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Dublin City University Northern Ireland Access Scholarship Fund
DCU announces a new scholarship award for socially disadvantaged students from Northern Ireland
In celebration of the 21st anniversary of the DCU Access Programme, Dublin City University has announced a new scholarship award of €1000 (approx. £850) to students from economically disadvantaged communities in Northern Ireland to help ease the transition to third-level education.
The DCU Access Programme seeks to address the financial burden and other socio-cultural barriers that prevent deserving young people from pursuing a place at university. The new DCU Northern Ireland Scholarship Fund is focussed on creating opportunities for students from socio-economically disadvantaged communities in Northern Ireland to study at Dublin City University. Applications for the DCU Northern Ireland Scholarship Fund are assessed on a number of financial, cultural and social conditions, such as income, socio-economic grouping and parental education.
Speaking at the launch of the Northern Ireland Access Scholarship Fund, Ita Tobin, Head of Access and Student Recruitment said, ‘With over 60 undergraduate degree programmes, a modern campus with state of the art facilities and a location on the north side of the city, only two hours from Belfast and one hour from Newry thanks to excellent cross-border rail and road infrastructure, DCU offers a realistic and attractive option for students from Northern Ireland.’
Ms Tobin continued ‘In addition, DCU’s lower registration fees (€2250/£1880 for 2012/13) compare favourably with the recent significant increases in tuition fees in England, Scotland and Wales. NI domiciled students studying in the Republic of Ireland benefit from special student support arrangements as the cost of their registration fees is currently met in full by the Department of Employment and Learning.’
DCU is currently ranked in the top 4% of universities worldwide and was named Sunday Times Irish University of the Year in 2004/5 and 2010/11, largely due to achievements in the areas of graduate employability, calibre of degree programmes, research success, student support and student access. A 2011 survey of DCU’s most recent graduates demonstrated that nearly 90% of those who responded to the survey were either in employment or in further study, a much higher percentage that the national average measured across all Irish universities. A key factor in the success of DCU students on graduation is the unique INTRA Internship Programme, where students benefit from an early introduction to the world of enterprise and employment through relevant, paid work experience as part of their degree programmes.
DCU Northern Ireland Access Scholarship Fund
Full details and application forms can be found at www.dcu.ie/prospective/scholarships.shtml or email orla.conlan@dcu.ie, tel: 00 353 1 700 8869.
The deadline for completed applications is April 16, 2012.
CAO Applications
Students interested in pursuing their studies at Dublin City University can apply through the Central Applications Office (the equivalent of UCAS in Northern Ireland) at www.cao.ie.
The deadline for late applications is 1st May 2012, subject to the exceptions and restrictions mentioned in the CAO Handbook.
For more information on DCU, see www.dcu.ie or email studenthelp@dcu.ie
