Grateful to be selected as an MNRB Scholar, I share my interviewing journey, entry criteria, and why I decided to apply for it.
What is the MNRB Scholarship?
The MNRB Scholarship is a scholarship for qualified Malaysian insurance professionals under the collaboration of MNRB Holdings Berhad and the Malaysian Insurance Institute (MII). Scholarship holders can pursue the Associateship of the Malaysian Insurance Institute (AMII) Level 1 or Level 2 professional qualification.
What is it like to be an MNRB Scholar?
I am honestly grateful to be one of the few selected candidates to be awarded the MNRB Scholarship 2023/2024 and continue my lifelong learning with AMII Level 1. It is a great way to stand out amongst our fellow insurance colleagues and save money while upskilling. I also find myself making good friends with my fellow scholars.
There really is no downside to applying for the MNRB Scholarship, so if you intend to elevate your insurance career and plan to pursue the AMII, go for it!
What are the Entry Requirements for the MNRB Scholarship?
For AMII Level 1 candidates
- Passed STPM/A-Level or higher qualification which is recognized by the Malaysian Government or from a recognised Professional Body; or
- Passed the Certificate of the Malaysian Insurance Institute (CMII); or
- Passed Certificate in Insurance from The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII), United Kingdom (must be certified true copy)
For AMII Level 2 candidates
- Obtained AMII Level 1
What is covered under the MNRB Scholarship?
The scholarship will cover the following:
- 50% of the programme fee which includes tuition fee or exemption fee (if exemption application is approved), examination fee and study text.
- Full fee of a one-time student registration fee;
- Full fee of a one-time MII Membership joining fee; and
- Full MII annual membership fee
Note: The remaining 50% of the programme fee is to be borne by the student or the student’s employer.
The total programme fee covered by the scholarship for year 2023/2024 is estimated at:
- AMII Level 1 – RM5,250 per student for 6 subjects
- AMII Level 2 – RM8,480 per student for 8 subjects
How to apply for the MNRB Scholarship?
Submit Form and Documents
To apply for the scholarship, you should first submit an application form and supporting documents that can be obtained from the MII website. Take note that you will need approval from your line manager or HR for the application of the scholarship.
Only short-listed candidates will be required to undergo an English assessment and interview session with MII.
English Assessment
There are 25 questions on grammar, 4 questions on comprehension and choose 1 topic out of 3 choices. You are required to write 1 personal essay based on that topic.
I would highly suggest reading up on the latest insurance news to understand the trends and focus on how you want to contribute to the industry.
Interview
The intention of this face-to-face interview is to learn more about yourself, your career aspirations and why you want this scholarship. There will be 2 interviewers and they will take turns to ask you personal questions.
I would highly suggest prepping yourself with the basic interview questions and having a 5-year career plan that is enhanced by the AMII Level 1 or Level 2. Think about it, the interviewers would want to make sure that the MNRB Scholars are committed to complete their studies and excel in their insurance careers for the benefit of the overall industry.
I would also suggest thinking of ways to stand yourself out amongst other applicants. For example, I emphasized a lot on my commitment to lifelong learning to the point I learned risk management and python on my own terms.
After the interview, the MII will take a few weeks before coming back with the final decision via email.
Conclusion
Currently, I am keen to continue on with my education with AMII Level 2 so I’m waiting to hear back on the interview results.
If you’re a Malaysian insurance professional who wants to upskill, I would highly recommend applying for the MNRB Scholarship and checking if your employer can cover the remaining 50% fees. There is no harm in trying out if you truly want to continue with your insurance studies.
If you want to know my experience with AMII Level 1, check out my review!
If you want a taste of how an MII short webinar is like, check out my review of A Practical Understanding of General Insurance Underwriting and Claims Management.
If you want to earn a basic certification in insurance, consider the Certificate of the Malaysian Insurance Institute (CMII). You can even try out the CMII Quiz that I created on Python!
