Hello everyone! To start the year, my friend, Hairul had this idea to help our juniors out with their scholarship hunting after their SPM. Hence, I have gathered some information from my friends regarding their respective scholarship bodies and interview tips etc. We hope that by this, you are able to gain some insight on the scholarship which you wish to attain. Some of them may be super informative, some of them may only give you a glimpse of their experience. Hence, if you want to ask questions or need the contacts of the scholars who wrote for their respective scholarship bodies in this post personally, just leave a comment below this post! 😊
Mind you that these are from my friends and I avoid editing them to make it more - authentic, I guess?
Kijang Emas Scholarship by Adeebah Razif
What's the scholarship that you have attained?
Bank Negara Kijang Emas
What's your course?
Biomedical engineering
Interview process?
- The Kijang and Kijang Emas applications are open shortly after SPM results so be aware when it’s available. Also, it’s only open for only about a week and it will probably be the first scholarship interview that you will attend.
- Before Kijang Academy (which is the name of the scholarship assessment camp), in the online application you’re required to write a timed essay (for not more than 250 words I think) about the course that you’re interested in, why you like it, how you can contribute in that field and why BNM should choose you.
- After a week or so I received a phone call from BNM and they did a short phone interview (haha scary). Not everyone will get a call from them though.
- Then, they will send you an email to ask for you to attend Kijang Academy (3 days and 2 nights).
- 2 stages: Group assessment (Day 1) and individual interview (Day 2).
- Group assessment:
o had ice breaking games with the assessors (employees of BNM). Then, we were given a situation and had to think of ways to solve the problem. Didn’t really go well as the group had lack of communication and agreement. Plus, the time limit was extremely short so it was pressuring.
o After that, there was another group activity where we had to plan something given the quotas in certain aspects. Teamwork improved although the results produced weren’t as great as we expected. In the end, there weren’t any right or wrong answers; rather, your active participation in the team was evaluated discreetly.
o Then, our group combined with the other Kijang Emas teams after lunch. We were again separated into 3 distinct groups based on common career interests. I was the only girl in the engineering team HAHAH. Our task is to promote our field via any method. My team did like an interactive play that connects the roles of different engineering disciplines while the other 2 teams did presentations on applications of law and common misconceptions of studying medicine.
o Finally, we went back to our original group and did the last task: a tower made of a deck of cards with certain requirements and it cannot topple when people try to shake the table (the tasks change every year but the idea of this activity is still the same). Our teamwork peaked off here. Everyone had a job to do and our team was the only group whose tower didn’t collapse.
* Oh and after every session, they will ask us to review our efforts and list the things that can be improved
- On the night of Day 1, all participants gathered in a hall after dinner. Then, the scholarship management team announced the names of those who passed the group stage. These people will go through the individual assessment. It was nerve-racking, as if we were in America’s Next Top Model HAHAHA
- Individual interview:
o It was for approximately 30 minutes. Since Kijang Emas scholars aren’t bonded to the bank, they won’t ask you anything concerning the bank much. We were required to present a topic out of the three given with mah-jong paper for a certain time. They will allow you to draft out your ideas with the mah-jong paper for some time. After that, they will take it away from you until your session.
o After the presentation, they will ask you some critical thinking questions. I honestly thought I did quite badly for the presentation part but I didn’t let that bring me down throughout the whole interview.
o They asked about my course of interest, a little background about my family and generally, yourself. Kijang Emas interviews are more interested in you and your visions.
o This part of the interview was more relaxing to me as the way they interact with you is quite casual.
How did you prepare for your interview?
- I made sure that I know exactly what I want to do in the future: what it is, its prospects and what it can benefit to Malaysia.
Benefits of the scholarship?
- Freedom to pursue any career you wish to. You can also consider studying in the US even though you’re bonded to the UK provided you meet the necessary requirements.
Any extra tips?
- Be friendly to everyone!!
- You do not need to boast your achievements around to be in the “game”
- Know exactly what course you want to do
QAI's note: For Kijang scholarship, just click here and it will direct you to my own experience on how I attained the scholarship.
Yayasan Khazanah by Syabil Hud
What Scholarship did you Attain?
Yayasan Barack
Obama (Khazanah)
What Course?
Engineering
What's the process?
During my
time there were 5 stages. The first two involved online computer tests. The
questions were relentless, sometimes nak muntah because banyak sangat. They
tested your Mathematics at a rudimentary level but combined with the pressure
of having to do a huge amount of it at such a short time indicated that they
did intend to make it difficult. Apart from that, there were also tests that
assessed your personality and cognitive process. To my knowledge, the questions
change every year. The third stage comprised of three parts; a group interview
session, an individual case study and lastly an individual interview. The
fourth stage and the fifth stage were also individual interviews; with the
Managing Director and one of the Board respectively.
What did you do to prepare?
Know yourself. Of course, you’d have to compile all those certificates you’ve achieved throughout years in high school, but merely becoming the best debater is nothing if everyone in the room is also the best debater in some other competition. What makes you unique, what hurdles did you have to overcome, how that achievement developed you, that is what matters. Have you also helped other individuals to achieve that goal? For example, you may have shared that knowledge by guiding fledgling debaters. Build a story around it. Aside from that, know what you want to become in the future. Say you want to be an investment banker. Prove them you have what it takes to be one. What are your goals after getting a degree? Do you want to open your own firm? Or would you rather become the CEO of J.P. Morgan or Goldman Sachs? Set a clear and burning goal for your interviewers so that they can visualise it, a vision so bright that they’ll regret not bringing a pair of shades. Convince them that you have a deep interest in what you’re pursuing. Finally, remember that in the end you’ll be obliged to contribute back to society. I think any honest man can think of ways of how that can be achieved. Most people would tell you to be yourself, but you would have to know yourself beforehand in order to reach that level.
