SOURCE: office.microsoft.com
Tuition is one of the biggest concerns for many university students. In order to lift the burden of tuition, many students exert a great deal of effort in earning a scholarship. However, the majority of university students think that scholarships are limited to those given by the government and university. In fact, if you look a little closer, there are many other scholarships that are available out there. Among these, students are able to get a scholarship by receiving a monetary reward after winning a competition sponsored by an outside scholarship foundation. Students from the English literature department set a good example for students from other departments. On September 22, 2012, the Seoul International Scholarship Foundation (hereafter referred to as the International Scholarship Foundation) gave scholarships to ten of our English literature students.
The International Scholarship Foundation is organized by the Seoul International School, which has implemented this system to help facilitate a smooth transition to campus life. The selection criteria for the International Scholarship Foundation are different from other scholarships. Not only are grades taken into consideration, campus life of the student is also reviewed as part of the selection process. In addition, there is a follow-up review to check whether the student has maintained the quality of campus life up to par with the set requirements.
This scholarship is also called “sustainable scholarship”, since it can be given in the following semester if the student exceeds the review standards. Students at our university were able to receive this scholarship due to recommendations from professors at the English literature department and outside references. Students that had good grades and have set a good example for others were recommended by the professors for the International Scholarship Foundation. These students underwent a screening process conducted by the International Scholarship Foundation, earning them an opportunity to receive this scholarship. After awarding the scholarships on the 22nd at the conferment ceremony, a free lunch was provided. Park Hae-in (English Literature, senior) commented, “I would like to thank all of my professors who recommended me for this scholarship, and I hope that many other students receive this scholarship.” She further went on to say, “English literature students should take the TOEIC and TOEIC speaking test in advance.”
There is about ten million won in scholarships given out to our students, which is equivalent to ten students receiving about one million won in scholarships. This is a considerable amount when compared with other universities. Since the International School offers the scholarships, the majority of recipients are students from the English literature department. Professor Jung In-don (English Literature) stated, “I am proud to see that many of our English literature students are receiving scholarships. If students do their best, they will be able to receive more financial aid from outside organizations.” He hopes that many more students feel proud of their university and become more active both on and off campus. If students study hard, many more opportunities for scholarships will come their way. Finally, Professor Jung offered words of encouragement by saying, “I truly hope that students tangibly check the results of their hard work and continue to do their best in the future.” Furthermore, starting from next semester, applications will be accepted by students through open contests instead of the passive application method of professor recommendations.
Tuition is a heavy burden for university students these days. There are many students who have part-time jobs to pay for their tuition. Scholarships offered by outside organizations provide them much needed relief. More attention should be paid to outside scholarships since on-campus scholarships have a set quota. Through this, many more students will be able to break free from the shackles of tuition.
Translated by Julia Kim