BANTRY Credit Union has increased the value of its annual third-level education scholarship scheme by 67%.
Launching this year’s scholarship, Bantry Credit Union chairperson Anna Fitzgerald said the Credit Union was delighted to announce that it have increased the value of the scholarship from €1,500 a year to €2,500 a year, for up to four years. ‘Twenty years ago, in 2003, the Credit Union set up this scholarship scheme. And this year, to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the board of directors has decided to increase the cumulative value of the scholarship from €6,000 to €10,000 over four years,’ she said.
The value had remained unchanged since the introduction of the scholarship scheme, explained Ms Fitzgerald. If its value was to be increased to allow for inflation during the past 20 years, the scholarship would be increased to €2,000 a year. But the board decided to go that bit further.
‘We are all aware of the severe pressures on students and their families in recent years.
‘We hope that this increase in the value of our scholarship will help to ease the burden for one student this year,’ said Ms Fitzgerald.
Bantry Credit Union manager Finbarr O’Shea encouraged as many people as possible, whether recent Leaving Cert pupils or mature students, to apply for the scholarship.
Mr O’Shea also highlighted the special low-rate education loan that Bantry Credit Union offers at 3%, ‘the lowest rate charged by any financial institution in the country.’
The closing date for scholarship applications is Friday September 22nd. Full details are available at www.bantrycu.ie/scholarship2023 or in the credit union offices in Bantry and Castletownbere.
