It’s probably not an exaggeration to say that private education institutions like PSB Academy are known for their school fees, but most people are unaware that these private institutions and private universities offer full or partial financial aid to students too. These scholarships are easily found on Google, but I’ll share the three that I’m most familiar with!

PSB Academy Merit Scholarship

This scholarship has a few prerequisites such as an outstanding academic record, Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) participation and any leadership qualities. It’s open to all nationalities and private/polytechnic diploma holders.

PSB Academy ASEAN Scholarship

You’re eligible for the PSB Academy ASEAN Scholarship if you’re a student originating from ASEAN member countries — Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei, Myanmar (Burma), Laos. Similarly, the application looks at your academic records, CCA participation and leadership qualities.

PSB Academy - Self-Help Group (The Eurasian Association, Yayasan Mendaki and SINDA) Scholarships

If you’re Eurasian, Malay or Indian, you can apply for a scholarship under your respective self-help group. The PSB Academy - Self-Help Group (The Eurasian Association, Yayasan Mendaki and SINDA) Scholarships are also awarded based on academic merit.

My friends didn’t apply for the scholarships but there were other students who were awarded the scholarship, which is supporting them in their education journey. More information about these scholarships can also be found here.

Individual universities offer their own scholarships to reward students as well — I held The University of Newcastle Singapore Merit Scholarship throughout my two years in university. I knew nothing about the scholarship before I enrolled; only after speaking to one of the helpful consultants at PSB Academy did she inform me that I was eligible for The University of Newcastle Singapore Merit Scholarship since my poly GPA was above 3.0. The application was easy — I just submitted my polytechnic results slips and PSB Academy did the rest for me.

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Additionally, The University of Newcastle Singapore rewards outstanding students with cash prizes or other key benefits. In my final year of university, I won the Best Performance Award for Bachelor of Communication which came with a cheque, which I promptly deposited into my account to pay for my school feels — not the most exhilarating way to spend it, but definitely a matured boring adult decision.

Taking these financial factors into consideration, is an education in a private education institution much more expensive than one can afford? No, I don’t think so. On top of the financial assistance provided, graduating in two years allowed me to enter the workforce earlier than my peers, who are still in the midst of completing their degrees. My school fees in PSB Academy might have been more expensive, but I will gain two extra years of working experience, giving me two extra years of salary on top of putting me in the same position as my peers when they eventually graduate, or even beyond.

Admittedly, the private education institution path might be a rougher start, but what mattered to me most at the point of university application was how soon I could get back into the workforce. PSB Academy happened to provide me with the right balance of financial assistance and a quicker pathway.

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Brought to you by PSB Academy.