How I Secured a Fully Funded Bachelor's at the University of British Columbia, Canada Through the Don Wehrung International Student Award

Hello readers! My name is Rabab Aljack, and I’m from Sudan. Fun facts about Sudan: it's the country where the longest river in the world–The Nile River- starts, and we also have the most pyramids in the world (yeah, more than Egypt hehe). I was born in the capital of Sudan, Khartoum, but lived most of my life on the coast of the Red Sea in Port Sudan. I moved to live in Egypt in 2020 following COVID and had to stay there until 2023 due to the war in Sudan. In 2023, I applied to become a UWC student and was admitted with a fully funded scholarship to UWC Thailand in order to complete the last 2-years of my high school and completed the IB Diploma there in Phuket, Thailand. Being a UWC student surrounded by a community of 95+ nations became the start of my interest in Global Politics and diverse identities. So, as I was completing my IB Diploma, I took on courses such as Global Politics, Economics, and French as a Language in preparation for college and my desired field of studies. Throughout my studies, I had to maintain high grades in order to compete and obtain as many scholarships as possible, as I knew I would need them to attend any of the institutions I was interested in. I applied to various institutions, most of them being in the United States and actually only one university in Canada, and that is the University of British Columbia, the university I am currently attending!

International Scholars Program Details

• I was awarded the International Scholars Program (ISP), specifically the Don Wehrung International Student Award, from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in Vancouver, Canada
• My scholarship is fully funded and is renewed every year in accordance with the conditions of maintaining a 75+ GPA and being active and engaged with the UBC community

Were You Offered Any Other Scholarships?

I was offered scholarships in most of the US universities I applied to, including Case Western Reserve University, Washington and Lee University, Lake Forest College, and others. However, due to the US ban on Sudan, along with other personal reasons, I have decided not to complete my education in the United States.

Educational Background

At UWC Thailand, we follow the International Baccalaureate (IB) program. It is a globally recognized, rigorous two-year high school curriculum that is graded out of 45, with 6 subjects each having a value of 7 points (42 in total) and the remaining 3 points from outside requirements (TOK and EE), coming to a total of 45. In order to apply to the UBC ISP award, I knew I needed a competitive score. In the end, I applied with a score of 41/45. Along with a competitive score where my extra-curiculars that were surrounded around humanitarian initiatives, social justice, and volunteering, which supported my intended field of study

How Did You Prepare to Apply to the University of British Columbia?

How Did You Find Information About International Scholars Program and University of British Columbia?

Most of the information came from my high school university counsellor, along with individual research of previous applicants and their experience with the scholarship program

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

No, because I was applying to Canada

How Did You Prepare to Apply for the International Scholars Program?

In preparation for my scholarship application, I mainly focused on having a well-rounded profile. I knew grades were important and thus aimed at increasing my scholarship (reached 42/45 predicted grade) and maintaining it. But I was also focused on showing consistency in participating in my extracurriculars and reflecting my journey and story from Sudan to Thailand in my application essay, and showcasing my passion for social justice through creative storytelling and through action. I had certificates of volunteering with local NGOs in Thailand and Uganda, along with leadership experiences within and outside UWC Thailand. All in support of my passions and formulating a well-rounded profile before my application

How is Your Experience at the University of British Columbia?

So far, my experience as an ISP scholar and a UBC student has been nothing but life-changing and magical, to say the least. I have had countless opportunities to meet amazing and inspiring individuals and learn from experts in the social sciences, as well as learn about the deep history of the land I study on. Moreover, I was able to find a stage for my voice to share my story and contribute to efforts aimed at helping Sudan, which further connected me to my own culture and community and strengthened my passion for justice and working for a better world for us.

How Do You Rate the University of British Columbia Academically?

I think the university’s ranking speaks for itself, placing 32nd in the World and 2nd in Canada. I would say there are endless opportunities and a variety of classes for most interests and topics. We have a lot of experiences, professors teaching in their relevant fields, along with a well-equipped campus for research opportunities. Moreover, each department has academic advisors whose main goal is to support students academically and in navigating their degree by offering advice, lessons, granting special request approvals, and more ways to help us–students–academically.

How Does the University of British Columbia Support International Students?

As part of the University’s Advising teams is the International Students Advising. International Student Advisors are Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCICs) or Regulated International Student Immigration Advisors (RISIAs) who can support you in your experience as a UBC international student.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I thought a lot about how I can make my application stand out. While I think the best person to answer this question is probably the admissions officer, I would like to believe it was the way I narrated my story from the day I was born. While writing my Common App essay (for a US university) I used metaphors and things I liked to describe my journey navigating civil wars and ethnic divisions within Sudan and my own identity. Personally, I didn’t want pity to be the taken value of my story, and thus using things I like (the Nile River, Coffee, sunflowers, and my name) as a way to tell a “tragic” story reflected who I am, the way I wanted others to know me. And that became my approach to every single essay question and my scholarship questions too. I made sure the questions fit my narrative and not the other way around. Along with my story, I also believe that having high grades, extracurriculars that were relevant to my story, reflected my passions, and also made sense for my future educational path contributed to having a unique and also a well-rounded profile.

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

I would start my application way earlier than I did because I did have a very stressful week before the submission deadline, which wasn’t ideal at all.

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

Don’t just focus on grades. Focus on grades AND your non-academic activities, and make sure they are on a parallel path rather than just having randomized or non-related interests. Even if your academic and non-academic interests are not related to an extent, be intentional about these decisions and always have a general plan/thought behind every step. In conclusion, I would say be ready to justify your choices and be confident in giving those justifications. You don’t have to convince the reader necessarily, but make sure you believe in those steps being in your favour, and that mindset will be reflected in your performance and story.