What are the benefits of the scholarship?
Know yourself. Of course, you’d have to compile all those certificates you’ve achieved throughout years in high school, but merely becoming the best debater is nothing if everyone in the room is also the best debater in some other competition. What makes you unique, what hurdles did you have to overcome, how that achievement developed you, that is what matters. Have you also helped other individuals to achieve that goal? For example, you may have shared that knowledge by guiding fledgling debaters. Build a story around it. Aside from that, know what you want to become in the future. Say you want to be an investment banker. Prove them you have what it takes to be one. What are your goals after getting a degree? Do you want to open your own firm? Or would you rather become the CEO of J.P. Morgan or Goldman Sachs? Set a clear and burning goal for your interviewers so that they can visualise it, a vision so bright that they’ll regret not bringing a pair of shades. Convince them that you have a deep interest in what you’re pursuing. Finally, remember that in the end you’ll be obliged to contribute back to society. I think any honest man can think of ways of how that can be achieved. Most people would tell you to be yourself, but you would have to know yourself beforehand in order to reach that level.
What are the benefits of the scholarship?
Support and
guidance in your academic journey (e.g. extra tuition for SAT students taking A
levels too)
Decent bond duration (5 years, one of the most bearable ones)
Reasonable allowance, in Malaysia and abroad
Healthcare benefits
A wide array of employers to choose from once you graduate
Be part of a close-knit community, a family that matters
Cool pendrives, notebooks, T-shirts etc. that make other scholars envy you
Decent bond duration (5 years, one of the most bearable ones)
Reasonable allowance, in Malaysia and abroad
Healthcare benefits
A wide array of employers to choose from once you graduate
Be part of a close-knit community, a family that matters
Cool pendrives, notebooks, T-shirts etc. that make other scholars envy you
EXTRA TIPS
Getting the
scholarship is barely half the journey. The scholarship is not your final goal,
it’s a path for you to reach the ultimate achievement of whatever you have in
mind. Be prepared to shoulder the responsibilities and challenges that await.
P/S you may
have noticed the sub-titles to be quite vulgar, they are all banter and I
remind you to redact them before being published.
Syabil Hud, ladies and gentlemen.
JPA Top 20 interview and Bursary by Asyiqin Halim
Top 20 Interview (Penajaan Nasional (PPN)
Course : NOT for ppl who want Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering.
Courses offered are only Economics, Accountancy, Political Science, Law, Psychology, International relations
Interview : The iv goes the same way as other JPA ivs for luar negara (Program Kejuruteraan ke Jepun, Germany etc). There'll be an IQ test followed by a group iv. 1 group = 5 ppl and is a mixture of JPA interviewees (JPA Nasional and JPA Kejuruteraan to Japan, Germany etc). It's just questions and there are no group activities or whatnot.
Iv preparation : Read a lot abt our country, education, development, current issues, health, economy, sports. Try doing IQ tests to exercise your minds. Make sure tht appropriate documents are completed.
Extra Tips : Know a lot of general knowledge esp abt our country (bcs JPA is the government's) and how to help build the country etc. Other than that, I cant think of more extra tips bcs basically it's just like a normal Q&A iv, nothing extraa :)
JPA Bursary
Course : Medicine (MBBS) . Also offered for Pharmacy, Dentistry, Engineering, Architecture, Sc and Tech, Social Sciences)
Interview : There's basically no interview, it's for all who got 9A+ and above.
Info : Bursary is only for pre-u (foundation, Alvls, IB etc) and if you continue to meet certain requirements from yr pre-u results, only then will JPA continue sponsoring you for degree in which they call Lepasan Bursary :)
You dont need to get straight A+, as long as you have at least 9A+, you'd be qualified for it.
Benefits :
We aren't fixed to colleges or universities our sponsoring body chooses for us. JPA gives us the privilege of choosing our own desired universities and course, all of those are basically up to us (provided they are in the list of JPA's certified uni).
Syiqin is now studying Foundation in Biological Sciences. Here are some details about this course:
Foundation in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (towards Medics and BioMedical Sciences course) (NUMed)
Suitable for those who are set on choosing these courses and have interest in them. Bcs it gives a wide exposure into the medical and biomedical world even in the foundation stage. (( For those who are not planning to continue overseas. For those who are, then it's better to take IB, Alvls, Ausmat etc.))
What we learn are almost similar to normal asasi sains hayat (Bio, Physics, Chem), but with a few differences:
1. We dont learn plant biology. It's mostly abt human biology, but more detailed. The anatomy, systems, how dysfunctions can cause diseases and their treatments are taught too. We are also exposed to the ways of using medical equipments.
2. In physics, we learn abt the physics of our body (the physics behind bloodflow, joint movements etc), how external factors affect the physics inside, etc.
3. We also learned and used apparatus and technologies abt molecular techniques used in research to help w our research career later on.
4. English, besides from normal syllabus, scientific and medical abbreviations and jargons are taught too. We also learn abt the ethics of being a dr etc.
5. Maths and Stats; besides it being normal maths, we are also taught abt statistics and the operation of statistical softwares which would be beneficial in research career later on.
6. Our assignments are mostly medical-related (eg writing papers abt certain conditions,diseases or medical technology) so it's pretty interesting.
Petronas Scholarship by Farah Farzana
What's the scholarship that you have attained?
