ECS Excellence Scholarship

"I received the ECS Excellence scholarship for my pre-university (A-level) performance, and it was a real help to fund my university career. It enabled me to do all the extracurricular hobbies that I wanted to - such as archery and kayaking - without having to worry about extra funding or part-time work, which would have meant that I had less time to study or participate in extracurriculars. The scholarship was also a wonderful recognition of all the work that I had put in throughout my academic career and I am very honoured to have been granted it. I wrote my first computer program when I was 10, and ever since, I have been fascinated by the possibilities that computer science offers. Virtually anything that you can dream up can be developed, and the only limit is your time and imagination. You hear it all the time, but that’s because it’s true: technology is the future. Computer science and electronics have revolutionised the world and radically transformed our daily lives in a very short space of time, and it’s only going to carry on. I find great enjoyment in studying computer science as there is always something new and exciting to learn about, and it allows me to be a part of this modern technological revolution."

"When I was applying to universities, ECS felt like a natural fit for me – with emphasis on applying knowledge to practical problems and setting high expectations for myself. The ECS Excellence Scholarship reinforced this focus on high-achievement and academic excellence, of striving to be the best and seeking out challenging problems to tackle. Applying for the scholarship was a simple process, and after a few months I heard the news that I had got it, which was a great feeling and boosted my confidence in myself and inspired me to work even harder at my studies. The prize helped me to justify to myself the purchase of a 3D printer, a decision I have not regretted. It helped me to prototype ideas I have for projects quickly and solve problems that would be otherwise inaccessible to me. This is the power of the ECS Excellence Scholarship: to empower you to support your own learning and your own skills – including the technical skills to support you studies and extra-curricular skills for the wider world. Hopefully this scholarship can be your stepping-stone to great things."

"Computers have fascinated me since I was a kid. I remember I got my hands on my first computer at around 4 years old. Since then, the passion for this domain has developed gradually inside me. I remember I was in the 5th grade when I have already decided for sure that I want to make a career in the computer science field. Wanting to pursue world class education in this area, I decided to apply for a MEng Computer Science with Cyber Security degree at University of Southampton. During my application, my university adviser told me about this awesome scholarship and I decided that I must apply to it. A few days before the Christmas in my first year, I have received an email informing me that I was awarded one of the ECS Excellence Scholarships. I was thrilled. It instantly boosted my confidence in my skills and confirmed me that I am on the right career path. It also motivated me to work harder, to be the best. On the financial side, this award really helped me managing the costs of living in Southampton, especially by lifting a bit of the burden from my parents’ shoulders. I really encourage everyone to apply to this scholarship. It can reassure you that your skillset is valuable and that you are on the right track to be a successful engineer. "

"Receiving the ECS Excellence Scholarship in my first year was a great honour and invaluable help for me. Besides, it was a huge confidence boost for an international student like me who just came to study in the UK. As a student with a working-class background, this scholarship was a significant financial help, which allowed me to focus on my studies, without much worrying about supporting myself in the UK. I am truly grateful, as I am aware of how much this award helped me and influenced my motivation and successes during my degree. If you are considering applying for this award, it is definitely worth giving a try. Computer science is something more than just a subject for me. It has been my passion for a very long time. It evolved from playing with programmable lego robots as a kid, through the middle-school phase of participation in algorithmics contests, up to my high school fascination with low-level programming. The highlight of my pre-university CS journey was presenting my system-level concurrency project at the world's biggest science fair, Intel ISEF in the USA, and securing two awards there. I am truly happy that this path led me to become a student of the University of Southampton because it allowed me to grow in my cherished field. Throughout those three years, I had the opportunity to learn from top academics, to work as a research intern at Southampton’s Cyber-Physical Systems group, and also to collaborate with the researchers from ARM’s Software and Large Scale Systems."