In British Malaya, a Queen's Scholar was a holder of one of various scholarships awarded by the Government of the Straits Settlements to further their studies in the United Kingdom.
The main objectives of introducing Higher Scholarships was to allow promising boys an opportunity to complete their studies in the United Kingdom, and to encourage a number of boys to remain in school and acquire a useful education.
From the period 1885–1890, Higher Scholarships were only awarded to the top boys in the Straits Settlement.
Recipients of the Queen's Scholarships would proceed to study at either Cambridge or Oxford universities.
The Queen's Research Fellowships were also introduced for outstanding graduates of Raffles College and King Edward VII College of Medicine[1][2] (later merged to form the University of Malaya) to study postgraduate courses in selected universities in the United Kingdom.