Scholarships in Malaysia
Cosmopolitan and Old World, Open and Inviting
Malaysia is split into two pieces: one just below Thailand and the other on north Borneo Island. For students Malaysia is reported to present a perfect environment for studies. Socially the country is a peaceful amalgam of cultures where high-tech industry blends seamlessly with old-world institutions and values.
Government Scholarships
The National Security Education Program funds the David L. Boren Scholarships, ultra-competitive and hotly contested among undergraduate and graduate students. The scholarships provide generous awards to students engaging in challenging programs of study in critical needs areas, such as Malaysia. Eligible applicants must possess top academic scores and be participating in a program that allows them full immersion in the common culture and Malay language. Students who are willing to consider a career in national security are preferred and recipients are required to repay the funding with service in the Department of Defense or Homeland Security after graduation. Up to $25,000 is given to hundreds of students each year.
Underprivileged students studying in Malaysia may qualify for the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarships, also a design of the federal government. The goal here is to balance the next generation of highly educated global leaders by offering disadvantaged and underrepresented populations a unique opportunity to learn abroad thanks to generous scholarships. Over 700 Gilman Scholars are chosen from thousands of applicants each year. Eligible students must be undergraduate, full-time students at a four-year or two-year institution, including community colleges. Candidates must be Pell Grant recipients and possess superior academic records. The more challenging and engaging the program of study in Malaysia, the better situated an applicant for an award. Each award may be up to $5,000.
Private Funding
In the past study and travel to Asia was nearly an impossibility for Westerners. Thanks to relaxed global regulations and a much more open international scene students are taking off to far-flung areas of the globe never experienced by students before. Thanks to charitable and forward-thinking organizations like the Freeman Foundation thousands of undergraduate and graduate students pursue studies in Malaysia every year, many supported by the generous Freeman Awards. Eligible applicants must have a well defined program planned in Malaysia and be committed to Asian Studies. A good knowledge of the language helps. Awards also consider financial need and academic standing. Candidates may apply for summer, semester and year programs and receive up to $7,000.
The Blakemore Foundation sponsors the Blakemore Freeman Fellowships that award graduate students or professionals a monetary gift to participate in advanced language study in Asia. This includes those pursuing education in the Malay language. Preference is given to those who demonstrate a professional need for the language. Only applicants pursuing a full year of study are considered.
Rotary International’s Ambassadorial Scholarships are among the most competitive. Students engaging in a humanitarian-focused course of study in Malaysia may be eligible. Of course candidates must fit the description of a suitable applicant: high academic and moral standards, clean-cut and professional at all times, motivated and passionate about inter-cultural collaboration and willing to share their experiences with others as a means to continue an educational process in international good-will. Awards up to $26,000.
The Henry Luce Foundation funds a number of philanthropic programs that buoy up projects throughout Asia. The Luce Scholars Program awards travel and expense stipends as well as internships to students engaging in studies in Asia, including Malaysia. These are not designed for students in Asian Studies programs. Students must be graduate level and must be nominated by faculty for the program. Their career goals must have potential to benefit from experiential learning in Malaysia.