I was awarded the Petronas scholarship.
What's your course?
Economics, I am currently doing my A-Levels in Kolej Tuanku Jaafar, Negeri Sembilan for 2 years and will be pursuing my degree in the United Kingdom for 3 years. I'll be graduating in the year 2021 and then continue to serve my bond with Petronas for a minimum of 5 years. Since this is actually a sponsorship I have to go through an interview and get hired by them, I'd have to pay back 20% of everything if I fail to do so.
Interview process?
The interview process that I had to go through consisted of 3 stages all together.
The first one was applying for the scholarship itself. This is pretty straightforward and self explanatory.
The second stage comes after I received an invitation to attend what is called the "Petronas Youngstars Day", PYD for short. The whole process happened at different venues, mine was in KDU but Taylor's Uni is also one of the venues and not everyone was interviewed on the same day. Upon arriving, we were given a short briefing on what to expect for that day. The first half of the day, we went through 2 computer tests in a computer lab. The first one being the personality test followed by a thinking skills assessment (TSA). The TSA challenges your critical thinking and some KBAT mathematics questions but it has nothing to do with any of the SPM syllables. The result of that stage was announced on the same day because only those who pass will be moving onto the next stage, which took up the second half of the day.
The third stage was a case study. We were separated into groups and they gave out a question (the questions were different for each day, so asking a friend for it wouldn't help that much). The idea is to reach only one tangible solution and present it to the assessors.
Petronas will text you if you are chosen as a scholar or you can always check their student portal.
How did you prepare for your interview?
Google helped me tremendously. For every interview it's the same drill, in my opinion. Besides knowing the current issues and forming your own solid opinions on it, knowing the company through and through will definitely help. Know what they're doing, where they're doing it (because Petronas is rather global) and force yourself to memorise the basics and foundations of the company.
I also asked my seniors for tips and moral support because talking to someone always help.
Benefits of the scholarship?
Petronas organises a lot of camps/activities for the scholars! It's fun because Petronas sends their scholars to 6 different universities/colleges (KTJ, KDU, KYUEM, Taylor's University, Taylor's College and UTP) so getting together is always a blast. We might not be as tight knitted as other scholars since each batch consists of more than 300 students and it's hard to get to know everyone but I made my fair share of friends from all the other universities/colleges and networking is crucial. Besides, the camps definitely help enhance our strengths and help us become a greater person as a whole.
You might be placed into universities/colleges you didn't expect. Like I said previously Petronas sends their scholars to 6 different institutions. Sure some courses are bound to go to the same institution and country like how all law students (for my batch) are doing their A-Levels in KDU to go to the UK and all actuarial science students are doing ADP in Taylor's University to go to the US but Petronas puts you in an environment that they think is the most conducive for you based on the personality test. So you might find yourself in Subang Jaya or maybe somewhere in the remote area of Lembah Beringin.
Any extra tips?
Stay alert of the closing dates of scholarship applications. I highly recommend afterschool.my, they are always the quickest to update about scholarships and check out lukmankhiruddin on twitter because he is an education consultant (read his blog/thread first before asking any questions, someone else might asked it already!).
Know what you want to pursue. That way it's easier to apply for scholarships and to answer the typical "why do you want to pursue this" questions.
Prep yourself well. Know your stuff. I read blogs about previous interviews and they all had a similar pattern but it turned out to be different for my batch. The assessors didn't asked us about current issues. The questions were very closely related to Petronas so reading about Petronas' current activities and endeavours helped me out a lot.
Be a leader but also a follower. Know when you have to take actions but also know when you have to give in and accept others' opinions because sometimes other people may have better ideas than yours and sometimes that's okay.
Be positive! If you manage to attain a scholarship, congratulations! If you don't, that's fine! Be happy for those who did and keep your chin up, buttercup!
All the best.
Maybank Scholarship by Amirrul Ariff
What's the scholarship that you have attained?
Maybank FoundationWhat's your course?
Foundation in arts, degree in accounting n finance
Interview process?
1st stage: Two online tests.
1 to test your comprehension. You have to read and answer questions.
Another one is kind of a math test but more towards understanding skills.
2nd stage: Individual interview
More of a get-to-know session.
3rd stage: Individual presentation & group discussion
Individual presentation, a case study will be given with a problem and a few solutions. There'll be only a short time to read, to choose a solution and to write your presentation. You're the executive and you'll have to present to the CEO (more like acting)
Group discussion, after the presentation you just have to discuss with a few other executives to come up with one solution in front of the judges.
How did you prepare for your interview?
-prayed A LOT cuz you need god
-research about how to present ideas
-practice, practice n practice
Benefits of the scholarship?
-$$$$ one of the highest allowance, they give allowance for 6 months lamsam $$$$
-you'll get a laptop
-Maybank provides local & OVERSEAS internship programs before working with them (with their overseas branches)
-lots of other programs to develop your skills
-short bonding periods (3yrs local grads, 5yrs overseas grads)
-you can choose where you want to study (anywhere in their list)
Any extra tips?
1st stage: you DON'T need to answer all of them just make sure you give as much RIGHT answers as you can so don't rush too much
2nd stage: DO NOT FORGET THEIR NAMES CAUSE I DID. just convince them that you're worth giving their money to. Convince them what you can contribute to them n country.
Convince them with your qualities and prove it and with what you're going to study and what you wanna be. Just ask questions, anything at all. P. S. tell them something they might not know like Malaysia needs 60000 accountants by 2020 so I wanna be an accountant
3rd stage:
Individual presentation; don't forget company names, vision. Don't forget the currency too.
