Making educational dreams a reality for disadvantaged students

Last opportunity to apply for up to 100 scholarships from Bank of Ireland’s €12.5m scheme

Students have just a few weeks to apply for up to one hundred scholarships for third level education worth up to €40,000 each from the Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust. Now in its final year, this Millennium initiative by the Bank has provided €12.5m over ten years to give access to disadvantaged people to third level education.

Bank of Ireland is now urging students wishing to attend college in autumn 2009, or currently in college and struggling financially, to submit applications now before the deadline of 2nd March 2009. The Trust also offers scholarships to students in the creative/performing arts and a later deadline for these applications of 1st April 2009 applies.

The Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust has already enabled 574 deserving individuals pursue their educational goals irrespective of age, background or the discipline they wish to study and 300 of these have already graduated. Scholarships are open to students from every discipline and application forms are available now from all Bank of Ireland branches nationwide or at http://www.bankofireland.com/ and from the Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust office at 1850 221 721, 00 353 1 4498500 or www.ncirl.ie

Applications to the Bank of Ireland Millennium Scholars Trust, which is governed by a board of independent Trustees, must be made through one of over 900 nominating bodies throughout the country. These include secondary schools and third level institutions in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, youth and community groups, arts and cultural organisations, local development companies and disability groups.

The National College of Ireland administers the Trust on behalf of the Trustees. It has developed the educational aspects of the programme, in addition to convening expert panels of educationalists and other specialists to carry out assessments, interview the short listed candidates and make recommendations as to the awarding of the scholarships.

Ends

Monday 2nd February 2009

For further information:
Mary Brennan, Group Corporate Communications, Bank of Ireland (01) 604 3838
Dermot O’Sullivan, Millennium Scholars Trust, Bank of Ireland, (01) 6044316