Marin Čilić nurturing Croatia’s young talent through his foundation

Marin Čilić (Photo credit: Martina Pašić)

The Marin Čilić Foundation continues its valuable tradition of awarding scholarships to gifted children in Croatia. For the sixth year running, the Foundation invites young talents to apply for the Marin Čilić Foundation Scholarship program. 

To date, a total of 103 scholarships have been awarded, and the Foundation is still searching for new talented musicians and athletes. The application deadline is December 4th, and the sixth generation of scholars will be awarded a total of 20 scholarships, divided into two categories: music and sports.

Marin Čilić previously emphasised how much they value each application in this competition because behind it is a child who has invested time and effort to submit their application, as well as a child who works diligently every day to achieve their dreams. 

The application includes a motivational letter in which candidates explain why they deserve the scholarship, and their words often inspire adults, successful individuals today, to remember their own beginnings and how much it would have meant to them if someone recognised their work at the beginning of their journey.

(Photo credit: Martina Pašić)

“We are delighted that the project is continuing for the sixth year in a row because in the previous 5 years, we have had the honour and good fortune to meet wonderful young people whose stories and achievements are truly inspiring. Currently, I am recovering from a knee injury, and like any recovery, there are better and worse days, so I often think of the obstacles our scholars go through daily, which, I must admit, motivates me. I look forward to reading new applications, and I invite all young athletes and musicians to share their stories with us and thus become a part of their journey,” emphasised the celebrated Croatian tennis player Marin Čilić.

(Photo credit: Martina Pašić)

Ten scholarships will be awarded to young talented male and female athletes, members of the national selection in individual Olympic sports, and ten scholarships to students from elementary and high music schools who have won at least one first prize in a national or international competition. All sports scholarships, as well as scholarships for high school musicians, amount to 1,500.00 EUR (11,301.75 kn), while scholarships for elementary school musicians amount to 1,000.00 EUR (7,534.50 kn). 

The scholarships are intended to cover various costs, including tuition fees, training and seminars, participation in competitions, as well as the cost of purchasing sports equipment, musical instruments, and aids. The funds will be paid out in monthly instalments throughout the school year.

(Photo credit: Martina Pašić)

The Foundation emphasises how delighted they are to see that the financial support has been an additional motivation for the previous scholars, as they continue to achieve numerous trophies, recognitions, and awards. The successes and achievements demonstrate how successful this initiative is, which is best reflected in specific examples from the fifth generation of scholars.

The Croatian Olympic Committee awarded the ‘Dražen Petrović’ award to Roko Brantuša, in the male category for the ‘Greatest Hope of Croatian Sport’. Roko achieved an exceptional feat by winning a bronze medal at the European Junior Taekwondo Championship. 

(Photo credit: Martina Pašić)

The Foundation recognised the achievements of young wrestler Veronika Vilk, the recipient of the award in the same category. This year, the athlete made history by winning both the World and European Championships.

Thanks to their dedicated work and excellent results, Lucia Kaplowitz and Niko Božek have enrolled in the MDW Academy, Universität für Musik und darstellende Kunst Wien, which is among the most prestigious in Europe.

“After the third edition of Gem Set Croatia, where we gathered this summer in Zadar with the aim of building a multifunctional playground for children in Stankovci, we are focusing our energy on the scholarship project, which has produced over a hundred talented young individuals, scholars of the Marin Čilić Foundation. We thank them for their trust, for sharing their successes with us, and we are proud of the fact that each year we meet an increasing number of young people whose actions greatly delight and motivate us,” concluded David Milić, the manager of the Marin Čilić Foundation.

Marin with David Milić (Photo credit: Martina Pašić)

The competition for the sixth generation of scholars is open until December 4, 2023. The selection criteria for candidates are primarily based on their achieved results in competitions, followed by socio-economic status, school success, and the quality of the motivational letter. 

You can find all the details about the competition, as well as additional information about the work of the Marin Čilić Foundation, on the official Foundation’s website and on social media: Facebook and Instagram.