Scholarship Policy 2023-2024

Rationale

WIST wishes to attract children of various and considerable talents into the community, who would not normally consider WIST as an option, especially those families who would not normally consider WIST due to financial factors.

The school recognises the beneficial effect of scholars on the achievement and learning of their peers. The school therefore seeks to provide individual support for, and development of, any such talents, as well as providing an all-round education of excellent quality.

Details of the Scholarship

A scholarship is a monetary award made by the school to a family who wish to send their child to WIST to further their chances of gaining entry to their university of choice.

Scholarships are open to new and existing students.

Scholars will need to demonstrate that they would thrive in the international, multi-cultural environment provided at WIST, and that they could excel when faced with the demands of the IGCSE and A-Level courses.

Scholarships are for entry into the Secondary School and are for the duration of Year 10 and Year 11 for their IGCSEs and/or the two year A Level course (Year 12 – Year 13), contingent on a continued positive approach to learning, positive behaviour and high academic attainment.

Scholarships cover between 30% and 100% of tuition fees (dependent on the economic capability of the family).

Eligibility

Any student holding Uzbek citizenship or permanent residence rights may apply for a scholarship. There may also be the possibility of scholarships for native English speakers depending on the circumstances.

Scholarships are open to students with a passion, talent and aptitude for any specific academic discipline and a firm commitment to extracurricular activities.

Candidates must be 16 years old on the 1st of September for entry to the A level course, or 14 years of age for entry to Year 10. Candidates should be able to speak English fluently and write English to a very high standard.

For the first year of our scholarship scheme, we will be looking for two scholars who will enter Year 10 (applicants will limited to those that are currently studying in a public school) and two scholars that will enter Year 12 (applicants can currently be studying at a public, private or international school).

Process

The scholarship process takes place in February each year when the candidates are assessed, following advertisements in the local press during January.

For internal candidates reminders will be given throughout the year to encourage consistent positive attitude to learning.

Prospective scholars should hand write a letter (of no more than two sides of A4 paper) of application to the SMT, outlining the following areas:

Your background e.g., where did you grow up, family, schooling, values you hold etc.
Your talents and passion(s)
Why a WIST education will help you realise your ambitions

Letters should be accompanied by an academic transcript of the previous two years of schooling, showing all grades in all subjects, a letter of recommendation from the Principal of the applicant’s current school. Based on the quality of the letter of application, academic transcripts and Principal recommendation, a short list of candidates will be invited for an interview with the SMT. Short listed candidates will also undergo a CAT4 (Cognitive Abilities Test) Assessment and a written assessment in English and their favorite subject.

To apply, please email to info@wist.uz or bring to WIST’s main reception all of the aforementioned documents listed above (letter, transcript and Principal’s recommendation letter) by the August 14^th, 2023.

Any applications not complete or submitted on time, will not be considered.

The SMT, will make the final decision on the awarding of scholarships, including the level of scholarship awarded. Criteria for the selection decision can be found in Appendix 1. The scholars will be monitored throughout the year by the Head of Secondary, who will produce an annual report for SMT regarding their progress.

Continued Excellence:

A scholarship of 30% reduction may be available for Year12, for any students who achieve a minimum of all A grades in their IGCSEs rasing to a possible 50% reduction for Year 13 if they maintain all As in Year12.

Appendix 1: Selection criteria for shortlisted candidates

Criteria	Where will this be found?	What does this look like in terms of excellence/preference?
Excellent level of written and spoken English	Letter, written assessment, CAT and interview.	A well structured and eloquent letter which pertains to the areas requested. Evidence of appropriate use of specific subject knowledge. CAT score showing a minimum stanine of 8 or 9, with preference given to the highest SAS. Confident, articulate, engaging and appropriate responses.
A young person who embodies and exemplifies our mission and vision	Principal’s recommendation, interview.	Evidence of a young person who is honest, has integrity and has overcome significant challenges.
Broad academic ability with proven excellence in the A levels they wish to take.	Academic transcript, CAT, written assessment.	High attainment across the curriculum with evidence of excellence in the applicant’s preferred subject showing the potential to achieve an A*. CAT scores showing a minimum stanine of 7 across the four reasoning areas with the higher stanines/predicted grades in the preferred academic disciplines to be taken at A Level.
Commitment to extracurricular activities	Letter, Principal’s recommendation, interview.	Evidence of commitment in any area e.g sports, music, drama, debating, service etc

In making decisions, consideration should also be given to the capacity of the school to accommodate and provide sufficient care for the scholars, the financial circumstances of the family, the desirability of attracting sufficient scholars of a specific discipline and the need to maintain the all-round excellence of the school’s provision.