The Charlie & Janet Chia Scholarship

Funded by an endowed contribution by Mr Timothy Chia, a member of SMU Board of Trustees, the Charlie Chia Cheng Guan Scholarship was established in 2011 with the aim to motivate full-time undergraduate students at the Singapore Management University to achieving greater heights of excellence.

The scholarship has been renamed The Charlie & Janet Chia Scholarship commencing Academic Year 2014-15.

• Singaporean undergraduates proceeding to their second, third or final year of studies in the year of the award
• Preference for undergraduates from the Lee Kong Chian School of Business, School of Economics, School of Accountancy and Yong Pung How School of Law
• Good academic results (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00)      
• Outstanding leadership qualities and be actively involved in community and/or co-curricular activities    
• Special consideration will be given to undergraduates with demonstrated financial needs          

• $15,000 per annum (towards subsidised tuition fees)
• Tenable for one year of study

• May be in concurrent receipt of a government bursary, subject to fulfilment of its eligibility criteria
• The Recipient must not hold any other awards of similar nature during the tenure of the Award, except with the prior written approval of the University

• Apply annually from 1 to 31 January via OASIS >All Apps - Financial Aid Application
• Interview is required of shortlisted applicants

Centre for Student Financial Assistance
Office of Admissions and Financial Assistance
Email: finasst@smu.edu.sg

This scholarship is made possible from the proceeds of an endowed sum by Mr Timothy Chia Chee Ming, a member of SMU Board of Trustees.

Charlie Chia Cheng Guan (1917 - 2011) and Janet Chia Yoke Leng (1914 - 2012) were married for over 70 years and known for their humility, graciousness and zest for life.  They taught their four children values of mutual respect, compassion, empathy and charity to the poor. 

In honour and celebration of their legacy, their son, Mr Timothy Chia, a member of SMU Board of Trustees, has made an endowed donation to SMU.  Mr Timothy Chia’s father, the late Mr Charlie Chia was a prominent businessman in the automotive industry. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who had an immense zest for life. Despite his wealth, the late Mr Chia was humble about his status and successes. At an early age, Mr Charlie Chia had to start work and was not afforded the opportunity to have tertiary education as his father, Mr Chia Yee Soh, (Mr Timothy Chia's grandfather) did not believe in the benefit of education, having come from China as a penniless boy.  For Mr Timothy Chia, it was his mother,  Mrs Janet Chia, who ensured that he had a tertiary education before he joined the family business.

With the gift of these four endowed scholarships named in memory of his late parents, Mr Timothy Chia hopes that future generations of SMU students will be inspired by his late parents’ legacy, and in turn live out the values that they hold dear.