Make sure your solution is relevant to the company vision.
Keep your presentation as SIMPLE as you can.
Try to explain it in a chronological order like story telling.
It's like acting so you better act the part. Just act while story telling.
Compare your solution to other solutions.
Group discussion; write notes when you're studying the case. admit if you're wrong. If you think your solution is better just explain as best as you can. Suggest solutions that's best for the long run and prove it.
Other tips? Say things like 'may I sit?', 'do you mind if I put this here?', 'if I may..', 'sorry it won't happen again' because why not? They'll only give it to you if they think you're pleasant to work with no matter how smart or good you are. No one wants to work with a selfish, inconsiderate, rude n bossy jerk.
Other tips? Say things like 'may I sit?', 'do you mind if I put this here?', 'if I may..', 'sorry it won't happen again' because why not? They'll only give it to you if they think you're pleasant to work with no matter how smart or good you are. No one wants to work with a selfish, inconsiderate, rude n bossy jerk.
Yayasan Peneraju by Adam KZ
PROFESSIONAL
ACCOUNTING & YAYASAN PENERAJU SCHOLARSHIPS
Hi there. My name is Adam, a
first-year student in a professional certificate in accounting, or famously
known as Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) in Sunway College before
proceeding to Association of Certified Chartered Accountant (ACCA). The overall
course took me 4 whole years, and as it rewards me with a professional
qualification (which, most of you had known its superiority above degree
qualifications), I think it is a worthwhile journey to take. I’m writing this
article to share to you about my course in general, and what scholarship I took
to pursue this path.
At this point, I assume you had
understood the term ‘accounting’. If you had not heard about this word before,
accounting simply can be defined as ‘the art of financial reporting’. An
accountant records numbers of cash in and out of a business, ranging from small
retail store and large multinational corporations. At the end of the year,
he/she interpret the numbers and report it to the company in an understandable
manner, so that they know whether their business is making profit or not.
Because accountant is generally needed in any business & company, I can say
that this job is ever-growing and ever-demanding.
The word ‘professional’ distinguish
such accountant with the normal one. A professional accountant – usually qualified
by international bodies like ACCA or ICAEW – are generally presumed as having
more expertise, therefore are able to work in more diverse work environment.
They are usually trained in accounting firms like The Big Four (you can Google
it out) for a specific period of time as a requirement to qualify.
As ‘professional’ as it seems, you
can expect how the study environment looks like. You will learn a lot in a
short amount of time. There will be lots of accounting concepts and methods to
grasp. Moving on a higher level, you will learn some economics and tax
principles (a lot actually). And yes, this usually comes with tasks and
homework. It is important for you to catch up all the lectures so that you are
not missed out.
But don’t worry, it all gets paid
off in the end. After all, you’ll get the best out of what you struggle the
most, right?
I myself took Accounting Principles
in Form 4 because I’m scared of Biology. My interest towards this subject grew
as time went by. Little that I know that this is my future path. Months after
SPM, I went to the Star Education Fair and I came across this scholarship. An
organization under the Prime Minister Department named Yayasan Peneraju offered
scholarships for professional accounting to be pursued in renowned institutions
(Sunway and INTEC). The offer is posted and updated at their website, www.yayasanpeneraju.com.my . You can register
directly at the website. During my time, the minimum requirement to apply is 5A
in SPM, with minimum A in English and Mathematics.
So I registered and some weeks
later, an e-mail from them arrived at my inbox, calling me for assessment session.
It tests for basic English and Mathematics skills. And then there was an
interview session. You are asked on why you choose this offer, what are your
dreams etc. Long story short, I passed the interview sessions and here I am.
In terms of preparations, you have
to properly arrange your certificates. And the most crucial aspects is
communication. Learn to speak properly and try not to be nervous in front of
the interviewer. This may sound cliché but that’s it. Be confident. Do not
afraid of getting wrong. Show your effort to get this scholarship and don’t
forget to pray. Insya-Allah, He will grant you what’s best for you.
I’m lucky to be a part of Yayasan
Peneraju. Apart from the study (and allowance, yay!), this scholarship provides
me with self-development program and valuable talks and sessions. There are
camps occasionally. We also had weekly ‘usrah’ session that comprises of talks
and sharing on Islamic knowledge that helps to – you know – guide you.
And what’s important about this scholarship is
that it groups you, not as competing individuals, but as one family that
improves and completes each other.
So if you think the word
‘professional accountant’ suits you, go for this scholarship. It might be
tiring, stressful and exhausting, but at the end, it certainly will worth it.
Thanks for reading.
p/s: FOLLOW MY TWITTER I’LL FOLLOW
YOU BACK
QAI's note: Bapak ah, batak followers sia.
Yayasan Tenaga Nasional by Athirah Atiqah
1. What’s the scholarship that you have attained?
- Yayasan Tenaga Nasional (YTN)
2. What’s your course?
- Economics
3. Interview process?
a. We were given a brief explanations about the scholarship and TNB itself.
b. A piece of paper with basic questions was given.
(Be as honest as possible since this will be used during the interview afterwards)
o How do you spend your days after SPM
o Biggest achievement
o Highest position in school
o Etc.
c. They will call each candidate one by one, according to the list they had given out earlier. You’ll be alone with three interviewers.
o I was asked to act since I told them I was in the drama team for TGB.
o I screamed my lungs out because again, I told them I was the commander of JPAM.
d. DONE!!
4. How did you prepare for your interview?
- Made a research about TNB, YTN and all the important people in it 
Really important since they would ALWAYS ask “How well do you know TNB?”
