SSE Airtricity has launched the second year of the SSE Airtricity Scholarship to support students from the West and North-West of the country going on to third level education.
The 2015 SSE Airtricity Scholarship, which totals almost £100,000 annually, was unveiled by Employment and Learning Minister Dr Stephen Farry with Chairman of SSE Ireland Mark Ennis. The Scholarship, which is funded by wind energy, is one of the most significant bursary schemes available to full time students in Northern Ireland.
The Scholarship is open to applicants living in Co. Derry-Londonderry and Co. Tyrone and is designed to provide funding support from wind energy to students living in the vicinity of Slieve Kirk Wind Park who are going forward to Third Level education.
The 2015 SSE Airtricity Scholarship is now open for applications for this coming academic year. Around 20 students are expected to be selected this year to receive 50% funding support from SSE Airtricity towards the cost of their Third Level student fees at Ulster University and South West College. Students applying to either institute for the Scholarship are urged to apply before the deadline on September 30.
A range of full time Degree and full and part time Masters level courses are available with Ulster University and a range of Degree and Foundation Degree level courses with South West College. This year a number of new courses have been added to the list of available options with South West College, giving students more courses to choose from. Scholarships are available for a broad range of subjects with a particular emphasis on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) courses.
In addition SSE Airtricity is announcing that it will entirely fund two online courses again this year at South West College offering a Level 2 Certificate qualification in Health & Safety and Microsoft Skills. There are no minimum entry requirements to these online courses and no upper limit on the number of students who can participate.
Raymond Henderson from Co. Londonderry, who is studying an MSc in Stratified Medicine at Ulster University, received funding towards his postgraduate degree last year.
He said: “The SSE Airtricity Scholarship Fund provided me with a real boost towards my studies, both financially and academically.
“The Scholarship has allowed me to return to university and pursue a career in science, a move that may not have been possible without the support of the Fund. I would wholeheartedly encourage any potential undergraduate or postgraduate student to make an application for the programme, and to take full advantage of the meet and greet programmes that are a part of the scholarship.”
Applying to the SSE Airtricity Scholarship
The SSE Airtricity Scholarship is now open to applications for this coming academic year. Applicants must be aged 17 and over with a home address in either County Derry-Londonderry or County Tyrone, with priority consideration given to applicants living within a 12 mile radius of Slieve Kirk Wind Park.
Applicants must hold an unconditional offer for a place on the first year (2015/‘16) of a qualifying course from either Ulster University or South West College. Full details and the Scholarship terms and conditions are available at www.Ireland.sse.com
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Students will be required to demonstrate excellence in their academic career to date and in their chosen academic field and to show how their Third Level studies will help develop their personal and professional aspirations.
All applicants should apply directly to either Ulster University or South West College. The application process closes on 30 September 2015. Only applications received by Registered Post to Ulster University or South West College with supporting evidence attached will be accepted.