An Indonesian Student Wins Multiple Scholarships to Pursue Her Bachelor's Degree at the University of Toronto

My name is Nadya, I grew up and studied high school in Indonesia. I applied to three faculties at the University of Toronto and was admitted to all three with different scholarship offers. For your information, I didn't apply for any scholarships; these offers were awarded upon admission and are merit-based.

University of Toronto Scholarships Details

For studies in Mathematical and Physical Sciences, I received an International Scholars Award with a total value of $92,500, along with the University of Toronto Scholar Scholarship valued at $7,500. So, the total value of the scholarship offer is $100,000.

Next, for studies in Computer Science, Mathematics, and Statistics, I was awarded a President’s Scholar of Excellence Scholarship valued between $20,000 and $40,000.

Lastly, for studies in Co-op Statistics, I received an International Scholars Award with a total value of $100,000, and the President’s Scholar of Excellence Scholarship valued at $10,000. Thus, the total value of the scholarship offer is $110,000.

Educational Background

Although I was accepted into math and computer science at the University of Toronto and a few math and actuarial science majors in the UK, I chose to pursue my accountancy degree at the National University of Singapore. This decision was driven by the fact that all of the majors I applied for and got accepted into were very math-heavy. I realized that my passion lies in finance. Even currently, I am interested in the field of sustainable finance and ESG investing.

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the University of Toronto and the National University of Singapore?

I should say that the grades I submitted were pretty good, with a final IB score of 44/45, and both the first and second predicted scores were 45/45. I've consistently worked hard to maintain good grades since primary school, and I believe these academic achievements played a significant role in securing the scholarship at the University of Toronto.

In addition, I've actively engaged in numerous extracurricular activities. My involvement in these activities wasn't solely driven by a desire for scholarships or admission to a top university. Instead, I genuinely embraced these opportunities, recognizing that my high school years were a chance to explore a variety of interests. I’ve been doing a lot of Math and Science olympiads, most of which are international, provided Math tutoring for a year, served as the Director of Curriculum for the Singapore School Mathematics Olympiad 2021, participated in Model United Nations for about two years (earning a few awards), competed in badminton and table tennis tournaments, volunteered in my Sunday school, held the position of student council treasurer for several years, took on leadership roles in various events, and participated in numerous arts competitions.

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

Nothing, actually. I was interested in math and computer science, and I received offers for majors in those fields.

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

Try out all the activities that interest you and are related to your major! At the same time, make sure that your grades and mental health are not suffering due to excessive extracurriculars. Also, do plenty of research on the scholarships offered by various universities. Different scholarships have different “types” of people they want, so try your best to fulfill them. 

Also, in my opinion, never do CCAs just because they will look good on your portfolio. I never regretted studying hard and participating in so many math olympiads, even if they are not very relevant to me right now, because I truly enjoyed what I was doing back then. I believe that you can impress the university admission officers without forcing yourselves to do things that are boring to you!