The Student Scholarship Scheme

In September 2012 HMC Projects scholars will come from twelve countries - Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia and Ukraine.

Boys and girls are selected for scholarships through entry procedures organised in their own countries by nationally accredited agencies and interviews conducted in English in national capitals by members of the HMC Projects Working Group. Selection is based on results in the entry tests, a strong academic record and good references from the students' own schools, proficiency in written and spoken English and performance at interview. An important criterion is the evident readiness of the student to adapt to a different country and to contribute through his or her own interests and enthusiasm to the life of the British school.

Scholarship winners are then allocated to schools across the United Kingdom, all of which have high standards of academic, sporting and cultural achievement. The schools offer the complete costs of tuition, food and accommodation - and the HMC Projects group adds a modest sum to this for additional expenditure, such as travel in the UK and other activities. The total value of a scholarship is therefore in the region of £25,000 a year.

All the schools in the programme are boarding schools, or schools with boarding houses, so students will become members of a full-time educational community, with members of the teaching staff responsible for their progress and welfare. Each school will appoint a "Contact Person" who will liaise closely with HMC Projects, especially the HMC Projects Student Counsellor, to ensure that students have satisfactory arrangements organised for half-terms and other leave-outs. Nearly every school also makes arrangements for an HMC scholar to have a guardian in the UK, who will be available for meetings and discussions, and will help to sort out any initial uncertainties. Such guardianship is funded by the School.

The Scholarship programme is open to students who will be at least 16 years old in the September when their year begins. The age limit for the same date is 17 years 6 months. Applications for scholarships must be made through the appropriate national co-ordinators by the announced closing date (which may be slightly different for each country). Because of recent legislation in the UK, selection for full scholarships has to be restricted to students whose parents' combined income was £25,000 or less in the year prior to the application. (Please note, however, that students whose parental income exceeds this sum may apply through the normal application procedures for a Reduced Fee Scholarship. (Click here for more information on the Reduced Fee Scholarship)

HMC Projects arranges a three-day Orientation Course in Cambridge for our students and teachers on their arrival in September. The HMC Projects Student Counsellor offers pastoral support throughout the year and, in particular, arranges supervised half-term accommodation for those students who request it.

The scholarship is for one year only. Students must not count on a second year in the UK, although over the time the programme has been running a number of students have been invited back for a second year by their schools. HMC Projects has no formal links with second-year students and can provide no further support, financial or otherwise.

HMC Scholars usually emerge as outstanding members of their schools' Sixth Forms, achieving excellent examination results, and offering a great deal besides those. We are proud that former HMC Scholars are already occupying important posts in their own countries.

Financial Arrangements

Since 2003, when financial support from the Open Society of New York ended, it has been necessary to charge an administrative fee to students selected for scholarships and to schools. For the academic year September 2012 – August 2013 the fee will be £1250 for all students, except those from Kirovograd, where the fees for the two winners of the local competition are paid by a benefactor.

The HMC Projects Bursary: On arrival in the UK, each student receives a bursary from HMC Projects. This will be £550 for those students who, because they live in a non-EEA country (and do not have a passport also for an EEA country), will have to acquire a UKBA Child Student visa to enter the UK. For all other students the bursary will be £300. The HMC Projects Bursary is paid by cheque directly to the school to help each student take good advantage of cultural and travelling opportunities during his or her stay. Students may apply to the Student Counsellor for discretionary travel grants.

In circumstances of exceptional financial difficulty, and only when appropriate and detailed information is supplied, HMC Projects may reduce the administrative fee and/or award supplementary bursaries.