Scholarships for ASEAN students

HANOI (JP): Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong announced here on Tuesday that he would provide new scholarships to help undergraduate students from ASEAN countries study on the island state.

Under the Singapore Cooperation Program Undergraduate Scholarship for ASEAN, the Singaporean government will set aside S$12 million to provide about 30 undergraduate scholarships per year for ASEAN students over the next three to four years for study in Singapore.

The scholarships will be for entry into non-medicine/dentistry undergraduate courses in National University and Nanyang Technological University. Each award, tenable for four years, covers tuition fees, airfare and an annual living allowance of $3,500.

The initiative is aimed at alleviating the problem of bright young ASEAN nationals who may not have the resources for higher education.

"I am very disturbed by the thought that because of the economic crisis many ASEAN members will lose a few valuable years in educating their children," said Goh who is here to attend the sixth ASEAN Summit. (mds)