60 Get PSC Scholarships, Including One Bound for Tsinghua

52 Are Headed Overseas, With Most of Them Still Favoring Schools in US, Britain

- Wong Pei Ting

While most Public Service Commission (PSC) scholarship holders still favor US or British universities, 19-year-old Sarah Tan Si Yu set her sights on Beijing's Tsinghua University, keen to challenge herself on a path less traveled.

The Raffles Institution alumna has picked its Global Talents in Science and Engineering Programme, which will get its first intake in 2025.

The English-taught interdisciplinary engineering programme will expose students to multiple fields, including architecture, civil engineering and mechanical engineering.

Ms Tan's choice was made in recognition of the fact that China is quickly emerging as a strong force in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) arena.

"I really want to understand their technological landscape — what their priorities are, what their capabilities are, what they are focusing on — and how Singapore can value-add, or how I can bring these back into our public service so I can value-add here," she said.

Ms Tan is among 2025's 60 PSC scholarship holders who attended an awards ceremony at InterContinental Singapore on July 25.

The recipients will serve a bond of four to six years in the public service after they complete their studies.