- Read other people’s experience in YTN’s interview specifically through blogs. Just google “YTN scholarship interview” and there will be at least 5 posts about them.
- Googled about economics and even watched Youtube videos to get clearer explanation. At least know the basic of the course that you’re applying to since they’d love to see how interested you are in learning them.
5. Benefits of the scholarship?
- Secured jobs with TNB for at least 6 years, most of the scholars usually will get permanent job.
- They’ll still sponsor you for Masters if you want, with a CGPA of 3.50 in degree.
6. Extra tips
- Be EXTRA prepared. (Why YTN, Why ECONOMICS, Why USA etc)
- Practice your body posture, shake hands when you get in.
- Speak English ALL THE TIME eventhough they ask questions in Malay.
- Dress nicely ;)
UEM Scholarship by Amani Aqeela
MARA Scholarships (there's loads of 'em!)
MARA Program Khas by Halimah Hakimah (currently studying IB to study Medicine)
What's the
scholarship that you have attained?
I received MARA
Program Khas Education Loan
What's your course?
I’m currently taking
the International Baccalaureate (IB) DP as a pre-university programme to
further my degree in Medicine.
Interview process?
Basically my interview was at my current college which is Kolej MARA
Banting. All applicants were asked to wear sports attire which I believe is to
make the situation a bit relaxing and not that very uptight. Oh before that, I
was actually short of 1A to actually be qualified to apply for the Medicine
course but fret not guys, if your result is a very near miss then just
go for it. Plus, I only got the interview after I appealed through the MARA
website. (so if any of you guys got rejected for the interview, APPEAL! Don’t
give up just yet because you feel like you ain’t gonna make it and stuff.
A lot of people I know also appealed and had managed to grab the scholarship!)
So yep, back to the interview process. There were two sessions and I got
the morning session. We were sorted into groups of around seven people
each, according to the course we applied for. While waiting for everyone else
my groupmates and I got to know each other and I was in a group with one of my
batch mate from TGB. (which was nice I guess?)
In the first room we were given a situational judgment test. Mine was
‘MARA had a certain amount of money to build a hospital. You as respective head
of department should discuss why the money should be given to your department.’
We had to choose a piece of folded paper and I can’t remember what department I
got (probably because mine wasn’t chosen lol) but there’s a small note as to
what your department actually do. We were then asked to seat in a circle,
discuss (debate, agree to disagree) and decide which department will get the
money. And we were also bombarded with question from the interviewers like,
“Name one famous gynaecologist that you know?” (cause we were talking about
zika) and also “Should we focus more on research of prevention or effective
palliative care for cancer patient” Note that all question in this room were
very much related to medicine.
Next in the second room, the group of seven were separated into two
smaller groups. We had to gather anything that is available in the room and
make it into an innovation that can be sell to the market. I believe here is
where they see your confidence to embarrass yourself talking about a piece of
cloth as a magic flying carpet and also, plus points for your creativity! They
also had asked us some basic Islam questions at the end of interview and gave
us some advices on what to expect in the nearest future, which I thought was
very nice of them.
How did you prepare
for your interview?
Make sure all
documents required are settled early on. That’s the last thing you want to
worry about.
I did a lot of mental
pep talk with myself to ensure I am always able to perform my best during the
interview.
I made a couple of
search on Google to actually know what I’m getting into. Like, knowing how to
achieve what I want to achieve.
I tell myself over
and over that this is a learning process for me regardless of the outcome. And
make sure to have a good niat! (whatever that is)
I try my best not to
ruin my mood and look through happy things on tumblr. And wake up early if you
are in the morning session. (Don’t want myself being all grumpy aite?)
Benefits of the
scholarship?
The benefits that I
am going to be listing are really my personal take on the scholarship. First
and foremost, it was the only scholarship that offered an oversea programme to
further my study in the medicine field (during my batch at least). And I
believe that really is the most important; to pursue what I want. It is also a
convertible loan which basically mean you have to pay back (yes I know that
doesn't sound that much of a benefit) but you can get a certain percentage of
‘discounts’ when paying back depending on the grades you graduated with. So the
better the results, the less you need to pay! And MARA also doesn’t have any
interest rate!!! Like any other scholarship, you’d also be given allowance and
if you’re placed under MARA institutions like KMB, KMS etc you wouldn’t have to
worry about using money for food as it is provided. MARA is also very
considerate (to a certain extent.) Like, there are cases where the scholars who
did not made the cut to go overseas were given opportunity to do as such after
countless appeals (although that is not what I am suggesting of course.) A few
were also given the privilege to change the programme that they would like to
take.
Any extra tips?
- Make friends! Go
around and talk to people. It’ll help you loosen up a bit. (Yes, you can also
go talk to your schoolmates lol ik)
- If you’re trying
out for the course I am taking make sure you read some medicine related issues.
It’ll help.
- When you don’t know
something, just say you don’t. Apologise or what not. Although it is good if
you know everything they’re asking, it’s not wrong to not know. And show your
enthusiasm to learn from the interview. And not knowing is not equal to messing
up. I’m pretty sure I said it at one point during the MARA interview. (They
asked what was the common chronic eye disease like???)
- Don’t try too hard
to outshine others to the extent that you make others feel bad about
themselves. Listen to what others are talking and don’t cut them off. Be
well-composed and impactful with what you’re saying. Also, talking a lot is not
equal to being good.
- Do your best and
try to be as you as possible. This way you won’t have any regrets regardless of
the outcomes. Also, pray loads. Ain’t no one giving you this but God.
