How I Secured a Partially Funded Bachelor's at the University of Bristol, United Kingdom Through the Think Big Undergraduate Scholarship

Hey! My name is Sharon, and I am currently a penultimate-year undergraduate Physics student at the University of Bristol. I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia, but moved to the UK to start my studies in 2024. I chose to pursue a BSc in Physics because I have always been interested in a career in secondary education, and with the passion for Physics I had built up throughout secondary school, I decided I wanted to teach the subject.

Think Big Undergraduate Scholarship Details

I received the merit-based Think Big Undergraduate Scholarship from the University of Bristol, amounting to £6500 per year of study in the form of a tuition fee discount. In addition to that, I received a £3000 one-off Think Big Bursary for Science in my first year of studies.

Educational Background

I studied in an international school in Jakarta providing the CIE A-Level curriculum in parallel with national MoE education requirements. I achieved an A-Level result of A*/A/A in Mathematics/Physics/Chemistry.

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

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

I received a lot of help from my school counselors throughout my university application period, and I received conditional offers from UK and Singapore universities in my final year of high school. I decided to defer my start date by a year and spent my gap year researching and preparing my Think Big Scholarship application after firming my offer in Bristol.

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

I took the IELTS exam as part of the UCAS requirements, and mostly prepared by looking up mock exams and sample papers, especially for the writing section. I also practiced the speaking section with my English teacher, and thankfully received a great result of 8.5.

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

I did a lot of extracurricular activities and volunteering for causes I am passionate about, so my experience would be able to stand out amongst thousands of other applicants.

What Do You Think Made Your Application Stand Out?

I think what made my application stand out was the fact that I had a very clear roadmap on what I would like to do with my degree after graduation. I also mentioned the opportunities that I have researched to be available in Bristol in line with my future teaching career, and that showed the scholarships team how dedicated and passionate I am about this field.

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

Other than changing very minor things in my application essay, I think the application I submitted was the best I could’ve done given my experiences, and it resulted in a great outcome, so I wouldn’t do anything differently :)

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

Make sure that the activities you have done and plan on mentioning in the application align with your goals. For example, as I aspire to be a Physics teacher, I talked more about my experience doing peer tutoring and volunteering in the education sector during my gap year, and less about less related experiences. Make sure they can sense your passion from thousands of miles away!