SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMME – FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Who is eligible for scholarships? East Timorese nationals, who wish to study a course that will have a direct benefit to the rebuilding of their nation and who will commit to returning to East Timor on completion of their studies, are eligible to apply. Scholarships are restricted to candidates not already resident in the UK. I already have a degree – can I apply for an AKT scholarship? Our preference is to offer opportunities to people who have not yet benefited from a university education. We are, however, willing to consider applications for postgraduate degrees. You will need to show why further study is necessary/ the additional benefits it will bring to East Timor. We do not fund PhDs. When can I apply for a scholarship? As a general rule, we accept applications from March 1st until the end of October for admission in the following September/October. There is no benefit to applying early – we review all applications together after the closing date. If you are expecting exams results or plan to take an English test it is usually best to wait for these before applying provided you still get your application to us by the October 31st deadline. How do I apply for a scholarship? Complete and return your application form to arrive by 31st October in the year prior to the year in which you wish to study (e.g. by 31.10.08 for September/October 2009 entry). Application forms can be downloaded by clicking here. Where can I study? In 2009 – 2010 we expect to be able to offer one scholarship at Westminster University and one at London Metropolitan University. Please do not apply if the course you wish to study is not offered at these universities.
What courses can I study? We only support courses which will be of direct benefit to rebuilding East Timor. If you apply, you will be asked to explain how you chosen course of study will help achieve this. We do support some postgraduate students. To be successful, you will need to demonstrate how studying at this level will provide additional benefits to your country We do not fund PhDs. What does the scholarship cover? Our scholarships cover tuition fees, accommodation and board at, for London based students, the International students house (ISH) and a modest monthly stipend. We also pay for your UK visa and return flights to the UK. Undergraduate scholars also have the option of one return flight home, normally at the end of their second year. Most students find it necessary to take part-time jobs in order to supplement the stipend and meet their full living costs/optional course elements. We are unable to offer support/accommodation for family/dependents. What conditions apply to the scholarship? If you are offered a scholarship, we will write to you with a formal offer outlining the terms and conditions that would apply. Briefly, however, you would be required to o make satisfactory progress with your studies and submit interim and final reports as requested o provide the Trust with a copy of your degree certificate and, if appropriate, a copy of your dissertation on completion of your degree o attend, when asked, fundraising and other events o return to East Timor at the completion of your studies and make use of your education to the benefit of your country o maintain contact with the Trust, when you return to Timor, and provide regular updates of your progress.
How are applications assessed? All applications are assessed by a committee of Trustees and advisors who have an interest in and understanding of the issues facing East Timor. An initial paper sift is done to identify any applications that are ineligible (e.g. because of nationality, residence or proposed place of study). The remaining applications are then assessed against a range of criteria including o Proficiency in English o Relevance of proposed course of study to the development of East Timor o The applicant’s potential and commitment to their chosen course of study/career. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed (normally in Dili). This may include a short written test. References are taken up on preferred candidates before any offer is made. I have taken an English test and scored 5.5 IELTS (or equivalent) – is it worth applying? Yes, though you will need to demonstrate proficiency in English throughout the form and explain the steps you have taken to improve your English since taking your test. I have taken an English test and scored 5 or below IELTS (or equivalent) can I still apply? Yes, but we would recommend that you focus on improving your English scores first and then apply. Candidates with a score of 5 or below are very unlikely to be invited for interview. I have never taken an English test, can I apply? Yes, but we would recommend that you take a relevant test (IELTS is the preferred one) to demonstrate your proficiency in English before applying. If you have not taken an English test, any scholarship offer would be conditional on your obtaining the required grade within a specified timeframe. What support/contact will I have with AKT in the UK if I am awarded a scholarship?
You will be assigned a mentor (normally one of our Trustees) who will have regular contact with you and meet you to discuss your progress. Our UK administrator is available to help resolve queries that cannot be dealt with by university staff. We will introduce you to any AKT scholars already in the UK. We will ask you to attend occasional fundraising/publicity events so that we can continue and expand our scholarship programme. What happens once I have submitted my application form? We will acknowledge it – usually within 7 days. Please do not contact us to check whether we have received it unless you have not heard from us within 10 days. Applications will be reviewed as they arrive for eligibility. Any ineligible applications will be rejected. After the closing date, we will review all eligible applications against our selection criteria. We will contact you to let you know whether or not you have been shortlisted. If you are shortlisted, you will be invited for interview. These are usually held in Dili. At interview, you may be asked to complete a written test. Once we have interviewed all shortlisted candidates we will take up references of our preferred candidate(s) and, following this, contact you to let you know whether or not we wish to offer you a scholarship. If we offer you a scholarship, we will agree with you which university and course we will support you for. All our scholarship offers are conditional on your applying for and being awarded an unconditional offer of a place by the university concerned and on acceptance by their scholarship panel or review committee. What happens if I don’t complete my studies? You may be required to repay the cost of your scholarship and associated support in full. We will, however, review each case on its merits.
What happens if I fail my studies? You may be required to repay the cost of your scholarship and associated support in full. We will, however, review each case on its merits. You may be able to redo part of the course/resit your exams. If so, we are unlikely to be able to provide you with financial support for this but will continue to offer mentorship and, where possible, other practical support. What happens if I don’t return to Timor to live and work after my studies? You will be required to repay the cost of your scholarship and associated support in full. I have already been offered a place at a UK university – am I eligible to apply for a scholarship? Yes. Note, though, this will not be taken into account in the shortlisting process. What happens if I am awarded a scholarship and my circumstances change? You need to let us know straight away. We will then discuss with you any likely impact on your studies and how best to proceed. What support/contact will I have with AKT in Timor once I return home? We ask all our graduates to keep in touch with us and let us know how they are using their studies. This information helps us continue and expand our scholarship programme. We are developing our activities in East Timor and ask that you help us by attending occasional meetings or events to speak to interested people and organisations and to offer advice and support to our administrator (for example, helping her answer questions from prospective students).