More than 60 undergraduate students were presented with the second instalment of their Talent Scholarship awards by Mike Russell MSP, the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, this week.

The Talent Scholarships support gifted students who might otherwise struggle financially to support their studies by providing £1,000 for every year of their degree, subject to satisfactory progress.

To date 130 students across all Faculties have benefited from the Talent Scholarship Scheme, which was launched in June 2007 and is funded through donations from alumni and supporters of the University.Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Mike Russell MSP with second-year medical student and Talent Scholarship recipient Precious Osadolor.

Professor Andrea Nolan, Senior Vice-Principal and Chair of the Talent Scholarship Panel, said: “Scholarships play an important role in improving access to higher education helping to alleviate the financial pressures being faced by today’s students.

“They enable the University to continue to attract the brightest and best students allowing them to concentrate on their studies.”

Mr Russell said: "Scholarships are a vital source of financial support for talented students who might otherwise consider university study to be too expensive for them to undertake. I am delighted to see so many students benefiting from the generosity of alumni and supporters. In the current financial climate it is more important than ever to ensure that our brightest young people are not discouraged from fulfilling their potential."

Precious Osadolor, 20, originally from Nigeria, is a second-year medical student at the University of Glasgow and one of the beneficiaries of the Talent Scholarship fund.

She said: “I didn’t make the grades to get into medicine at first, so I went to summer school and came to University the following year. When I was at summer school I found out about the Talent Scholarships and decided to apply.

“The scholarship has made a huge difference to my life. It goes a long way to paying the bills and looking after my little brother who is at college. Every extra pound helps, it really makes a difference.”

The ceremony was attended by scholars receiving their second instalment of this year’s grant, as well as donors and staff.

While competition for Talent Scholarships is high, students who meet the eligibility criteria are strongly encouraged to apply. The closing date for applications is Tuesday 6 April 2010 at 5pm. For more information about the Talent Scholarships and details of how to apply, visit:
www.gla.ac.uk/undergraduate/lifeatuniversity/talentscholarships/

For more information contact Stuart Forsyth in the University of Glasgow Media Relations Office on 0141 330 4831 or email s.forsyth@admin.gla.ac.uk

First published: 9 February 2010

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