BIT launches full A Level scholarship for outstanding female students

Bangladesh International Tutorial has introduced a fully funded scholarship to support one academically outstanding female student each year in completing the two-year A Level programme, waiving all tuition and admission fees.

The newly announced Anwara Islam Scholarship aims to recognise academic excellence among young women and advance their pursuit of higher education and professional careers.

The initiative comes as Bangladesh has made considerable progress in expanding access to education for girls, with female enrolment at school level rising significantly over the past two decades and girls frequently outperforming boys in public examinations. Nevertheless, many high-achieving students face financial barriers after completing their O Levels, especially when pursuing internationally recognised A Level qualifications.

Bangladesh International Tutorial, one of the country's oldest English-medium schools, stated the scholarship will cover 100 per cent of tuition and admission fees, making it among the most comprehensive awards available from an English-medium school in Bangladesh.

According to the school, the scholarship serves not only as financial support but also as recognition of exceptional academic achievement.

Applicants must have achieved top grades in at least nine O Level subjects. Selection will be strictly merit-based, considering academic performance, leadership qualities and extra-curricular contributions.

Bangladesh International Tutorial claims this is the only school-level award in Bangladesh to offer a fully funded A Level education exclusively to an academically outstanding female student. While many English-medium schools offer partial tuition waivers or internal academic discounts, fully funded awards that cover both A Level tuition and admission fees for girls remain rare.

The scholarship is named after Anwara Islam, whose commitment to girls' education has influenced generations within her family.

According to Bangladesh International Tutorial, Anwara Islam's belief in the transformative power of education for women inspired her daughter, Ms Lubna Choudhury, to establish the institution in 1983.

Anwara Islam also encouraged her granddaughter to pursue the highest standards of academic achievement. Bangladesh International Tutorial remains led by women influenced by Anwara Islam, and the scholarship carries forward that legacy by investing in the next generation of female leaders.

Ms Anika Rahman, Board Director of Bangladesh International Tutorial, has introduced the scholarship and will personally fund it. She is the daughter of the Founder, Ms Lubna Choudhury, and the granddaughter of Anwara Islam.

Ms Rahman stated the scholarship is intended to preserve her grandmother's legacy by recognising exceptional young women whose academic achievements could inspire future generations.

Education experts argue that scholarships based on academic merit and financial need do more than reward individual achievement. These awards encourage students to aim higher, foster healthy competition and help retain exceptional talent within Bangladesh's education system.

The two-year A Level programme serves as a pathway to leading universities in the United Kingdom, North America, Australia and Asia. Supporting outstanding students at this stage can have a lasting impact on their academic and professional futures.

The inaugural recipient of the Anwara Islam Scholarship is expected to be announced in October 2026, marking the start of what Bangladesh International Tutorial hopes will become an annual tradition celebrating academic excellence among young women.