Note: If you haven’t read the first part of this article on whether you should take up the A*STAR NSS scholarship (linked at the bottom), you might want to read it before coming back to this article.
So you’ve decided to apply for the A*STAR NSS. What should you do now? The application process has several stages, and there’s some important things you can do to give yourself the best shot at the scholarship.
Once again, a quick disclaimer that the following information draws from my personal experiences as a first year scholar in the programme.
The Application Process
The first thing you’ll have to do is submit an application form. You can find the deadline on A*STAR’s website -- make sure to take note of it! The form will ask for your school grades, CCA achievements, and some essay questions. Unsurprisingly, you’ll need good grades to be considered for the scholarship. You should also list STEM-related achievements or activities, like H3 subjects, research projects, or Olympiads.
In my year, the essay questions asked why I wanted to pursue research, why I’m passionate about science, and what my career aspirations were. Again, try to bring up any STEM-related experiences and personal anecdotes. Be careful about mentioning highly specific topics you want to research, since it’s unlikely you’ll have sufficient expertise in those fields. Instead, talk about general areas you’re interested in, like molecular biology or pharmaceuticals.
If your application passes the first round, you’ll be called for an interview with a panel of A*STAR scientists. This is a more “technical” round where they assess your potential as a researcher. Expect to be asked about your essay responses and your past research projects, if you had any.
At the end, there is a final interview with senior A*STAR management. The panel might feature board members or even A*STAR’s chairman. The questions here can be more eclectic than in the first round, but expect some standard interview questions like “Why do you want this scholarship?” or “What field do you want to research?” Overall they want to assess your character, aspirations, and if you’ll be a good fit for A*STAR.
What happens after I get the scholarship?
At this point, you’ll have to submit your final exam grades (whether A Levels, IB, Diploma, etc.) if you haven’t yet. You might still get rejected at this point if your grades aren’t up to the mark. Then you’ll have to submit your choice of university -- A*STAR won’t be helping you with applications, so get started early!
After the first year of your undergraduate degree, you’ll be expected to carry out an 8-week internship at an A*STAR institute. This is actually a good opportunity since it’s usually more difficult for first year undergrads to get research attachments. It’s possible to come back for more than 1 attachment if you wish.
You may also be invited to talks by A*STAR scientists to learn more about their research. One important contact you’ll have within A*STAR is your mentor, who will also be a researcher working there. They can be a valuable source of career advice. You’ll also have a scholarship officer who will be checking on your progress and welfare as a scholar. Additionally, there is a dedicated scholars’ network, so you can reach out to other scholars for advice or opportunities.
Once you start at university, make sure to keep your grades up -- scholars are expected to achieve a minimum standard in their academics. That being said, every scholar so far has met this standard, so it probably won’t be a major worry for you.
Further into the future, having a source of PhD funding will be a great asset when you apply for PhD positions. Labs can usually only offer positions to students who have funding, and a STEM PhD is generally too expensive to finance out of pocket.
Final thoughts
Deciding whether to take up an A*STAR scholarship can be harder than with other scholarships because you’re more tightly bound to a particular career path, and for a longer time than others -- with 8 years of education, and 6 years of service, you’ll be tied to A*STAR for 14 years. But if you truly feel a calling to research, the scholarship is one of the most generous out there, and it comes with valuable networks and career guidance too. I hope these blog posts can help you make that decision!
This is a two-part series on the A*STAR National Science Scholarship (NSS). Part 1 can be found here:
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