Wiltshire Community Foundation helping local students into university
They're offering bursaries to those who might struggle to afford higher education
Wiltshire students wanting to attend university from September are being encouraged to apply for support from a local charity.
The Wiltshire Community Foundation is offering ÂŁ1,600 bursaries to young people who might otherwise struggle to afford things like tuition fees and accommodation costs while they're studying.
The cash from the charity would be on top of any student loans.
Students from the South of the county are particularly being called upon to apply for help - to qualify, you need to be under 25, have lived in Wiltshire for at least two years, and be in receipt of at least two means-tested benefits.
CASSIDY'S STORY
Graduate Cassidy Hill said having the bursary from Wiltshire Community Foundation meant she could begin her teaching degree earlier
She says she'd been expecting to work to save the money to attend university:
“It was a big relief not having to worry so much about money. I think I would have still gone to university without the bursary but it would have been really difficult and I would have had to work longer while I was there so it made a massive difference."
22 year old Cassidy is now teaching at Shrewton Primary School:
“The bursary has been brilliant and I wouldn’t have enjoyed university nearly as much, or done as well, without it.”
Wiltshire Community Foundation joint chief executive Fiona Oliver says the bursary scheme allows students to concentrate more on their studies rather than having to work long hours:
“We stay in close contact with all of our bursary recipients throughout their course and they tell us that having the money is like a safety net. It helps lift some of the worry about buying food or covering transport costs which can have an effect on their concentration.”
HOW TO APPLY
Families can register their interest on the Wiltshire Community Foundation website, and will be sent a link to an online application process.
The closing date for applications in March 31st, with assessments made in the next few weeks.
Salisbury's MP John Glen is also backing to bursary scheme, encouraging people to take advantage of it:
“Wiltshire Community Foundation’s Education Bursaries provide young people from low income families with the means to get the very best out of their degree studies without the distraction of having to work long hours to top up their loan funding.
“I’m very much in favour of anything that encourages more students to go to university. It’s a wonderful opportunity and I would urge families in that situation to look into applying for one."