Beyond the Ads: Smart Nation Scholarship

Congratulations! By reading this article, you’re taking your first steps towards becoming a Smart Nation Scholar! We value your curiosity and initiative, so read on to find out how you can maximise those attributes of yourself to contribute to tech for public good.

print(“Hello, World!”)

Before we start proper, hi, I’m Nyx, a techie who loves creating for the community. I was awarded the Smart Nation Scholarship in 2023 (yes, just a few months before writing this article). As of writing this, I’m a freshman at UC Berkeley pursuing the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS) major in the College of Engineering.

I also interned at GovTech in 2023 just a few weeks after being awarded the scholarship. This is me sharing about my internship experience with the WOGAA team at GovTech’s Intern Day.

I’ve always loved making stuff, from manga to password-locked pencil cases. Upon seeing a bus advertisement on game development and subsequently spending hours on hours learning programming languages and building simple coding projects (think TicTacToe and a Scrabble point counter), I found that coding — and computer science and tech as a whole — is what enables me to be the most creative, to make the most stuff.

My proudest creation & startup: NexLiber (nexliber.com), a library of comprehensive coding project documentations extinguishing tutorial hell

Seeing my creations bring value to the people around me is also beyond exciting. Hence, you could say that applying for GovTech’s Smart Nation Scholarship was an obvious choice for me, what with my and GovTech’s shared passion for tech and bettering the community.

So… how can I apply for SNS?

I’m glad you asked!

“Applying” is pretty straightforward really… you’d just need to fill up a form on BrightSparks. Just your usual, run-of-the-mill process: fill up the activities section, write some essays, yada yada yada…

But “preparing to apply” is a whole other animal.

The preparation — the making sure you’re ready for the scholarship and what it entails — is a long marathon. For me, the marathon lasted around 3 to 4 years, from Sec 3 to JC 2. Before applying for any scholarship, you have to first ask yourself what your passion is. Once you’ve found that, consistently demonstrate it while finding organisation(s) whose passion aligns with yours. Finally, reflect on why you do the things that you do, why you want the scholarship, and why you are the best person for the scholarship.

Me speaking at the STEM Showcase of the 1st Youth Science Ambassador Programme by Science Centre Singapore

A little nugget of wisdom: never do things just for the sake of padding up your resume; you have to be genuine in your efforts and activities. This is because 1) no genuineness == no enjoyment and 2) people (and, more practically, interviewers) can easily ‘sus out’ pretence. Anyway, you’d also need to explain your honest passions in the essays, so if you don’t have a real interest in your work, then you’re going to have a hard time convincing your potential sponsors of your potential.

What can I expect after applying?

Once you’ve completed that marathon and hit the ‘submit’ button (the hard part in my opinion), you’d need to wait for a couple of months for the shortlisting outcome. In total, there are 5 shortlisting stages for GovTech’s SNS:

1. The application at BrightSparks (indicate GovTech as your first choice agency if you’d like to work for GovTech the most!)
2. GeekInsider Part 1: an interview with a project lead and a talent manager + a technical assessment (think competitive programming)
3. GeekInsider Part 2: a team-based escape room mission + a team-based mini solution brainstorming and pitching
4. An interview with GovTech’s senior management
5. An interview with the Permanent Secretary of Smart Nation and Digital Government, the Government Chief Digital Technology Officer, and Chief Executives of GovTech, IMDA, and CSA

These 5 stages were what I experienced in 2023. They may change in the future, but it’s always helpful to have a general idea of what’s in store for you beyond the proverbial gate.

My team members in GeekInsider Part 2

If you’ve successfully advanced through all those stages, congratulations, you’ve been offered the Smart Nation Scholarship!

P.S. As you can see, there are a lot of interviews. Just some tips: talk about your genuine passions, pitch your fit with the scholarship, and always be confident and put your best foot forward.

All the best!

It’s going to be a long journey, but always find enjoyment in it and remember that you are working towards your goals. Regardless of whether you find the success you’re looking for, if you’ve spent your time positively and meaningfully, you’ll look back fondly at the memories you’ve made, the skills you’ve built, and the hunger that has driven you.

I hope you’re now starving.