For Malaysian people, enrolling in prestigious universities available around the world is not just a mere dream. With a bunch of scholarships available in their country, talented Malaysians are climbing the highest peaks of global education. From government initiatives to university programs and private sponsorships, these awards recognize both academic excellence and potential. Let’s dive deeper and discuss these talented students who won prestigious scholarships.

Carisma Michaela Wong: Scholarships to Harvard University

Source:

Originates from Kota Kinabalu, a small coastal city in East Malaysia. Carisma Michaela Wong is one of six candidates from her country chosen for Harvard College's class of 2026. Several colleges, including the University of California campuses in Los Angeles and Berkeley, as well as Stanford and Princeton, placed her on a waitlist. However, her dedication paid off when she received Harvard's acceptance letter.

Carisma's accomplishment is even more impressive given her coming from the low-middle class economy. She was not raised with the expectation that she would attend Ivy League schools. Her achievement acts as an inspiration for other Malaysian students, demonstrating that hard work and perseverance can turn dreams into reality.

Suliana Shahrin: Scholarships to University of South Australia

Source:  

Suliana Shahrin, a Malaysian student, excelled academically at the University of South Australia (UniSA). At UniSA, she enrolled in the Bachelor of Clinical Exercise Physiology program. Suliana received excellent industry knowledge during her studies by completing clinical exercise physiology internships and applying what she learnt in class to real-life customers and patients.

Despite her dedication to her academics, Suliana won second place in the Merdeka Awards in 2018 and was presented with her trophy during a Gala Dinner hosted by the Australia-Malaysia Business Council of South Australia. As part of the awards, the Australia-Malaysia Business Council of South Australia intends to place winners in internships at major South Australian businesses, providing graduates with the opportunity for professional development while developing network opportunities between Australia and Malaysia.

Siva Nagappan Visvesvaran: UK Government’s Chevening scholarship

Source:

While not limited to Malaysians, the Chevening Scholarships are extremely competitive and prestigious. In the academic year 2021/22, 41 Malaysians were awarded Chevening scholarships to pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. These scholarships cover tuition fees, living expenses, and travel costs, allowing recipients to concentrate on their academic studies.

One of the scholarship winners, Scholar Siva Nagappan Visvesvaran, who's going to join the University of Cambridge to study MPhil in Engineering for Sustainable Development, stated: “It has always been a lifelong dream of mine to study at Cambridge University. The Chevening Scholarship has not only given me this opportunity to study at one of the prestigious universities in the world, but it has connected me with professionals and academicians who were previous Cheveners. I hope that I can make use of the knowledge and experience to collaborate with people to come up with meaningful projects and initiatives to help Malaysians live sustainable lives.”

Aashini Shah: Fulbright Scholarships at National University of Singapore

Source:

Aashini is a senior majoring in mechanical and electrical engineering with a focus on medical technology. She has excelled academically and demonstrated a passion for innovative solutions. Aashini’s Fulbright award allows her to conduct research at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on novel health-sensing devices.

Through this scholarship Aashini Shah channeled her enthusiasm through several studies during her undergraduate years. He has researched several topics regarding Mobile Health-Care Delivery, Lower Limb Prosthesis Controls, and Sensing Platform for Rehabilitation. After completing her Fulbright fellowship, Aashini plans to enter the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology PhD program in Fall 2023. Her journey exemplifies resilience and a commitment to creating positive change.

Nurul Ezzaty Hasbullah: Rhodes Scholarship at Oxford University

Source:

Rhodes Scholarship allows outstanding international students to pursue postgraduate studies at the University of Oxford. In 2019, Nurul Ezzaty Hasbullah, a Malaysian student at the University of Pennsylvania, received this scholarship to study Master’s in Social Data Science followed by a Master’s in Public Policy at Oxford University.  

Her achievement reflects her passion for engagement and embodies the finest attributes of scholars working to make a profound difference in the world. Inspired by the beauty and messiness of life stories of the people she has met in these journeys, she aspires to enhance the use of qualitative data to tackle structural gender and class inequalities in policy decision making.

With all of their success stories these people show us that, with a strong dedication to learning, high consistency and thirst for knowledge, you can become a successful person while still having your big dreams at the palm of your hands. So, now it’s your turn to achieve those scholarships!

References: