Fifty able students with aspirations to be the next generation of scientists and engineers are set to benefit from a £50,000 scholarship scheme.
Cardiff University has been awarded 50 £1,000 scholarships to assist undergraduate students from lower income backgrounds who have their sights set on studying such subjects as science, technology, engineering, and maths.
The scheme offers students the chance to fulfil their ambitions of studying at a leading institution, while also building capacity in vital science, engineering and technology skills in Wales to support the development of a vibrant and sustainable knowledge-based Welsh economy.
Launched in 2009, Cardiff remains the only university in Wales to receive funds from the ‘Eliahou Dangoor Scholarships’ scheme. As a result of this first round of scholarships, 50 talented first-year undergraduates have already benefitted from £1,000 to support them through their first year of study at the University. Two students who received funding in the first round can testify to the difference the money has made to their studies.
Emily Daniels, a Biomedical Science (anatomy) student from Rhondda Cynon Taf, said: “I wanted to study at Cardiff University because of its good reputation and quality of teaching, as well as being attracted to the city itself. The Dangoor scholarship has had a positive impact on my studies because it has enabled me to purchase books and other resources, and has also helped me to fund the costs of my travels back and forth to university every day.”
Emily is hoping to undergo further studies when she graduates.
Jamie Stanfield, a Geology undergraduate, said: “Without the scholarship, I would not have been able to purchase the necessary textbooks for the course or pay the fieldwork and equipment fees. I’m sure my studies would have suffered because of this.” Thanks to her scholarship, Jamie – who admits she was “attracted to Cardiff University by its prestige and the image of the city itself” – is excelling at her course and, like Emily, is hoping to carry on to postgraduate level.
The new round of scholarships will be available to support undergraduate students beginning their courses in September 2011. These means-tested scholarships will be awarded to students coming to Cardiff with the highest academic attainment in each subject area archaeology; biosciences; chemistry; computer science; earth sciences; engineering; mathematics; and physics.
Professor Jonathan Osmond, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students said: “We are committed to ensuring that everyone who has the ability to study at Cardiff is able to do so whatever their financial circumstances. These latest Scholarships provide even more opportunity for talented first-year undergraduates to access higher education.”
The Dangoor Scholarships are a significant addition to the University’s existing £3M student support package which offers both bursaries and scholarships to undergraduate students. More information can be found at www.cardiff.ac.uk/scholarships.
