It was a great pleasure for the SEA Charitable Foundation to host the 5th Annual International School Scholarship Fair on Saturday, 4 October 2025. We were honoured to welcome our panellists:
Mr. Daniel Boyd, Director, Kellett Outreach;
Mr. Christopher Coates, School Director, American School Hong Kong;
Mr. Edric Nazareno, student at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University and alumnus of the American School Hong Kong;
Ms. Jenny Mitchell, Head of Bursaries, Harrow International School Hong Kong and
Professor Puja Kapai, Associate Professor, University of Hong Kong, Founder of the DEIJ Lab.
The panel opened with an introduction by our Director and Co-founder, Ms. Gurjeet Chima, who welcomed the panellists and set the stage for a meaningful discussion. The conversation began with how schools define scholarships and bursaries. The schools shared that their goal is not only to recognise students with outstanding talents but also to provide opportunities for those from lower socio-economic backgrounds who might not otherwise have access to international schools in Hong Kong
Professor Kapai highlighted the pressures faced by ethnically diverse parents, who often prioritise work over education for their children due to financial responsibilities.
Mr. Nazareno then shared his personal journey of transitioning from a local school to an international school and how it took time to adapt. Before being accepted into the American School Hong Kong, he was placed in a Band 3 school, one of the lower-ranked local schools. After visiting ASHK with SEA Charitable Foundation Founder Jessica Yuen and Christian Action Centre for Refugees, he realised that scholarships are not just for the super geniuses out there — that he too could have a chance at international school.
The discussion then turned to the scholarship and bursary opportunities available at various international schools.
Mr. Boyd shared that 150 students currently attend the Kellett Outreach Programme every Saturday, where they assess each child and also look at how they adapt and how they are part of the community — before selecting candidates for the two bursary places available at Kellett School each year.
Ms. Mitchell from Harrow International School spoke about the range of scholarship and bursary places, emphasising that “they are open to everyone.” Harrow’s current scholarship and bursary applications are open until Friday, 15 October. Harrow bursary places are for the “brightest and talented” students who would thrive in a highly academic environment.
Mr. Coates expressed his pride that both current and former ASHK students were present at the event. He explained that ASHK accepts scholarship applications across three categories — merit-based, needs-based, and diversity-based — and added, “Our scholarship and bursary students are our ambassadors, and we are very proud of each and every one of them as they also contribute positively to our school community.”
Professor Kapai then spoke about the challenges schools face in integrating ethnically diverse families. She noted that “it’s not enough to just bring them into your community — you need to include them and put yourselves in their shoes.” Many parents from diverse backgrounds may not have access to information about diversity and inclusion policies, so bridging this gap is essential.
Mr. Nazareno echoed this sentiment, sharing that it took him time to adjust to having friends from wealthier families — some of whom would chauffeur him home after school. However, through perseverance, he thrived and became Class Valedictorian 2024 at ASHK.
Mr. Coates also reflected on a previous experience at another international school where two full scholarships were offered to external students, yet they did not receive any applications. His point being that “schools are willing to offer scholarships, but they need support in getting the message out there and making their scholarship programs visible to interested and qualified candidates”.
The panel concluded on a hopeful note: while there are meaningful scholarship and bursary opportunities available in international schools in Hong Kong, more work remains to be done to bridge the gap. As Professor Kapai aptly stated, “Diversity in Hong Kong is one way — we must have the skills to make it a two-way street.”
