KUALA LUMPUR, 9 August 2019 – Four outstanding IELTS test takers in Malaysia have been awarded the IELTS Prize 2018/19, including a Regional 2nd Prize winner. This is the third year in a row that a Malaysian has won a Regional Prize.
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.
The Regional 2nd Prize and Local Prizes are awarded to four outstanding test takers in Malaysia
This year, the Regional 2nd Prize is awarded to Praveena Mahadevan, while the three Local Prize winners are Joanne Loo YingJia (1st Prize), Nicholas Tan Hao Yu (2nd Prize) and Nadia Izzati binti Zamri (3rd Prize).
Regional 2nd Prize winner Praveena says: ‘Pursuing a Master in Public Health degree is something I have wanted to do ever since I was in medical school, and now with the IELTS prize, I am able to make it a reality. It’s also humbling to know that the British Council felt my interests and goals were worthy of their support and has given me a little boost of confidence in myself and in my capabilities’.
Local 1st Prize winner Joanne Loo says: ‘For many years I felt a deep desire to expand my horizons and to seek engaging experiences with international creatives, but what held me back the most was my financial capabilities. Winning the IELTS Prize has given me the much-needed boost to strike forth with courage and develop my personal, artistic narrative’.
‘We are delighted to announce that this year there are four Malaysian winners of the British Council IELTS Prize 2018/19 and, for the third year in a row, we have a regional prize winner from Malaysia,’ said Sarah Deverall, Director Malaysia. ‘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 subsidise high-calibre individuals who demonstrate the potential to make a significant positive contribution to society after their studies.’
Winners demonstrate a strong aspiration and commitment to serve society
This year, the British Council interviewed over one hundred 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 an outstanding level of academic commitment and excellent communication skills. These individuals will become British Council IELTS Ambassadors.
Top three test takers in East Asia have been awarded the Regional Prize
Three regional prizes valued up to RM220,000 have been awarded to top students in East Asia who will pursue higher education in their dream universities in the 2019/20 academic year.
The British Council provides test takers with a full range of services, including pre-test support, in-test arrangements and post-test services. This includes 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, please visit https://www.ieltsasia.org/my/.
