Over $200,000 raised for full-ride scholarship for Palestinian students
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(From left) PM Lawrence Wong with former NMP Anthea Ong and former Cabinet minister Yaacob Ibrahim, who are co-chairs of the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative's administration committee, at a briefing and iftar (breaking fast) on March 18.
PHOTO: LAWRENCE WONG/FACEBOOK
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SINGAPORE - A ground-up effort to sponsor Palestinian students to complete further studies in Singapore has raised half of its $400,000 target so far.
Called the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative, the full-ride scholarship will sponsor two Palestinian students to pursue tertiary education at universities here, covering tuition, lodging and living expenses. The first students are expected to commence their studies in the 2025 academic year.
Fund raising that began in October 2024 has garnered more than 900 individual donations, averaging over $200 as at March 11.
Donations have ranged from $3 to $20,000, said the organisers – a group of Singaporeans – in a media statement.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong joined partners of the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative at a briefing and iftar (breaking of fast) at Pu3 restaurant on March 18. It included students from participating universities, charity platform Ray of Hope, Arab Network of Singapore and volunteers.
“This initiative will provide opportunities for Palestinian students to pursue university education in Singapore, empowering them to uplift their families and communities,” said PM Wong in a Facebook post.
The scholarship’s administration committee is co-chaired by former Nominated MP and social entrepreneur Anthea Ong and former Cabinet minister Yaacob Ibrahim.
It also includes Dr Ang Swee Chai, co-founder of Medical Aid for Palestinians; Dr Gul Inanc, founder of education initiative Opening Universities for Refugees; and Dr Khaled Dawas, a British-Palestinian surgeon and honorary associate professor at University College London.
“Palestinian Scholarship Initiative believes that supporting young Palestinians to study in Singapore not only provides them with access to world-class education at our universities, but also enriches our society by fostering diversity, empathy and global understanding,” said the organisers.
Added Ms Ong: “The Palestinian scholars’ unique perspectives can inspire innovation and collaboration, benefiting both our universities and the broader Singapore community.”
Over 150 applications from young Palestinians
There has been keen interest from young Palestinians since the call went out, with more than 150 applications, said the organisers.
The majority are under 25 years old, and more than half are from Gaza, which has seen its universities razed in the Israel-Hamas conflict.
According to a report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which cited Gaza’s education ministry, 51 university buildings have been destroyed in Gaza as at January 2025, and another 57 damaged.
The young Palestinians have applied to the National University of Singapore – which has seen the most interest so far – Singapore Management University, Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore Institute of Technology and Singapore Institute of Management.
They have applied for courses such as pharmaceutical science, business management, AI and innovation, software engineering, and computer science.
“By learning in Singapore, I hope to gain exposure to cutting-edge design practices, collaborate with diverse talents, and deepen my understanding of sustainable development strategies,” wrote one scholarship applicant, a 32-year-old woman from the West Bank who applied for an entrepreneurship and innovation programme.
“This experience will enable me to apply global insights to local contexts, particularly in Palestine, and contribute to global conversations on design and sustainability.”
Applications are ongoing, said the organisers, adding that the scholarship will be assessed and awarded only to students who are successful in their applications to the participating universities based on current admissions requirements.
The scholarship builds on Singapore’s commitment to providing more scholarships for Palestinian students.
In December 2024, while in Egypt, Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Education Maliki Osman said Singapore will increase the number of scholarships from three to 10.
In his Facebook post, PM Wong noted that “Singapore has been steadfast in supporting the urgent needs of Gaza”, including providing humanitarian aid.
He said ground-up efforts like the Palestinian Scholarship Initiative complement the Government’s efforts to help the Palestinian Authority build capacity. This is in fields like administration and reconstruction, through the Enhanced Technical Assistance Package (Etap).
Under Singapore’s Etap – first introduced in 2013 with $5 million, and subsequently doubled in 2016 to $10 million – Palestinian Authority officials are provided sponsorship to participate in study visits to Singapore and capacity-building courses under the Singapore Cooperation Programme.
It also offers scholarships for the officials to pursue postgraduate studies at Singapore universities.
Singapore has since trained more than 750 officials in areas like diplomacy, water management, economic development and urban planning.
The Republic has also repeatedly reaffirmed its commitment towards helping the Palestinian people achieve eventual statehood.
As a nation, Singapore has contributed more than $19 million to Gaza since the Israel-Hamas conflict began in October 2023. In February, the Republic of Singapore Air Force delivered Singapore’s seventh tranche of humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Anjali Raguraman is a correspondent at The Straits Times. She covers politics, as well as consumer stories spanning tourism, retail and F&B.
