Singapore, 7 August 2025 – Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA) held its 2025 SFCCA Scholarship Award Ceremony this morning at its Level 2 multi-purpose hall, honouring four outstanding students and supporting their pursuit of higher education in China, with the objective of nurturing them into future leaders with strong bilingual and bicultural competencies.
This year, the SFCCA Scholarship received 12 applications, from which four outstanding students were selected. Jessica Lee Yu Wen and Alicia Lim Qi Wen, both from Hwa Chong Institution (College Section), will pursue their undergraduate studies at Peking University’s Yuanpei College and School of Economics respectively. Chan See Cheng, a graduate from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, will be heading to the School of International Relations, also at Peking University. The scholarship also welcomed its first recipient of Malay-Chinese heritage, Al Lucas Johanne Johani, a graduate of NUS High School of Mathematics, who will major in Finance at Fudan University.
During the ceremony, SFCCA President Mr Thomas Chua commended the recipients for their academic excellence and active contributions to both Singaporethe broader society and the Chinese community. He expressed his hope that more young talents with bilingual and bicultural skills, like these scholarship recipients, wwould continueill to make contrimeaningful/significant contributions bute meaningfully to the Chinese community and Singapore at largeas a whole. Mr ChuaHe also shared his appreciation for the growing increasing participationinvolvement of youths from diverse backgrounds in Chinese community initiatives, highlighting noting this trend as an encouraging positive development step towards building a harmonious and multicultural Singapore.
Speaking about Lucas, the first Malay-Chinese recipient, who self-studied Chinese, undertook professional courses in Chinese, and passed the CFA Level 1 examination, Mr Chua notedremarked: “His achievement reflects is not only a reflection of his personal dedication and perseverance , but also demonstratesa demonstration of the inclusivity and enduring appeal of Chinese language and culture. It further underscores the deepening growing depth of cultural exchange and mutual appreciationresonance among Singapore’s diverse communities.”
Since its inception in 2011, the SFCCA scholarship has supported the nurturing of bilingual and bicultural talents in Singapore. Each scholarship offers up to S$15,000 per academic year with no bond requirement. Recipients are, however, expected to complete an internship with SFCCA or one of its member associations during their school holidays, to gain practical experience and deepen their understanding of the local Chinese community and culture. Past recipients have pursued studies in nearly 20 fields, including international relations, business administration, translation, and robotics engineering
Now in its 15th year, the scholarship programme has supported 67 students. Of these, 49 have completed their undergraduate studies and are now pursuing careers or furthering their education across a wide range of fields around the world. Among them, about 41% are employed in the private sector, 29% in the public sector, while others have continued with postgraduate studies.
In addition to supporting local students in their educational pursuits in China, SFCCA launched the SFCCA Scholarship Network in 2020 to mark the scholarship’s 10th anniversary. This intiative aims to foster friendships and knowledge-sharing among past and present scholars, strengthen their connection with SFCCA, and encourage them to contribute meaningfully to the local Chinese community and the broader Singapore society. The network holds regular gatherings and sharing sessions, providing a platform for scholars to exchange experiences and offer guidance to aspiring students interested in pursuing studies in China – helping to inspire the future generations of leaders.
