12,000 grants for SPM top scorers

2008/05/15

12,000 grants for SPM top scorers


KUALA LUMPUR: The Public Service Department (PSD) is offering 12,000 scholarships to outstanding students who sat the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination last year.

Of the total, 2,000 scholarships are offered under the foreign degree programme and another 10,000 under the local degree programme.

The list of successful applicants for the Foreign Degree Programme was posted on the PSD website on May 11.

Unsuccessful candidates have up to May 17 to submit their appeal online.

Of the 15,217 applicants who applied for scholarships under the foreign degree programme, 7,253 were called for interviews.

Selection was based on academic excellence (70 per cent), socio-economic background (10 per cent), performance at the interview (10 per cent) and co-curricular activities (10 per cent).

The PSD said that due to the limited number of scholarships available, a small number of academically-outstanding students was unsuccessful in its application.

However, students who gain admission to Ivy League-standard foreign universities would also be sponsored. Iinformation will be posted online at www.jpa.gov.my by early next month. Applications can also be made then.

Under the local degree programme, successful applicants will be sponsored to pursue diploma and degree courses in local institutions of higher learning.

It was announced yesterday that SPM holders are eligible for scholarships for diploma programmes. Those pursuing diploma, matriculation, Sijil Persekolahan Tinggi Malaysia and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia are eligible for degree programme scholarships.

Applicants for the programme must have secured an admission to a degree programme, and will be judged on academic excellence (80 per cent) and socio-economic background (20 per cent).