On 15 September 26 excellent students will begin with the 'ITC Excellence scholarship programme'. The students will, in addition to their normal curriculum, be challenged to expand their research skills. They will receive additional guidance in the field of writing a scientific article or PhD research proposal. If they come through the first half year with good results, they will transfer to the Twente Graduate School (TGS). That way, they can achieve their doctorate degree within three years after obtaining their MSc.
The excellence scholarship programme is aimed towards students from outside the EU. The students pay a third of their education costs themselves, for example through a loan. ITC Dean Tom Veldkamp: "This already shows that the students are extremely motivated and set great store in the educational programme." The remaining costs will be paid by the ITC in the form of a scholarship. These scholarships are granted to the most excellent students. Veldkamp: "It's exceptional that for the first time we're making a selection based on excellent quality, only the best students are accepted. Usually, with scholarships for ITC students like the Fellowship Program (NFP), the quality criterion does not play a very important role for the ITC. We normally look at other factors such as country of origin or themes of development aid. Research shows that smart students can lift the performance of the entire class. This is a pilot project; in two years the specialization track will be evaluated and we will determine whether the desired results were achieved. Students can apply for next year in the course of the year; the application procedure will become available at the beginning of 2015."
