Just got home from Bali yesterday afternoon, but a blog post on the Bali trip will have to wait! Behind the Vietnam trip and whatever else is in the queue.

Cos i heard some of the greatest news I've ever heard in my life right at the start of the trip! I have an offer from Peterhouse in Cambridge University to study Natural Sciences (Biological) and an offer from the Jardine Foundation to award me a scholarship to study in Peterhouse in Cambridge :)

I can't say exactly what emotions or thoughts ran through my mind the moment I heard (or rather, read) the news. Relief, for finally getting a reply/result, and the whole selection process finally being over. Joy, for being able to secure the offers. Thankfulness, that God has blessed me with so much! and perhaps, Apprehension, at what is to come. And definitely, I'm glad I didn't disappoint all the people who always had so much faith in me.

For those interested in applying in the Jardine Foundation scholarship, check out their website. The Jardine Foundation only offers scholarships to selected colleges in Cambridge and Oxford (refer to the website for specifics).

The entire selection process starts in Oct. You have to apply for it around the same time you're applying for Oxbridge entry. Deadline is about 10 days after Oxbridge deadline, and you have to submit through your school. And after submitting application to your local headquarters (the scholarship is offered to various countries, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, Vietnam, Indonesia and a couple others), you wait. For a positive reply that will tell you to attend a First interview at your local HQ.

First interviews are in Nov. When exactly in Nov depends on your country I guess. For Singapore, I was first given a date in early Nov, but I was overseas (in Nepal) and had my interview in close to the end of Nov instead. The interview wasn't too scary, and as long as you know yourself well, it should be pretty okay! After that, you wait. I heard from them about a little more than a week after the first interview about the second.

Second interviews are in early Dec. I was supposed to have it in Singapore, but because I had to go Cambridge for my interview, I had mine in London instead. But I had the feeling that our second interview was the London's first, cos the questions were about the same. And then you wait again! I heard from them about 2 weeks after, when I was overseas again (in Vietnam). Third interview's the final and most important one, held in HK.

Jardine covers airfare and accommodation expenses for the HK interview, which is really nice of them (: Usually during the first few days of the new year, and you get to meet the other final interviewees from the region. It's quite nice, getting to know them, and having people to travel with to get to Jardine House. Interviewees are usually housed in The Excelsior at Causeway Bay, and you'll have to take 2 train stations down to Central where Jardine House is. Very convenient. Food at The Excelsior is great! My only gripe is that internet isn't free. But Jardine pays for the room, and internet is charged to the room, so well wasn't too bad. You'll have to do a 45 min essay before the interview. Essay was pretty interesting, I had a really hard time with it. I thought I would have flunked the essay for sure! But thankfully it wasn't too bad, I guess. It's a panel of interviewers for the final interview, as opposed to the previous ones. The list of interviewers is provided, and it's always good to find out a bit more about your interviewers. Mix of interviewers from Cambridge, Oxford and Jardine-Matheson. But they're all really nice, and after that there's a lunch with the interviewers when you can have a casual chat with them.

And then after that, you wait again. Not too long, only a few days, they make their decision really fast!! Right after Cambridge emailed the results to me, I also received the Jardine offer. (:

Juniors/anyone intending to apply to Oxbridge for undergraduate studies, do consider applying for Jardine! It's rather unheard-of in Singapore I think, my mom was the one who alerted me to it.




Meanwhile, I still have paperwork and other administrative matters to deal with before I can officially, officially say that I'm a Jardine scholar in Peterhouse, Cambridge!



Praise the Lord for all that He has done for me! :) I know I'm really blessed and fortunate. And I really hope I'll be able to make a positive difference and change the world, one day. And as mentioned earlier, I'm very thankful for all the support and faith in me that family and friends have showed.