Scholarships News University of Wales Scholarships Issue 2 Spring 2009

Quick Guide to Entrance Scholarships at the University of WalesThe University has a number of Entrance Scholarships available:

Name of Award Location Specific Language Specific

Gender Specific Other Restriction

Aberfan Children’s Scholarship

Aberfan and Merthyr Tydfil Area n/a n/a n/a

Rosa Hovey Memorial Scholarship

Pupils at a state or independent secondary school situated in any locality in the former counties of Caernarvonshire or Denbighshire

n/a Female student

Must reside in halls

D Lloyd Thomas Memorial Scholarship

County of Mid-Glamorgan Welsh speaking

n/a Tenable at Aberystwyth and Swansea

Dr Howell Rees Scholarship

Native of Cwmaman (in the County of Camarthenshire), or Brynaman, Gwaun-cae-gurwen or Cwmgorse

Welsh speaking

n/a Tenable at Aberystwyth and Swansea

Nantlle Valley Award

Resident of the Nantlle Valley n/a Male student

Son of Welsh widow

Price Davies Entrance Scholarship

n/a n/a n/a Dependent on results of entrance examinations at Aberystwyth University

Validation Bursary For candidates following validated degree schemes at Collaborative Partner Institutions

n/a n/a n/a

For more information, please visit the University of Wales Scholarships webpages: www.wales.ac.uk/scholarships

Bursary scheme for students on validated coursesThe University has set aside £50,000 annually to fund Bursary awards for candidates following validated degree schemes at Collaborative Partner Institutions. These bursaries are intended to cover the tuition fees for the holders’ studies, making a University of Wales degree more accessible than ever.

Bursaries may be awarded for undergraduate or postgraduate study, and are tenable for one year in the first instance. Holders following schemes of study which extend over longer periods of time may be eligible for renewal for a second or third year.

Application forms and further details about the Bursary scheme may be obtained from the Assistant Registrar (Academic), University Registry, Cathays Park, Cardiff, UK, CF10 3NS, or via the University’s website at www.wales.ac.uk/scholarships.

Applications should be sent to the Registrar of the Collaborative Partner Institution where study is to be undertaken. Bursaries will be awarded, on merit, by the University of Wales’ Validation Bursary Committee.

Focus on...

The Aberfan Children’s ScholarshipAt 9.15am on Friday 21st October 1966 the life of the small South Wales village of Aberfan changed forever, when an unstable colliery waste tip destroyed twenty homes and a farm before demolishing Pantglas Junior School. 116 children, half of all the children who attended the school, were killed along with five of their teachers.

Aberfan was a closeknit community, consisting mainly of coalminers and their families. The tragic events of that day had a profound effect on people right across the world, many of whom contributed to the disaster fund launched to aid the village and its bereaved. With the generous donations received homes within the village were repaired, a community hall was built and a memorial to the victims was created.

The Aberfan Children’s Scholarship was set up in 1968 by the Welsh Society of San Francisco in memory of the children who were lost. Its purpose is to encourage young persons living and attending school in and around Aberfan to attend University.

The scholarship is awarded annually to a young person of school age whose parents were living in Aberfan at the time of the disaster or who now live in Merthyr Tydfil. It is given to provide support for prospective students who wish to study in Wales.

For details on how to apply see: www.wales.ac.uk/scholarships

Winner Spotlight - Hester Berry

(Geoffrey Crawshay Scholarship 2008)

Hester Berry is from Barnstaple, North Devon. Having completed her first degree at Aberystwyth, she is now studying for a Masters in Fine Art (Painting), at Wimbledon College of Art. In a short interview, she told us about her experience of winning the Geoffrey Crawshay Scholarship.

UW: Why did you apply for the Scholarship?HB: For three years I had been enjoying painting the Welsh landscape, while studying for my BA. I wanted to try something different, work in a different country, but in order to go I needed to find some way of funding it.

‘Lemba Valley’ by Hester BerryUW: Why did you choose to travel to Cyprus? HB: A poster advertising the Lemba College of Art was displayed in the School of Art at Aberystwyth. The Cyprus Summer School of Art looked like a fantastic opportunity.

UW: How do you feel that the Geoffrey Crawshay Scholarship has helped develop your artwork?HB: It enabled me to experience working under very different conditions, painting a very different landscape. It also brought me into contact with new people and the unfamiliar customs of a different culture. In addition to this I was able to seek advice from the head of the school, renowned artist Stass Paraskos.

UW: What do you hope to take from your experience in Cyprus?HB: I have a few useful tips from Paraskos. I also really enjoyed finding out about Cyprus, learning about the country, hearing new things, trying new food, living in a very hot country, also the contentment that came from living in very basic accommodation and eating fresh fruit every day, before cooling off in the sea - a wonderful life! Since I have been back in the UK, I have had opportunities to display my work in two galleries, one in Surrey and one in Devon; also the local Devon newspaper printed a short article on my work.

Present a winning application!When applying for any of the University of Wales scholarships and awards your main objective should always be to convince the panel that your application is the most ‘deserving’. The following useful hints and tips will help you to produce a strong, well rounded application:

~ Check you are eligible! Many scholarships have specific audiences or restrictions. ~ Ensure your application is complete and legible. ~ Check the deadline for applications. Late applications will not be assessed. ~ Know your audience – tailor your application to ensure the goals or aspirations you wish to achieve are in keeping with the award. ~ Try to highlight the ‘academic purpose’ within your application. ~ If possible add strength by including visual materials such as hard copies. Photos or web links to examples of your work will ensure your application stands out. ~ If references are requested ensure you advise your referees beforehand that we will be contacting them. ~ Include full details of referees. Wherever possible, include email contact details to help speed the process.

Forthcoming application deadlines1 June 2009Aberfan Children’s Scholarship Gareth Jones Memorial Scholarship Thomas Ellis Memorial Fund W P Thomas/W D Clee Scholarship (Music) Llewelyn Williams Postgrad. Studentship

Price Davies Postgrad Scholarship 22/6/09Guild of Graduates Study Awards 30/6/09W P Thomas/W D Clee Scholarship (Welsh Literature/History) 1/7/09Ellen Thomas Stanford Bequest 1/9/09D Lloyd Thomas Memorial Schol. 15/9/09Guild of Graduates Study Awards 31/12/09

Contact UsIf you have any queries:E-mail awards@wales.ac.uk or visit our website at www.wales.ac.uk/scholarships