At the Interview Day applicants may be interviewed by a number of companies. The QUEST Committee will interview every applicant to decide if offering a QUEST Scholarship would be appropriate. The companies will rank in order the scholars they feel are the best matches for their company. The applicants will also record who they would most like to be partnered with. After the Interview day we will perform a matching process to try and suit the best wishes of the candidates and the companies.
When can I expect to hear if I have been selected?
The matching process can take some time to complete. You can expect to hear whether you will be offered a QUEST Scholarship by the middle of October.*
*You will be notified whether you have been successful or unsuccessful.
How much is the scholarship worth?
Awards are up to the value of £3,000 per annum, to a maximum value of £12,000 for the duration of your course of study. Successful candidates will receive their first annual award by the end of November.
In addition to the monetary value of the award, each scholar will gain at least 8 weeks work in each of their summer holidays with their partner company. During this period, scholars will be paid employees of the company.
Please Note: Students are not paid scholarships during industrial placements which are part of their degree programme. However, time abroad studying as part of a JBM accredited course will not affect your scholarship payment.
What other benefits are available to an ICE QUEST Undergraduate Scholar?
An ICE QUEST Undergraduate scholarship is a valuable addition to an engineer’s CV, as are the summer placements with the partner companies. However, there are other benefits to a QUEST scholar.
Candidates who are partnered with companies that have an ICE approved Training Scheme will be provided with a senior engineer or manager to act as a mentor, offering advice and encouragement and assisting in the signing off of the ICE Development Objectives. The professional development of an engineer is based on completing these objectives and a QUEST scholar will have the benefit of being able to start early whilst completing their summer placements. If a mentor is not available, the ICE will assist the scholar in trying to find one for themselves.
A scholar can be registered under a Training Agreement with the ICE, which is free for QUEST scholars. Click here for more information about becoming professionally qualified.
What are the conditions of an undergraduate scholarship?
Scholarships are provided in partnership with many top civil engineering partner companies. Successful candidates will be matched with a partner company, either a consultant or a contractor. Scholars will be obliged to do an 8 week summer placement with their partner company and will need to provide a satisfactory annual report by the 31st October, (which includes their exam results signed by a tutor) and a report from the partner company, in order to ensure their next year of funding. The Code of Practice outlines what is expected of scholars and their partner companies.
A condition of a QUEST award is that you contribute to ICE's schools programme on at least three occasions during your undergraduate career. This can be achieved by, for example, running an activity in a local school or attending a school careers event, and you will need to record this on your QUEST annual report. Another good way of achieving this commitment is to become part of the ICE Ambassadors in Schools programme. Before any involvement with a school, you are strongly recommended to contact your ICE regional office, as they may be able to arrange CITB Construction Skills presentation skills training for you.
What happens if I want to change company?
You are expected to remain with the company you are partnered with throughout your University career. You will not be able to change company part way through your time at University and remain as a QUEST scholar unless there are exceptional circumstances.
What is an Annual Report?
If you are an existing scholar you can download a copy of the Annual Report Form. It is a requirement of all scholars to submit an annual report each year by the 31st October. Failure to do so could result in the scholarship being forfeited.
The purpose of the Annual Report is threefold. Firstly to obtain signed confirmation from your personal tutor to state that you have successfully passed the previous academic year and that you are enrolled on the same course for the next academic year. Secondly the report serves to keep the QUEST Committee informed of your academic progress and to ensure that QUEST scholars perform to a high standard whilst at University. It is therefore a requirement that your end of year examination results are provided in detail in order that we may track your development.
Lastly, the Annual Report provides you with the opportunity to reflect on the year, and consider and take responsibility for your own professional development as a civil engineer. Skills that you learn whilst writing your reports will be useful when you graduate and become involved in your professional registration. You may even be able to use your Annual Reports to contribute towards signing off your Development Objectives as part of your CPD. It is therefore advised that you take time to consider your reports for your own benefit, as your efforts will be rewarded in the future.
A copy of the report will be sent to your partner company, and the partner company will send their report from your summer placement, directly to you. This is to ensure that both parties are happy with the progress that is being made, and to create the possibility of discussion if it becomes apparent that a problem has arisen.
All Annual Reports should be returned to the QUEST Executive at the ICE Head Office, not to the Regional Office.
What is the ICE QUEST Ghulam Haider Scholarship?
ICE QUEST - G Haider Scholarships are awarded each year to students of civil engineering to graduate level at the University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore. The scholarships are for the full duration of the four-year degree course and are currently set at 36,000 Pak Rupees per year for each scholarship. Application forms together with Rules & Regulations may be obtained from the University. Further details are also available from the ICE Representative Lahore.
If you have any questions or comments regarding QUEST, please contact the QUEST Executive by emailing quest.awards@ice.org.uk. Application forms should be returned to the appropriate ICE Regional Address.
