For a regular Ukrainian trying to get into a top college or a boarding school in the West, the competition isn’t even the hardest part. The hardest is to find money for tuition in a poor country with no student loan opportunities.
That’s where Ukraine Global Scholars steps in. The initiative launched in 2015 aims to guide high school students through the process of application and getting a scholarship.
Five Ukrainian Ivy League graduates and current students founded Ukraine Global Scholars to help high school students to get the best education in the U.S. and Europe. They select motivated participants throughout Ukraine and prepare them for admission into boarding schools and colleges overseas, hoping to get a contribution to the development of Ukraine in the future.
“At some point, other people helped us get into good schools and taught us how to apply, and showed us everything we needed to know, so this is our way of paying back,” said Yulia Sychikova, co-founder and mentor of Global Scholars.
Other goals are to increase the number of Western-educated professionals in Ukraine and the network of Ukrainian experts around the world.
When one tries to apply to the top college or boarding school without any assistance, the chance to be admitted is below 1 percent, Sychikova said.
In 2015, the program announced their first call and selected 13 students. Nine of them applied, and five were admitted to the boarding schools, all expenses covered.
“Five out of nine is a pretty good result because all of these kids got full financial aid together and a ticket to a “top” university (in the future),” Sychikova said.
Five finalists started their first year in the New York University Abu Dhabi, Leysin American School in Switzerland, and an all-girls boarding Emma Willard School. To cover their expenses, they won around $1 million in scholarships.
In 2016, Global Scholars decided to expand and announced 20 finalists out of 350 applicants, who are now preparing for the application process. The mentors conducted a six-week online test camp, preparing for TOEFL and SAT exams, and a two-week camp covering the full cycle of the application process. Besides constant mentorship, the organization covers tests and application fees and advises on financial aid and scholarship opportunities.
As a non-profit venture, Global Scholars covers the expenses through fundraising, spreading the information about the program among the diaspora, alumni, and business community. In 2016, they hope to raise $50,000 to cover the fees the entire application process.
One of the 2016 finalists is Ihor Barakaiev, a high-school student from Kirovohrad. He plans to apply to a boarding school and a college abroad to study computer programming. After gaining some experience in a foreign company, Barakaiev hopes to come back to Ukraine to work in IT.
While selecting the 20 students, Global Scholars carried them through a three-round application process that includes an essay, English and math tests, and two 30-minute interviews. During the interview, the selection committee pays attention not only to strong academic record and extra curriculum activities but also to the applicant’s wish to contribute to the Ukraine’s society after graduation.
Another finalist, a 15-year old high school student Vladyslava Sirychenko said that the interview with Global Scholars wasn’t difficult for her as she already knew what she plans to do in the future. Her passion is applied mathematics.
After graduating a Kyiv school, she will start the tenth grade of a boarding school abroad, and then go to a university. She said that while her father supports her goals, her mom says it is a waste of time to study so long.
Sirychenko’s classmates also don’t share her wish to study abroad. They want to go to the top Ukrainian universities.
“They think that I’m a bit crazy,” she said with a smile.
As a backup, Sirychenko also plans to apply to a Ukrainian university.
However, not every skilled student plans to invest in Ukraine after graduating one of the world’s top schools. Sychikova said that during the selection process, they met a lot of talented students with academic achievements whose goal was to study abroad and stay there.
“It is understandable that many students want to do that, but whenever we heard that, it was a red flag for us,” Sychikova said. “We are looking for those who have passion for Ukraine.”
