The Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program is an academic enrichment program designed to support high achieving Victorian Year 11 and Year 12, and select secondary students living close to the New South Wales and South Australian borders.
If you're eligible, you'll get the exciting opportunity of experiencing university life and taking part in a range of academic events and activities, facilities to help you achieve your best – plus get a head start on your future studies and career!
When you finish your secondary studies, you could also be offered a guaranteed place in an undergraduate degree, financial assistance to move to Melbourne, and an overseas scholarship during your studies.
If you're a Year 10 student
1. Get your school's endorsement: this required in your application. Schools can endorse a maximum of five applicants so make sure you speak to your teachers about this early.
2. Prepare and have the right information for your application, view our sample application. Take some time to think about the questions and get a teacher or parent to check over what you've written before you submit it.
3. Apply online before the cut-off date of mid-October. We will ask you to tell us about yourself (i.e. your role models, goals, biggest challenge you have faced so far) and any extra-curricular activities you are involved in.
I did this (it's how I found AN), and so did a bunch of other forum members.
How did AN come up?
One of the other forum members (Hydroxyl I think) who was also in my KLD cohort asked who else was going to the free atarnotes lectures on the holidays, and I was shocked that VCE lectures existed - let alone free ones - so I looked into it.
A great love story!
Looks like a pretty good program!
What's the maximum amount of student's the uni will accept? So 1 is the minimum, what would the maximum be, per school, or would it depend?
What kinds of things do we need to put on the application? Awards; community involvement? What counts as community involvement?
Thanks! Good luck to all applying. Hope others can benefit from the answers to these questions...
Looks like a pretty good program!
What's the maximum amount of student's the uni will accept? So 1 is the minimum, what would the maximum be, per school, or would it depend?
What kinds of things do we need to put on the application? Awards; community involvement? What counts as community involvement?
Thanks! Good luck to all applying. Hope others can benefit from the answers to these questions...
I did this (it's how I found AN), and so did a bunch of other forum members.
There aren't heaps of events, but I found the student community to be quite valuable :)
Do you any tips as to how to make your application stand out?
My sister was a part of the KLD program, and I remember for her application she had listed a TON of leadership and volunteering experiences (very similar to what Bri listed above). The thing about KLD and other similar programs, is that most (if not all) applicants are very strong when it comes to academics but you have to demonstrate your strength outside of book knowledge in order to stand out. Essentially, show that you are not only a capable student but also capable of helping others.
Continuing with all the fascinating love stories from above, my sister met her boyfriend through KLD. It was also where my current girlfriend met her ex. The social aspects of this program sounds spicy.
I currently have a minor leadership role and also had a leadership role last year.I’m an ex-Kwonger myself and up until Year 10 I had no real leadership or volunteering roles, beyond one minor one. In Year 10, I had two leadership roles (one major, one minor) and had been at a Japanese Immersion camp (technically representing my school) and that got me through.
Just a question, from what year level should we list our leadership positions and co-curricular activities?
But, for volunteering I feel like I have't really done anything.
I currently have a minor leadership role and also had a leadership role last year.
Just a question, from what year level should we list our leadership positions and co-curricular activities?
But, for volunteering I feel like I have't really done anything.
There aren't heaps of events, but I found the student community to be quite valuable :)I am also a kwonger and agree that the main perk is the community aspect of the program, although I do much prefer the community here at AN ;)
I am also a kwonger and agree that the main perk is the community aspect of the program, although I do much prefer the community here at AN ;)
For my school 2 people were selected and if I remebr correctly my application mainly revolved around my work experience in year 10, community action in year 9, my job, and my running as an extra curricular activity.
What's the community feel like?Its really just a big group of fellow year 12s who are fairly academically motivated. I'd say that the community is fairly casual and not a whole lot of actual academic discussion.
Its really just a big group of fellow year 12s who are fairly academically motivated. I'd say that the community is fairly casual and not a whole lot of actual academic discussion.Do you reckon it's worth it?
Tthere are a few in-person meetups to mingle with people (I ain't a massive fan of mingling tho :-\) and there's like a massive facebook group chat and whatnot. However, there are just too many people for my liking and its hard to interact with a group as big as that and from what I've seen, people seem to just end up forming smaller friendship groups within it. I honestly haven't been that involved in the community as I prefer to spend my time here though.
Do you reckon it's worth it?Depends.
Do you reckon it's worth it?Just like Erutepa said, it really does depend on the person.
I'm not too sure if this similar, but Melbourne as well as other universities offer extension programs for VCE students where you can study 2 uni subjects with your VCE.
I'm really annoyed at the moment because me and my homeroom teacher have been trying for two weeks to get a hold of the careers centre at my school to look over my application and send an endorsement for me but they haven't been responding or helping at all. >:(
I have finished my application but I wanted someone from the careers team to read over it and see if I needed to make any improvements. Unfortunately tomorrow is the last day of school so that won't be happening until we get back to school. :(
Does anyone think sending in my application towards the end is going to affect my chances? I've seen some people say they were submitting their application in the first week.
Hii this thread is pretty dead but I have nowhere else to talk about KLD.
Just wanted to ask, is it ok to apply for KLD if you might change schools in year 11?
Hii this thread is pretty dead but I have nowhere else to talk about KLD.
Just wanted to ask, is it ok to apply for KLD if you might change schools in year 11?
Hi!Hi Ashmi!
I actually applied to KLD and was planning on changing schools in year 11! All you have to do is put the name of the school you plan to commence the following year in the application form and you should be good to go. ;D (I did end up changing and nothing really happened in all honesty.) It's just to make sure when you get a library card/updating details later they can use your new school information. If you do get in, they give you a certificate with your old school name and then they change everything to be your new school name afterwards.
Hope that helps!
Hi Ashmi!
Do you know if all schools in Victoria are eligible for the program?
Thanks a lot :)
Hii thanks for the clarification :D
also one more thing, what do you really need to have a good chance to get accepted?(i go to a fairly competitive school)
My school had a lot of applicants at the time and to make my application sounds a bit different from the others, I changed up my "Story about yourself" criteria. I actually started with a quote that I pretty much follow on a daily basis then I continued in first person about my life and ended with a poem. I tried to take full advantage of this criteria as it was the only one that didn't have a specified type of writing for it. Just be yourself when you write this area and link all your ideas back to qualities of KLD (communication, leadership etc)
Hope that helps! ;D
that sounds really smart but I have a feeling if I try to do something different I might screw up :P
how is everyone planning to structure their application?
also, people are talking about volunteering, but how does one actually sign up to volunteer for something
?
that sounds really smart but I have a feeling if I try to do something different I might screw up :P
how is everyone planning to structure their application?
also, people are talking about volunteering, but how does one actually sign up to volunteer for something
?