field for everyone to contribute and develop equally.”

Wei Jie agrees, stating that scholars are evaluated and undergo performance reviews just like everyone else.

Why they applied for the Smart Nation Scholarship

Wei Jie applied for the Smart Nation scholarship as he was excited about creating meaningful technology for Singaporeans.

He also found the many opportunities to interact with his peers and other tech professionals appealing.

“There is also a lot of flexibility when it comes to our future career path as we get to rotate across the different technology tracks.”

Most importantly, the scholarship helped Wei Jie understand the direction he wanted to take in his career through conversations with colleagues and mentors at GovTech.

“This helped me calibrate the courses and direction I was taking in my studies to better fit the kind of career I wanted.”

Similarly, Penn Han applied for the Smart Nation scholarship as he was looking for opportunities in the tech industry.

“I specifically chose IMDA as IMDA’s role in Singapore’s tech industry is multi-faceted, both as a regulator and an enabler. Therefore, I felt that projects that the organisation will lead would be very interesting and future-forward ones.”

Through compulsory internships with companies as part of his scholarship requirement, Penn Han was able to experience the expectations of a full-time tech project and develop professionally in terms of technical experiences.

On the other hand, Xin Ru applied for the Smart Nation scholarship to finance her studies and at the same time, pursue her passion in cybersecurity.

“The scholarship solved my financial issues and allowed me to continue learning about my passion – Information Security.”

With a life goal to give back with what she can, Xin Ru felt that the Smart Nation scholarship was an all-win solution to what she wanted to achieve.

“I applied for the Smart Nation Scholarship because it gave me financial support to take up courses to upgrade my skills in cybersecurity. During my internship with CSA, I also got rare opportunities to attend meetings involving representatives of various countries and gained many insights from them. The sheer scale of operations in the civil service is not something I can experience with other scholarships. I hope to be able to use these experiences and skills and contribute back in protecting Singapore’s cyberspace.”

While Penn Han, Xin Ru, and Wei Jie might have had different motivations for applying for the Smart Nation Scholarship, all three have similar advice for those thinking of applying for the scholarship.

Penn Han recommends the scholarship to individuals who are passionate about joining the tech industry and, at the same time, want to be involved in projects that will benefit Singaporeans and Singapore.

Likewise, Wei Jie and Xin Ru both recommend the scholarship to those who are “creative problem solvers”, as well as those with a “thirst to learn and grow, no matter how much you know.”

To find out more about the Smart Nation Scholarship, click here.

This sponsored article by CSA, GovTech and IMDA helped this writer address some common stereotypes Singaporeans have of scholars.