2 YCIS Scholarship Programme Students Tell Their Story

By Ned Kelly, January 3, 2024

On January 8, the application opens on the YCIS Shanghai Scholarship Programme. Open to current and prospective students every year, the programme endeavors to reward achievement and recognizes students' motivation to succeed.

A merit-based award that acknowledges the highest level of academic achievement, leadership and service, it targets highly motivated and talented students from around the world who can benefit from bilingual international education with a strong creative element.

There are three scholarships options, with up to 100% of tuition covered for successful recipients. Scan the QR code on the poster below for all the details.

A YCIS scholar is committed to the pursuit of excellence and honoring the vision and values of the school, with candidates required to show high commitment to campus life with demonstrable leadership and mentoring skills.

We sat down with two successful recipients to hear about their YCIS Scholarship Programme journeys.

Jun Kai

Academically strong and a talented athlete – winning numerous awards – Jun Kai is a dedicated, well-rounded student who excels in both his studies and sports.

Interested in the medical field, as a recipient of the YCIS Scholarship Programme he gained access to a series of medicine-related workshops organized by YCYW's Education Future Division (EdFutures), a newly built division that provides above and beyond resources for students.

Here, he tells about his scholarship journey so far...

"My parents heard of the scholarship programme from the YCIS school website and shared it with me, encouraging me to apply as I met the scholarship application criteria.
"Applying for the scholarship was a useful learning experience; it felt like preparing for a job interview – I had to identify my strengths, interests, and achievements, write a personal statement, and seek character references. I also had to practice my interview skills.
"When I heard I was a YCIS scholarship recipient, I felt honored and it boosted my confidence.
"It felt like a reward for the hard work I put into achieving good academic grades and excelling in other areas such as co-curricular activities, service learning and leadership positions.
"It is a recognition of my efforts in developing myself into a more well-rounded person, and will certainly encourage me to continue to grow and excel in a balanced way; I’m now even more motivated to do better and be a good role model.

"I am interested in the medical field, and spent a week in the Medical Scholars Programme at Jiahui Hospital, organized by Edfutures, YCYW’s newly built division that provides resources for students.
"My time at the hospital was very rewarding; we received professional guidance and medical training from hospital staff, and I attended several workshops, such as suturing, orthopedics, and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).
"Each workshop enabled me to gain hands-on experience, not just the theoretical aspect.
"The surgeons taught us basic stitching methods, and we had a chance to practice on a pig's trotter. It made me admire surgeons for their precision and skill.
"In the orthopedics workshop, we were introduced to the medical equipment used and even got a chance to try them.
"In the TCM workshop, we learnt about acupuncture and Chinese herbs. I also experienced 'cupping' for the first time, which was a lot of fun.
"After such an insightful programme, I definitely want to experience more medical-related programmes.
"My advice for someone thinking of applying for the YCIS Scholarship Programme? I strongly encourage everyone to give it a shot!
"The process is valuable as it is a good experience that will be beneficial for future college applications and job interviews, and through the application process, you gain insight into yourself."

Jaymee

Jaymee is another well-rounded student, exemplified by her sporting achievements, a keen interest in bio-chemistry, and a passion for sustainability.

She is also a strong leader, with the award of the YCIS Scholarship spurring her on to become school captain.

Here, she reflects on her scholarship journey...

"In 2022, I moved from YCIS Pudong (where I had been since K3) to YCIS Puxi. It was one of the biggest changes I’d experienced thus far, and the YCIS Scholarship Programme definitely served as a source of inspiration and motivation that eased the transition.
Even in a brand new school environment, knowing I was capable of achieving the scholarship and my commitments to the programme pushed me to stay open-minded and ambitious to seek new roles.
While I was aiming for continued involvement in my school community, even I did not expect to be school captain at the end of my first semester, so I felt really honored!

"The YCIS Scholarship Programme has helped me practice very crucial life skills, from writing applications to the numerous interview processes I experienced over the years with different review boards.
"It is extremely valuable to have exposure to these experiences early on so that we can become a bit more familiar with processes that we will inevitably face in the future.
"The application process helps you process, organize, and project who you are as a student in a very similar way to university applications, so it undoubtedly helps on that front too, as well as for internships, jobs, and more.

"Some of my most memorable experiences of high school have been in the sport opportunities YCIS has provided, especially tournaments and trips – be it traveling to Beijing to compete in a football tournament, or Hangzhou for a volleyball tournament.
"These sports experiences were so much more than developing physical skills in the sport themselves; it was learning about what it means to be a part of a team, how to trust and to be trusted, and – most importantly – forming long-lasting bonds with other students we may not have connected so deeply with otherwise.
"As I walk through the school today, it is evident that so many of us have become so much more than sport teammates.

As for my passion for sustainability, it originated from YCIS back in primary to begin with, and a curriculum that placed a lot of focus on raising awareness of the global environmental issues we face.
"That exposure from a young age – coupled with passionate mentors – pushed me to develop immense passion and care for environmental protection; living and embodying sustainability has persisted as a core value of mine.
"YCIS has encouraged this passion by offering opportunities – from the position in the climate action portfolio on the student leadership team at YCIS Pudong, to taking the initiative to create my own environmental committee at YCIS Puxi as one of the CAS Projects I completed for the IB Diploma.

"The YCIS Scholarship Programme has been a continuous opportunity for personal growth for me.
"From the initial application and interview process to periodic progress reviews, the programme has encouraged a lot of self-reflection from a much more holistic standpoint than we typically practice in classes; reflecting not only on goals and aspirations, but on myself as a student and even as a person, and realizing my accomplishments and potential.
"I am grateful for the way this programme has spanned across my last years of schooling as something I could continually refer back to over time and a standard for me to stay on track; a valuable opportunity to both reflect on your accomplishments thus far and look forward to what you aspire to achieve.
"The holistic nature of the YCIS Scholarship Programme encourages not only your academic but also personal growth, fostering a certain mindset toward what it means to be a YCIS student and global citizen, and empowering you to make meaningful contributions to the school community and pursue your future aspirations with confidence.
"I would encourage anyone on the fence to seize this opportunity and take a chance on yourself!"

Mr. Ryan Peet

Western Co-Principal of YCIS Shanghai Puxi

Finally, Mr. Ryan Peet, Western Co-Principal of YCIS Shanghai Puxi, offers insight into what kind of students the school is looking to offer scholarships to.

"In choosing who we award the scholarships to, the decision is based on merit – the candidates are different each year – but potential scholarship recipients need to display academic prowess, to have leadership potential, and to embody the school's values.
There needs to be a willingness to contribute positively to the school community. We talk about our mission, principles and practice, but our values, such as compassion, creativity, and being a global citizen are also vital.
"We want to put good human beings into society. And we want them to have a positive impact on the world."