July 15, 2019

Many aspiring scholars and soon-to-be university applicants eagerly explored their academic options at The Straits Times Scholars’ Choice Scholarships & Top Universities Fair 2019 held on July 13.

With over 40 participating exhibitors ranging from local scholarship providers, prestigious universities and institutions to test preparation consultants, the fair was a convenient one-stop destination for students who are preparing for the next step of their academic journey.

Accompanied by their supportive parents, many of them also attended the seminars that were held throughout the day to draw insights and helpful information.

Kickstarting the whole series of seminars for the day was EducationUSA, on the topic 'Study in the U.S.'. Ms Zehra Ratani, 40, director at EducationUSA, said: “This is certainly a great event where the alumni can provide firsthand experience and details on funding opportunities. More importantly, the universities from major countries are all gathered in one place for people to get all the information they need easily."

Mr Ng Qi Xuan, 19, a second-year student from Nanyang Junior College said: "The fair has given me a greater understanding on how to select a suitable higher institute of learning and I think that the seminars are informative and concise, giving us a sense of what options are available and the necessary requirements. The speakers were also very engaging."

Scholarship providers at the fair included household names like Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Changi Airport Group, Smart Nation Scholarship, Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), Ministry of Home Affairs, MOH Holdings, Singapore-Industry Scholarship (SgIS), and the Singapore Police Force.

Prestigious US universities such as Brown University, Princeton University, and University of California-Berkeley also took part in the fair, alongside esteemed names from the UK and Australia such as the University of Sheffield, the University of Monash and the University of Melbourne.

Many fair-goers commented that they had gained valuable insight from firsthand experience shared by both current students and alumni who helped to manage the booths. One such student was a 19-year-old who is in his third year pursuing a Business Studies major at Ngee Ann Polytechnic.

He said, "I think the fair is really good because there are a lot of booths to visit and universities to choose from. I am interested to study at the University of Pennsylvania, and managed to get most of my answers at their booth simply by talking to the exhibitors."

Sharon Cheong, Head of Group Marketing at Singapore Press Holdings said, “We are happy that students and parents were actively engaged, as exhibitors shared valuable information and insight to help students navigate their academic roadmap. We would like to thank all attendees, exhibitors and partners who contributed to the success of Scholarships & Top Universities Fair 2019.”