How to Choose Among Multiple Scholarships

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If you are thinking of getting full-time study Singapore has many courses available via the SkillsFuture programme. However, if these courses are still beyond your financial means, there are scholarships that you can apply for so that you can still get the education you desire. One good example is the scholarship in Singapore for ITE graduates.

If you are faced with many scholarships to choose from, here are some tips so that you will be able to determine which scholarship is right for you.

1) Determine your career goals

It is important that you already have a set of career goals in mind prior to choosing your scholarship. Is it your goal to zoom straight up the corporate ladder to an executive position? Do you want to contribute to the success of the company? Perhaps you want to empower the leadership and employees of the company toward more civic-oriented causes? These are just some examples of career goals that you might have.

2) Research on the scholarship provider

Scholarships may be provided by educational institutions, government agencies or even private companies. It is important that you do a thorough research on the background, vision and mission of the provider. Are the provider’s goals the same or similar to yours? Do they have an organisational structure, culture or values that will allow for the fulfilment of these goals? Make a list of all of the scholarship providers that share your career goals.

3) Consider opportunities for career advancement

All scholarship providers also give opportunities for career advancement in the form of internships, actual workplace training through a mentor, or job rotations. If you are not afraid of taking risks or challenges, you might want to choose an organisation with a wide variety of functions. Exposure to various tasks both within the organisation and through job rotations with other companies will enable you to develop skills outside of your field of study. In addition, you will also learn how to adjust your working pace depending upon the working environment. Skills, flexibility and adaptability are abilities that you need to develop before you enter the working force full time.

4) Get feedback from others

Some of the best information that you can get about a scholarship provider is through communicating with individuals who have had experience with the organisation. Your parents may recommend a provider because they themselves received a scholarship from them. For more updated information, you can ask your teachers and senior students. Ask about the things you will learn and if you still need to take part time courses to augment what is being taught in the organisation. Inquire about the challenges you are likely to face, both in the classroom and workplace.

When you have multiple scholarships to choose from, always weigh your decisions carefully to ensure that you will be matched with the best scholarship provider.