Note that the
assessment module would change every other year so if there’s a friend who went
a day earlier for the interview, ask them! Or just, stay tuned to twitter I
guess.
Skim Pelajar Cemerlang by Hairul Ashra'af Hamzah (currently studying CAT-ACCA)
A member of ACE33 TGB, SPM 2015, 8A 1B+
Scholarship : Skim Pelajar Cemerlang (SPC) MARA 2016
Course: CAT-ACCA (Local)
Duration: CAT- 1 year 6 months
ACCA - 3 years
Institution: Kolej University Poly-Tech MARA Kuala Lumpur.
A little bit about my course
CAT
The Certified Accounting Technician (CAT) is a vocational qualification designed by ACCA that will allow you to support the work of professional accountants. The final-level examinations are equivalent in standard to the first year of a university degree programme. Consequently, CAT graduates are allowed to move directly to Fundamentals Level (Skills module).
There are nine examinations to the CAT which are split into three levels. Each level is designed to test the knowledge, skills and understanding needed to work in accounting support roles. As well as completing your examination, you will have to gain a minimum of one year’s relevant experience in financial training to achieve the Technician qualification.
Introductory Certificate in Financial and
Management Accounting**
|
|---|
FA1 Recording Financial Transactions
MA1 Management Information
|
Intermediate Certificate in Financial and
Management Accounting**
|
FA2 Maintaining Financial Records
MA2 Managing Costs and Finances
|
Diploma in Accounting and Business**
|
FAB Accountant in Business
FMA Management Accounting
FFA Financial Accounting
|
Option Papers (Any 2 papers)
|
FAU Foundations in Audit
FTX Foundations in Taxation*
FFM Foundations in Financial Management
|
ACCA
The Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) was founded in 1904 and is now one of the largest professional accountancy body recognised internationally with over 428,000 students and 162,000 members operating in 173 countries. Consequently, graduates of the ACCA, with the relevant approved practical experiences, can act as public accountants, both locally and internationally.
ACCA students who have completed Fundamentals Level (Knowledge module and Skills module) of the ACCA examinations will be awarded the Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University (OBU) upon completion of a Research and Analysis Project assessed by OBU, UK. The Oxford Brookes B. Sc (Hons) Degree in Applied Accounting is a highly regarded qualification, which is based on practical, professional, employer-driven accounting requirements. It enables students to prove that not only have they mastered the knowledge required for the degree, but also that they have the key skills required by employers.
Upon completion of ACCA Professional Scheme and three years of relevant, and supervised practical experience, graduates will obtain ACCA status. They can then apply to become members of the Malaysian Institute of Accountants (MA), enabling them to use the prestigious designatory initials CA(M) or Chartered Accountant (Malaysia).
Fundamentals Level (9 papers in total) | |
|---|---|
Part 1 - Knowledge Module | Part 2 - Skills Module |
| F1 Accountant in Business F2 Management Accounting F3 Financial Accounting |
F4 Corporate and Business Law
F5 Performance Management F6 Taxation F7 Financial Reporting F8 Audit and Assurance F9 Financial Management |
Professional Level (5 papers in total) | |
Part 3 - Essentials Module | Options Module (select any two (2) papers) |
| P1 Governance, Risk and Ethics P2 Corporate Reporting P3 Business Analysis | P4 Advanced Financial Management P5 Advanced Performance Management P6 Advanced Taxation P7 Advanced Audit and Assurance |
Interview process: Based on what i was told, for student that is taking their SPC MARA fully in Local universities. no interview is needed. they just need to answer questions (as in sitting for exam) at their own house. The questions is quite tricky because it contains lots of math and science which is in advance. it also contains lot of general knowledge questions. all you gotta to do is just answer the question and submit it. later MARA will notify you if u passed the test and offered with their scholarship.
the benefits of this scholarship is MARA pays all of the education fees in the college. for my course we are given monthly allowance which is RM630 permonth. MARA will not pay the accomadation fees in the college because the MARA has include the fees in our allowance. so we need to pay it for ourself. roughly RM200 per month need to pay for the accomadation. so net allowance is RM430. thats the benefits. as if u are a SARAWAKIAN OR SABAHAN. MARA will give you allowance for Transportation (flight) up to RM2000 throughout your studies. you need to manage it well. use ur money first then you can claim back from MARA. you just need to maintain your marks above 50% in the exam.
KUPTM is a great place to take your CAT ACCA if u want to have a little bit leisure time because they extend ur study structure to another SEM. most of the other universities offer this course for only 4 years. but in KUPTM they offer for 4years and 6months. not that stressful but you can still enjoy yourlife.
CAT ACCA is not for student that wants to play around. it is a very tough subject to take. Only 42% world average that passed this exam. for those who think they cant do it. i recommend you to take diploma in accountancy instead. it is a safer way. lots of my friend failed in their first exam and they need to pay RM200++ for just to repeat a paper. MARA will not pay for the repeat paper. hope you can choose wisely.
Diploma Pelajar Cemerlang by Syahira Mahyuddin (currently studying Diploma in Logistics Management)
Diploma Pelajar Cemerlang by Syahira Mahyuddin (currently studying Diploma in Logistics Management)
What’s the scholarship
that you have attained?
Assalamualaikum and
hello there. I have attained a scholarship called Skim Pelajar Cemerlang (SPC)
or now it is known as Diploma Pelajar Cemerlang (DPC).
What’s your course?
