Securing quality tertiary education with UTAR scholarship and financial aid

In today’s Malaysia and around the world, academic scholarships and financial aid have become extremely vital, as it plays a crucial role in making higher education affordable for university students, especially those from less privileged families. It allows these students to further their tertiary education while reducing the financial burden on their families and easing their anxiety. Not only that, it serves as a source of motivation for students to focus on their studies to maintain their scholarship, which simultaneously improves their academic performances.

Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR) offers a wide range of scholarships and financial aid to allow its students to further their studies. These scholarships and financial aid are available for all students from the Foundation, Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes.

UTAR offers a variety of internal scholarships to its students. Over RM184.8million internal scholarships have been awarded to students as of 2023. These scholarships include the internal foundation and undergraduate scholarships, which are awarded to students for their amazing achievements in academics, sports, and other talents. These scholarships are helpful to reduce the students’ financial burden as they can cover up to 100% of their tuition fees, depending on certain criteria. In terms of financial aid, UTAR also has a number of internal study loans set up to provide financial assistance to students in need. Over RM14.3million student loans were granted to students as of 2023. 

There are also external scholarships offered to the students at the University. With the help of external collaborative partners and sponsors, even more scholarships are offered to the students who meet the conditions and requirements of the respective awarding bodies. External loans, such as the Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Nasional (PTPTN) loan offered by the government, are also provided by UTAR to further assist students to pursue their tertiary education. 

UTAR Vice President for Student Development and Alumni Relations Prof Dr Choong Chee Keong said, “As a university by the people for the people, the University believes that everyone has the right to quality education and providing that access has become even more important with the rapid technological changes that are occurring. Thus, as part of an effort to give back to society, the University strives to provide scholarships and financial aid to students in need. By receiving these scholarships and financial aid, we hope that the students will be motivated to continue their studies, stay focused on achieving excellence, and put in their best effort for a good university education and experience. In the words of Nelson Mandela, ‘Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.’ The University will also continue to provide financial assistance to students in need and ensure deserving students receive quality education and lifelong learning opportunities, contribute positively to society and finally obtain a valuable degree for a better future.”

In order to assist students in choosing the right scholarship or financial aid, the University has set up the Department of Scholarship and Financial Aid (DSFA). DSFA’s main purpose is to support and facilitate UTAR students who require financial assistance by providing information and advice on the available scholarships or financial aid to encourage them to pursue their tertiary education. Students who are interested in applying for the university’s wide range of scholarships and financial aid can have a consultation session with DSFA to choose a suitable one while gaining information such as the guidelines and criteria.  

The University also celebrates its scholarship recipients with the UTAR Scholarship Award Presentation Ceremony, which aims to commemorate the students who received the scholarship in recognition of their achievements. Furthermore, the ceremony, which is held at both the Sungai Long and Kampar Campuses, gives an opportunity to the recipients to express their gratitude to the University and their loved ones, as well as act as a platform of encouragement for other students to apply for the scholarships at UTAR.