How JIS Brunei enabled these students to enter the world’s elite universities

Staying true to its motto, Jerudong International School (JIS) achieves academic excellence by granting graduates a path into the world’s elite universities.

As the leading boarding and day school in Brunei, JIS has inspired students to secure degree placements at Ivy League schools and exceptional higher learning institutions worldwide.

By providing a balanced academic framework that follows the British National Curriculum, students from Junior, Middle and Upper-level status have gone on to accomplish incredible things from a young age, gaining acceptance to high-quality institutions across the globe such as Berkeley, Cornell, Cambridge, Durham and Australian National University, Canberra.

To showcase the impact that a JIS education can have on students’ academic performance and career, here are four student success stories JIS graduates have shared.

Muplangnan Pankyes Hirse, IB Diploma Graduate (2018)

As a recipient of a full Pearson Scholarship from the University of Toronto in Canada and an IB Diploma Graduate, Muplangnan Hirse, known as Mups, has experienced an abundance of astounding academic opportunities since her JIS journey began.

On the topic of Jerudong International’s commitment to positive student engagement, Mups explained that “JIS has a very strong emphasis on independent study and all students are encouraged to formulate their own thoughts and undertake their own research. This helped me build my confidence and has helped me to complete my university projects and assignments.”

Mups also highlights the great memories she made at JIS, “I can vividly remember the reactions of my teachers when I told them that I had received a scholarship to the University of my Dreams,” she explains.

“The pride and joy that filled their faces will forever remain with me, mainly because I attribute my success not only to the work I put in but also to the help and support that they provided me with throughout the whole process.” Mups is studying Health Science with an option to pursue her dream of Medicine in the future.

James Dickinson, IB Diploma Graduate (2015)

Now in his final year at Downing College at the University of Cambridge, UK, philosophy student James Dickinson believes JIS gave him the preparation needed to gain entrance to one of the world’s most elite universities.

As a JIS IB Diploma graduate who earned a place at the prestigious University of Cambridge, James has first-hand experience of Jerudong’s educational excellence, “While the results of the school are always stellar,” he says, “what truly differentiates the school is that it pushes students to achieve excellence in all areas and this supportive community fostered a desire in students to be the best that they could be.”

By opting for the IB Diploma Programme at JIS, James gained valuable leadership skills and developed a real-world perspective, “At 16, I had no idea what I wanted to do study at university, so I wanted to keep my options open. Doing the IB meant that I could do Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry at a high level, without sacrificing the essential skills of arts subjects such as English, Geography and French.”

When asked about his most favourite moments at JIS, James replied, “Being the President of the Security Council at FOBISIA Model United Nations. It involved chairing debates and getting to know other students with interests in global politics from schools around Asia!” All good preparation for his involvement with the University Varsity newspaper as Film and TV Editor.

Julia Ladics, A-Level Graduate (2013)

Graduating from Jerudong International with four outstanding A-Levels in July 2013, Julia Ladics went on to graduate from Brown University in the USA last year. Now, she serves as a research fellow at Evidence for Policy Design, Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

In Julia’s opinion, “JIS has an incredible atmosphere. As soon as you walk through the gates, you can feel the enthusiasm and dedication of everyone there. The positive and welcoming environment helps everyone thrive in their own way, making achieving excellence seem easy.”

Evidently, skills acquired at this international school in Brunei remain with students for life. As Julia explains, “I learnt skills at JIS that were invaluable both at university and beyond. JIS has endless extra-curricular activities and everyone can find their place there,” she concludes.

Phil Wang, GCSE Graduate (2006)

Since graduating from Jerudong International School, Phil Wang studied Engineering at King’s College Cambridge, became a President of the Cambridge Footlights, established his career as a professional comedian and has recently appeared on UK shows such as C4 ‘An Extra Slice’, The Comedy Line Up on Netflix and Room 101.

As Phil explains, “When I arrived at JIS I was astonished by the quality of teaching and the resources on offer. Moving from the Malaysian school system into GCSEs was unsurprisingly a jagged process for me, but the professionalism and compassion of the teachers at JIS allowed me to bridge those gaps.

“JIS also taught me to pursue my interests, to hold myself with dignity and to respect and value the broad range of backgrounds and experiences of others. These lessons allowed me to overcome the challenges of university and they carried me over into the international comedy industry,” Phil adds.

On a final note, Phil admires JIS for having teachers and students of all races and religions from all over the world. He advises aspiring applicants to “Jump headfirst into the mix of people, cultures, holidays and traditions that make up such a special place!”

With countless student success stories and golden graduate prospects, learners like Julia, James, Muplangnan and Phil are thankful for the fulfilling education they received at Jerudong International School.

By offering learners the optimum amount of support, every student at JIS is appreciated for their individual goals and aspirations.

To find out how students can join the Jerudong community of changemakers, innovators and intellectuals, click here and start your story today.

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