I am taking Diploma in Integrated Logistics Management (DLM). This subject is very new to me. Actually, logistics is a part of supply chain management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers' requirements. It is really interesting to have a chance on learning the logistics and supply chain subject. What is a car made of? When the delivery order will come to the customer? What and how to achieve customer satisfactions and requirements? And more about logistics and supply chain. Basically supply chain is a chain from the manufacture or supplier to end consumer while logistics is the process on how the chains work through procurement, warehousing, transportation etc.
Interview process?
This scholarship did not go through an interview. However, you just
login to the website http://apponline.mara.gov.my/upimonline/
and the ‘MARA’ itself will
choose you to be one of the scholars through your result. The minimum result to
get this scholarship for my year is 6A’s with English A.
How did you prepare
for interview?
As I said that this
scholars did not have interview as MARA itself will choose their students.
However I’ll share some tips. If you get an opportunity to have an interview,
you should get and have a good impression to the interviewrs that you
really want the scholarship. Just have and try to get your confidence on
speaking in English even though your English is not so good. The important
thing is that you have to believe in yourself and be confident and being
passionate! And don't forget to have a good eye contact with your interviewers.
Look into all of their eyes. Hihi.
Benefits of the
scholarship?
This DPC’s scholarship
really gives a lot of benefits to me. First and foremost if you get this
scholarship you have been promised from MARA that you’ll have your degree at
overseas with requirement that you have to get CGPA 3.75 above in the end of
your diploma’s semester in 2 years and half for five semester. Next, you don’t
need to pay the course of diploma while at the public university if you take
diploma the course is about RM25k-RM100k (what course you are). You just have to pay RM180 for each semester
at Pejabat MARA and then you get to study happily! Besides, this is the most
favorite thing about the scholarship! You will get allowance of RM300 on each
month! With free hostel and facilities at the Kolej Profesional Mara (KPM). The
lecturers also are really highly educated and will try to help briefly for your
studies.
Any extra tips?
This scholarship is really
giving me a new chance to get my degree at overseas university with preparation
of diploma in 2 years and a half. So, if your SPM’s result is not so good or
you have 6A’s for your SPM you still can believe that you can get a chance to
study at overseas. Hence, if you get this scholarship, please do it right and
score in every semester! This is the only chance to make your parents proud if
you are destined to not get straight A’s in your SPM. Don’t worry and be happy.
The world is not at the end if you’re not getting those straight ‘s ! Remember,
Allah is the best planner and we have to be grateful and believe that Allah
always know what’s better to His people. Stay positive and believe the
unbelievable! :) All the best on your SPM’s Result!
What's the scholarship that you have
attained?
·
MARA SPC
What's your course?
·
Degree in Commerce (Accounting)
Interview process?
·
Two interviews, one with MARA,
and another one is with KYS Business School
How did you prepare for your interview?
·
Do comprehensive research for
recent development on the country’s economy, news and my goals in pursuing the
course.
Benefits of the scholarship?
·
You don’t get to payla
QAI's note: Also may I add, they get a free MacBook too! Lucky peeps!
Any extra tips?
·
Have the commitment to be
different and strive for success, be yourself.
Skim Pelajar Cemerlang (again and again) by Lina Khaidzir (currently studying A-Levels in MKIC)
1. Scholarship that I've attained: MARA
2. Course: Accounting
3. Iv process:
For MARA, there are 2 sessions. Students will be assigned in groups. During my time, the 1st session, they (MARA officers) asked us to create a prototypes by using random stuffs (container, wire, rag, books, etc) and we need to do a simple presentation. Next, the 2nd session went like this. We were required to discuss about an issue. Mine was something like Oil Crude which i have no idea what the hell should i talk about. Oil crude kott mana la aku tau kenapa ada massive drop of oil crude's global price semua tu 😑 But nahh just sit back and relax and TALK SOMETHING WITH CONFIDENCE EVENTHOU YKNOW YOUR POINTS' GONNA BE TOTALLY CRAP and always put a smile on yr face. Oh ya, I forgot to mention that for MARA iv, we wore sports attire and not the formal one. There you go, you'll get the scholarship, trust me and have faith 😊
4. Iv preparations
- do some researches abt the companies you're applying the scholarship for (background bla bla) this is important to show that u really want the scholarship, to show determination (bcs interviewers can detect whether you main-main or bersungguh-sungguh)
- search for common questions asked by interviewers on the internet (yr weakness, strength, or sometimes they'll give a problem or situation for u to solve it)
- Kun Anta or be yourself is good but then no need to show yr true colors thou if you're being asked a question like 'what did u do during holiday?' 'I slept all day, playing with the internet' NO❌
-prepare a few questions to be asked to the interviewers
5. Benefits of MARA scholarship 🤔
I think most of the scholarships offer the same things...but yeah
- 2 years of a levels programs (ib not sure)
- 3 years for degree local & overseas (in accounting, not sure other courses)
- food, hostel are supported (common basic needs)
- This is actually not a full scholarship but it's 'pinjaman boleh ubah' which means we need to pay back in certain amounts (depends on our academic results during degree)
