THE British Council IELTS Prize, since its launch in 2011, has supported more than 270 students in East Asia in pursuing their dreams of studying abroad.
This year, 33 prize winners in the region have been added to the list, including two outstanding IELTS test takers in the Philippines, who have been awarded an IELTS Prize 2018/19 Local Prize.
This year, the British Council interviewed over 100 exceptional individuals who have excelled in their IELTS test and shown admirable aspiration in their plan to contribute to society, locally or abroad.
While it was a tough decision for the judges, the winners demonstrated outstanding levels of academic commitment and excellent communication skills. These individuals will become British Council IELTS ambassadors.
Three regional prizes valued up to P2,700,000 have been awarded to top students in East Asia who will pursue higher education in their dream universities in the 2019/20 academic year.
Regional Grand Prize winner, Dillon Chew, believes that the IELTS has opened the door for him to top quality education in the emerging field of Biotechnology.
He said "extensive preparation for the IELTS test helped me stand out among applicants to the University of Cambridge. In addition, the financial support from the IELTS Prize has taken me one step closer to my dream."
"IELTS is the world’s most popular high-stakes English proficiency test, with over 3.5 million tests taken in 2018. Through the British Council IELTS Prize, we are pleased to subsidize high-caliber individuals who demonstrate the potential to contribute to society after their studies," said Trish Thomson, regional marketing director, East Asia.
The two Local Prize winners in the Philippines are Jestine Jennica Cabiles and Rey Mejias.
When asked how she felt about winning the IELTS prize, Jennica said, "I am beyond grateful to the British Council for this life-changing opportunity that brought me closer to my goal of gaining global education towards becoming an analyst for social impact. Winning the IELTS Prize is a solid affirmation of my communication skills; it is a reflection of my preparedness for international exposure at the Paris School of Business where I will specialize in innovation, strategy, and data analytics."
"We are grateful and proud to have been part of these outstanding individuals’ pursuit of overseas education. As their test centre of choice, we will continue to provide quality support and assistance through our premium test preparation offers and excellent customer service," said Pilar Aramayo-Prudencio, country director, British Council in the Philippines, who handed the winners their cheques during the awarding.
The British Council provides a full range of services, including pre-test support, in-test arrangements and post-test services. These include access to Road to IELTS, a collection of specially designed online preparation and practice materials for registered students, including practice tests.
Test takers also benefit from easily accessible venues, flexibility when selecting test sessions to best suit their schedules, and the timely receipt of their Test Report Form.
To learn more, visit www.ieltsasia.org/ph. (PR)