As the new academic year and semester approach, numerous organizations and institutions launch scholarship programs. One of these is the Bakti BCA Scholarship program by Bank Central Asia (BCA). This scholarship is aimed at fifth-semester undergraduate students who are high-achieving but face financial challenges. BCA also provides soft skill development programs for scholarship recipients, including leadership training, entrepreneurship sharing sessions, and mentoring. This program supports one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by helping participants obtain quality education. Recipients of the Bakti BCA Scholarship receive various benefits such as financial assistance (tuition subsidies/allowances), workshops for self-improvement and leadership, financial planning training, self-development webinars, networking opportunities, career orientation, and more.
In 2021, Anisa Nurus Sholihah, a 2018 Mathematics student from Universitas Airlangga, successfully secured the Bakti BCA Scholarship. “My initial motivation to get a scholarship came from seeing the track record of senior students who had received numerous scholarships from various institutions. I started searching for scholarship information from various sources, including following Instagram accounts that provide updates on available scholarships. Before successfully obtaining the Bakti BCA Scholarship, I experienced several failures which taught me about the shortcomings that led to those failures, such as insufficient supporting data, an inadequate CV, and other factors,” Anisa explained.
Before being selected for this program, Anisa had to fulfill several requirements and follow a specific registration process, including obtaining a recommendation letter from her faculty, filling out a scholarship application form with general student information, personal and family data, financial statements, an essay, and attaching necessary documents. On August 19, 2021, Anisa received an email informing her that she had passed to the next stage, which was the assessment stage. On August 23, 2021, she received another email for the next stage, which was a pre-recorded interview. Finally, on September 16, 2021, Anisa was declared a recipient of the Bakti BCA Scholarship and began participating in the program and training sessions from October 2021 to June 2022.
When interviewed, Anisa shared some tips and tricks with her peers on how to secure this scholarship: “First, you need to have enthusiasm and always be optimistic that what you choose (a scholarship) is the best step forward. Don’t be afraid of failure and start everything with prayer. Second, besides having academic abilities, you should also engage in some non-academic activities to have an added value as a scholarship applicant. Third, prepare all required documents thoroughly and submit everything on time; don’t procrastinate because unforeseen circumstances could hinder your preparation. Fourth, frequently check your email or the platform used for information to avoid missing important updates,” she advised.
Furthermore, Anisa mentioned that the requirements for the Bakti BCA Scholarship were relatively easy as they did not require a motivation letter, TOEFL scores, or a CV, making the application process more straightforward for applicants.
Through this scholarship program, several SDG goals can be met, including ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, supporting inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all, and reducing inequality within and among countries.
Wow, what an inspiring journey shared by our friend Anisa Nurus in securing the Bakti BCA Scholarship. We hope this sharing session inspires and motivates fellow scholarship seekers. See you in the next scholarship sharing session!
