Two Rwandan students have been given scholarships to study at Harvard University in the U.S. In an interview with The New Times yesterday, Richard Siegler, a co-founder of the Bridge2Rwanda Scholars programme, said that currently 18 more students have received scholarships to international universities for this year.

Siegler said that most of these scholarships will be fully funded by the host university at the level of between $63,000 and $65,000 per year for four years. Since 2012, Bridge2Rwanda has helped to prepare more than 60 total students who have accepted international university scholarships, including to Dartmouth College, the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Chicago.

How Selection was done

Mark Karugarama, the director of the Bridge2Rwanda Career Center, said that besides the students doing tests, their annual school reports and performance in the national exams were reviewed before being selected for the university preparation program opportunities.

"We do not have any scholarships to offer," added Bridge2Rwanda Executive Director Anna Reed, "but we try to help Rwanda's best students to prepare and earn the best university scholarships they are qualified for. Fortunately, many elite U.S. universities also invest heavily in scholarships for top African students, and these are opportunities Rwandan students can prepare and apply for."

Students excited

Jonathan Iyandemye, 20, one of the Harvard College beneficiaries and a top performer in Bridge2Rwanda Scholars, could not believe that he was among the lucky ones. "I learnt about Bridge2Rwanda from a friend and I didn't expect to go this far. I applied online and wrote a test in February 2013. After passing it, I was called for an interview which I also passed. I am now looking forward to pursuing a Bachelor's degree at Harvard," says Iyandemye.

Justus Uwayesu, 22, said he will study biological sciences and his dream is to become a medical doctor. "Our goal is to return and contribute to the development of our country," Uwayesu says. "We thank Harvard and other U.S. universities very much for this support, but this education is only the beginning. We hope to return in 4 years and then the real work can begin, where we are concerned."