Every year we have the distinct privilege of compiling a School Choice Guide (SCG) for our readers. This special issue of our magazine is not only a comprehensive look at the state of international education in Beijing, it also acts as a compendium to our annual Jing International School Expo (JISE), so that parents and students are equipped to make the most out of their visits with principals and staff at the event, and ultimately find the best school for their family.
Due to COVID-19, we were unfortunately forced to delay JISE, however, our 2020-2021 School Choice Guide is available and jam-packed with information! Now is the perfect time to familiarize yourself with everything from the various curricula followed at different institutions, to the ways in which schools ensure that all their students receive an equitable education, no matter their learning needs.
For now, check out our feature on scholarships and learn how your student can get a leg up in the competition. Then pop over to our School Profiles Index and find out which Beijing international schools offer these valuable awards.
If you browsed our feature on school stats, then you’ll know tuition for an international education in Beijing can be, for some families, nothing short of prohibitive. Nevertheless, every child should be able to access a quality education regardless of economic standing, especially if they possess a precocious mind that would otherwise be stymied in a less challenging environment. Here at beijingkids, we have the honor of profiling diverse students who bring remarkable achievements to their schools and communities, and thus we can’t think of anything more unfortunate than a student who has the power to do great things, but lacks the resources.
Luckily, there’s a number of institutions which provide annual scholarship opportunities for both prospective and continuing students, to help ease the burden of a pricey school year.
To help you understand just what it takes to land one of these coveted awards, we spoke with Chuying W., a scholarship recipient from Beijing Huijia Private School, as well as Yanli Li, a faculty member who helps choose which applicants are deserving of the financial assistance.
Note:
Every school’s scholarship opportunities and requirements will vary, and these insights should only be taken as an example of one such process. Please consult with schools directly for more information.
Student Insight – Chuying W.
Which scholarship were you awarded?
I was awarded the bronze scholarship.
Why did you decide to apply for your scholarship?
I decided to apply for it because it feels great that I can get some rewards for the efforts I paid, and help my parents reduce some expenditure on my education. The more important reason is that the scholarship represents the school’s appreciation for my work, and it motivates me to work harder in the future.
Can you tell us a little about the application process?
First, I needed to decide which scholarship I wanted to apply for. Then, I filled in an application form to show my basic information. The form was finally given to the teachers and the school to check.
What does this scholarship mean to you?
It means that my efforts and work are appreciated by the school, and it feels great that I can achieve some goals through my hard work.
What advice do you have for other students who might be thinking about applying for a scholarship?
I would tell them to find a specific interest and work hard on it. The most important thing here is perseverance and dedication. You have to pay efforts for your interest, and it would be better if your interest can make others benefit from it.
What do you think helped you stand out from other applicants?
I did a lot of work to spread the knowledge of lumbar disc herniation through the Internet. I helped a lot of people learn how to prevent this disease and how to cure it. My work can be transferred into quantitative data, because the number of views of the original video I made about this disease exceeded 50,000. I think my achievement here is that I’ve really helped others through my work.
Faculty Insight – Yanli Li
What do you look for in a scholarship application?
There are different requirements of Huijia School Scholarship for different awards:
1. Academic awards: Academic performance is the main evaluation criteria, and daily learning performance and English level are particularly important. In addition, the comprehensive quality of students is also considered, such as a student’s leadership skills, organizational skills, communication skills, service awareness and sense of responsibility, etc.
2. Special awards: Emphasize students’ outstanding performance in various special fields, such as in literature, art, sports, technology, humanities, computers, artificial intelligence, scientific research, and innovation. All students with outstanding achievements in a certain area can apply for special scholarships.
Do you expect more from a student who is awarded a scholarship?
We hope that students who receive scholarships can continue to maintain excellent quality, set a good example, actively help and influence others, and encourage more students to join the team of outstanding learners.
What kinds of questions can a student expect to be asked during a scholarship interview?
Questions include: What kind of scholarship are you applying for? Why are you applying for a scholarship? Do you think you will apply successfully? Why?
On average, how many students apply for a scholarship in a given field?
At present, we provide about 80 students with different levels of awards in terms of scholarships each year. There are about 25 students who can get special awards, and are mostly concentrating on artistic creation, golf, ice hockey, artificial intelligence, computer programming, and other aspects.
Aside from getting a free or reduced tuition, what are the other advantages of being awarded a scholarship?
The school provides scholarships for outstanding grade 12 graduates to help them complete university studies better. For students with outstanding achievements in scientific research or innovation projects, the school provides certain project funds to help them complete their own research projects and innovation results.
What advice would you give to a student who’s thinking about applying for a scholarship?
We encourage all eligible students to apply for a school scholarship. Please get to know the scholarship policy in advance through the admissions office, and prepare related certification materials according to various evaluation standards. The submission must be completed before the application date set by our school.
This article appeared in the beijingkids 2020 School Choice Guide
Photos: Courtesy of Beijing Huijia Private School, beijingkids
