Students offered help with university

Young people who may face difficulties affording a university education will once again be given the chance to benefit from higher education scholarships under a scheme run by North Yorkshire County Council, Skipton Building Society and the University of Leeds.

Scholarships of up to £2,000 a year are available to students in the two rural areas for courses at any higher education institution.

Councillor Carl Les, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for children and young people, is urging anyone who meets the criteria to apply as soon as possible for a scholarship.

He said: “These scholarships, very generously funded by the Skipton Building Society, can make all the difference for students struggling to make ends meet in what is always a very costly phase of their lives.

“I would urge anyone meeting the criteria to apply as soon as possible for consideration.”

To be eligible to apply for consideration for a scholarship, students must be from Craven or Richmondshire and be starting their first degree course in September 2011.

Applicants must be eligible to receive the full UK maintenance grant, have a family income of less than £25,000 a year or come from families where there is little or no experience of university education.

The University of Leeds administers the scheme which began in May 2003 when the Skipton Building Society donated £375,000 for scholarships as part of the celebrations of its 150th anniversary.

The deadline for this year’s applications is July 1.

Forms and full details of eligibility criteria can be found at www.leeds.ac.uk/ace/PS/SBS.html or by contacting the undergraduate scholarship unit at the University of Leeds at [email protected] or on 0113 343 3378.