How Jin En Lim, a Malaysian Scholar, Secured a Bachelor’s in Law at University of Bristol, United Kingdom Through the Think Big Scholarship Awards

Hi! My name is Jin En Lim, and I’m from Sabah, Malaysia. I went through the national curriculum in high school and obtained the Malaysian Certificate of Education before going on to pursue the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme at United World College Costa Rica. For my undergraduate studies, I chose to pursue an LLB at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom, and received the Think Big Scholarship Awards. My main motivation for pursuing a law degree, despite not being certain if I wanted to practice law, was for social justice and inclusion. During my time as an IB student, I was exposed to issues of statelessness and the lack of documentation in my hometown in Sabah, where I saw firsthand poverty, uninhabitable living environments, and lack of access to basic services that are tied to the absence of citizenship rights.

Educational Background

Prior to my undergraduate degree, I pursued IBDP at United World College Costa Rica, and it was arguably one of the most rewarding experiences I have had to date. International and intercultural understanding are among UWC’s main values, and so within just 200 students on campus, there were 70-80 nationalities represented. Academically, this means that classroom discussions often involved hearing firsthand anecdotes from my peers, which is incredibly cool! I think that diversity of thought alone helped me have a better worldview and think more critically about various issues. Outside of the classroom, I participated in Bald 4 Cause (fundraising for cancer research and a hair donation event for cancer patients), student council, and organised a visit to the homeless shelter hosting Venezuelan refugees. 

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of Bristol?

How Did You Find Information About Think Big Scholarship Awards and University of Bristol?

I heard it first from a friend applying to the same university, and found more information online.

Did You Take Any Standardized Tests? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them? If So, How Did You Prepare for Them?

No, I did not have to take IELTS or TOEFL because I took English Language and Literature in IBDP.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the Think Big Scholarship Awards?

The questions at the time of my application were:

1: About our special skills and proud achievements - I talked about the advocacy campaign that I had already done in my hometown and in college.

2: About how I plan to contribute to the student community at university - I researched and discussed university societies that resonate with me, as well as initiatives such as the Social Innovation Programme, campaigns empowering women's rights, and volunteering projects. By discussing them, I mention what sparked my interest, what I would like to learn, and how I would like to contribute to them.

3: My future goals - I researched individual modules from my course that piqued my curiosity and that align with my values.

How is Your Experience at the University of Bristol?

It is probably very dependent on the course, but I had a good time! I loved the city so much, lively and artsy place, a very student-centric city. There were a lot of student societies for almost every interest imaginable. 

Also worth mentioning that the Think Big Scholarship Program is a development program where scholars can participate in skills development programs (i.e., for public speaking), networking events, talks, and so on throughout the year.

How Do You Rate the University of Bristol Academically?

For my Law LLB degree, I liked that, apart from the conventional modules, there were a lot of niche modules that I got to explore, such as immigration law, Law and Race, Rich Law Poor Law, and so on. Some of them are truly one of a kind across law schools in the UK. We also learnt from professors who, sometimes, wrote our textbooks and articles, so that was incredibly rewarding! However, sometimes I do wish there was more academic support provided, as the learning curve for law was quite steep.

How Does the University of Bristol Support International Students?

There is a Global Lounge in the university, which is a sort of communal space for international students to hang out with free hot chocolate and biscuits. The committee also holds cultural and language exchanges as well as festivals throughout the year, such as for Lunar New Year, Diwali, and so on. First-year students can also apply for a peer mentor that lasts until the beginning of second semester, helping them ease into university life.

What Did You Pursue After the Think Big Scholarship Awards?

I am currently still on the lookout for roles in the policy/ impact sector, but will potentially pursue a master's degree sometime.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think my narrative in my application was quite clear and consistent throughout, in that the reader could make out my values and convictions through the activities that I have participated in and those that I plan to participate in at university. It is kind of like “okay, she has done that in the past and has strong interests in this, and what she plans to do in university also aligns with her values, and it made sense”. I think what I discussed was very community-based, and it showed that I have a passion for trying to empower and uplift communities around me. And I also showed that I have implemented initiatives from different places in the world, and perhaps that shows a level of cultural sensitivity and nuance. I also try to reflect critically on the activities I have done, not just discussing them plainly, but how they changed my perspectives and so on. In a way, I feel like the readers would want to understand who you are as a person, and I tried to show that by discussing my “inner thoughts” – as they say, “show, don’t tell”.

I also think that when they ask about my goals or plans in university, I try to be really specific and provide a lot of nuance to show that I did my research and discuss how I personally would approach the society/initiative (which kind of shows an extension of my values based on the activities I had done prior). 

What Would You Have Done Differently if You Were Going Through the Process Again?

I think I would not have done anything differently, to be honest.

What Advice Would You Give Those Looking to Apply for a Similar Scholarship?

I think do a lot of research about the university and what resonates with you (I would not have written about something that does not resonate with me because I personally know I would not be able to write as passionately about them – the university has so many initiatives I’m sure you would be able to find something that resonates with you), and show who you are as a person. I would even say reach out to scholars who received the award and ask to read their essays if possible (I personally am happy to connect and share)! Start early and always proofread to make sure there are no grammatical errors before submitting, and potentially even better if you could get someone else to proofread as well! I always brainstorm in bullet points what I want to write and the research I did before I actually set off to write them; I find it easier to organise that way.