- get at least 13 out of 15 points to fly overseas ✈️ but wait you also need to
- Pass the Islamic studies (60% and above)
- IELTS (6.5 and above)
😘
2. Course: Accounting
3. Iv process:
For MARA, there are 2 sessions. Students will be assigned in groups. During my time, the 1st session, they (MARA officers) asked us to create a prototypes by using random stuffs (container, wire, rag, books, etc) and we need to do a simple presentation. Next, the 2nd session went like this. We were required to discuss about an issue. Mine was something like Oil Crude which i have no idea what the hell should i talk about. Oil crude kott mana la aku tau kenapa ada massive drop of oil crude's global price semua tu 😑 But nahh just sit back and relax and TALK SOMETHING WITH CONFIDENCE EVENTHOU YKNOW YOUR POINTS' GONNA BE TOTALLY CRAP and always put a smile on yr face. Oh ya, I forgot to mention that for MARA iv, we wore sports attire and not the formal one. There you go, you'll get the scholarship, trust me and have faith 😊
4. Iv preparations
- do some researches abt the companies you're applying the scholarship for (background bla bla) this is important to show that u really want the scholarship, to show determination (bcs interviewers can detect whether you main-main or bersungguh-sungguh)
- search for common questions asked by interviewers on the internet (yr weakness, strength, or sometimes they'll give a problem or situation for u to solve it)
- Kun Anta or be yourself is good but then no need to show yr true colors thou if you're being asked a question like 'what did u do during holiday?' 'I slept all day, playing with the internet' NO❌
-prepare a few questions to be asked to the interviewers
5. Benefits of MARA scholarship 🤔
I think most of the scholarships offer the same things...but yeah
- 2 years of a levels programs (ib not sure)
- 3 years for degree local & overseas (in accounting, not sure other courses)
- food, hostel are supported (common basic needs)
- This is actually not a full scholarship but it's 'pinjaman boleh ubah' which means we need to pay back in certain amounts (depends on our academic results during degree)
- get at least 13 out of 15 points to fly overseas ✈️ but wait you also need to
- Pass the Islamic studies (60% and above)
- IELTS (6.5 and above)
😘
QAI's note: I have asked Lina about the difference between Kolej Mara Seremban (KMS) and MKIC since apparently they are different so here goes.
Difference between MKIC and KMS
First of all, I'm MKIC-ian so i know MKIC better than KMS. All infos abt KMS i got from my friend who studies there. So, let's get started 🌸
1. Courses (For current year; 2016)
KMS:
-A2 students = IB (health science, medic, archi, pharmacy, applied science) | Alvl (engineering, accounting).
-AS students = IB (medic, applied science), Alvl (Engineering, Accounting).
- AS has lesser courses bcs MARA had cut off the fund due to downturn of economy i guess
MKIC
Both A2 and AS = Alvl (Accounting, Economics, Architecture) only 3 courses
2. Activities
KMS:
Evening
Mon; Mentor mentee/homeroom | Tue; Uni talks | Wed; Mini thesis |
MKIC
•Evening
NO ACTIVITIES YOU CAN SLEEP THE WHOLE EVENING EVERY SINGLE DAY but yknow we have to make use of that time to study bcs yknow don't want to regret later. (It's on your own initiative)
•Weekend
We are here in Terengganu so our weekends are Fri and Sat.
Sometimes during Saturday we got activities such as Melawat Rumah Orang Tua, some sports)
So it's not that boring staying in MKIC eventhou we don't have clubs and uniform bodies and all those typical persatuan
3. Outing
KMS: KMS-ians always order Uber. There is a mall near the college. KMS isn't located in the jungle (unlike MKIC, I'll talk later). Students are allowed to rent the cars. Some go to KL with ktm.
MKIC: 1st rule. Don't expect much when it comes to outing
Firstly, MKIC is located in the most remote rural blabla area in dungun, tganu. Surrounded by a vast jungle. Im telling you and you better believe this. We got elephants, tigers, bears, babi hutan and many more unexplored animals in the jungle.
Back to outing, the only 'mall' that we have is Koop 1 Malaysia. Every monday, Mara Liner Bus will be provided to send the students to Pasar Malam and those who wants to play sports can go to BALORA (sports centre)
Dah tu je, takde tempat menarik. AT ALL
1. Courses (For current year; 2016)
KMS:
-A2 students = IB (health science, medic, archi, pharmacy, applied science) | Alvl (engineering, accounting).
-AS students = IB (medic, applied science), Alvl (Engineering, Accounting).
- AS has lesser courses bcs MARA had cut off the fund due to downturn of economy i guess
MKIC
Both A2 and AS = Alvl (Accounting, Economics, Architecture) only 3 courses
2. Activities
KMS:
Evening
Mon; Mentor mentee/homeroom | Tue; Uni talks | Wed; Mini thesis |
MKIC
•Evening
NO ACTIVITIES YOU CAN SLEEP THE WHOLE EVENING EVERY SINGLE DAY but yknow we have to make use of that time to study bcs yknow don't want to regret later. (It's on your own initiative)
•Weekend
We are here in Terengganu so our weekends are Fri and Sat.
Sometimes during Saturday we got activities such as Melawat Rumah Orang Tua, some sports)
So it's not that boring staying in MKIC eventhou we don't have clubs and uniform bodies and all those typical persatuan
3. Outing
KMS: KMS-ians always order Uber. There is a mall near the college. KMS isn't located in the jungle (unlike MKIC, I'll talk later). Students are allowed to rent the cars. Some go to KL with ktm.
MKIC: 1st rule. Don't expect much when it comes to outing
Firstly, MKIC is located in the most remote rural blabla area in dungun, tganu. Surrounded by a vast jungle. Im telling you and you better believe this. We got elephants, tigers, bears, babi hutan and many more unexplored animals in the jungle.
Back to outing, the only 'mall' that we have is Koop 1 Malaysia. Every monday, Mara Liner Bus will be provided to send the students to Pasar Malam and those who wants to play sports can go to BALORA (sports centre)
Dah tu je, takde tempat menarik. AT ALL
