Global student accommodation platform, Uniplaces, is encouraging students to perform acts of kindness for international students in order to enter its latest scholarship competition.
The scholarship, which will cover housing costs for 15 students around the world for a semester, is asking entrants to upload evidence of a good deed onto the website, either in video, photo or written form.
Ideas already submitted range from helping international students with paperwork and finding a place to live, to translating for students in class, and mentoring them through their university experience.
The scholarship is designed to help not just the winners, but “thousands of international students across the globe”, according to Ben Grech, co-founder of Uniplaces.
“It will encourage students all over the world to make their campuses more accepting and welcoming”
“It’s a simple mechanic that will foster positive interaction between local and international students. It will encourage students all over the world to make their campuses more accepting and welcoming,” he said.
The scholarship will also help students with the cost of university at home as well as the cost of studying abroad.
“At Uniplaces, we’re passionate about global student mobility and empowering students to have a great experience at university,” Grech said.
“The Uniplaces Scholarship proves our commitment to breaking down social and geographical barriers for students.”
The previous edition of the scholarship attracted 9,000 applicants from more than 900 cities around the world.
This year for the first time, people can also recommend their friends as entrants to the competition.
The entries will be judged by a panel of six people who work with students and student accommodation, including Jovana Stankovic from the Erasmus Student Network, and Wouter Onclin, from the Class of 2020.
Original and authentic entries have been encouraged, and judges will also be taking into consideration the number of international students the idea helps, along with the number of votes received on the Uniplaces website.
The competition will close at the end of June, and winners will be selected shortly after.