{"id":2577,"date":"2014-09-16T10:47:07","date_gmt":"2014-09-16T10:47:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/?p=2577"},"modified":"2014-09-16T10:47:07","modified_gmt":"2014-09-16T10:47:07","slug":"application-period-opens-for-the-second-year-of-university-grants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english.thesunrisetoday.com\/index.php\/application-period-opens-for-the-second-year-of-university-grants\/","title":{"rendered":"Application period opens for the second year of university grants"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Tower\"<\/a>A groundbreaking scheme helping young people in Tower Hamlets with the cost of university has formally opened for a second year.
\nUnder the Mayor\u2019s Higher Education Award, 400 students will each receive payments totalling \u00a31,500.
\nThe application period for this year\u2019s bursaries opened at 9am today (Monday, September 15). Applications can be made at www.towerhamlets.gov.uk\/higher
\nLast year Tower Hamlets became the first council in the country to launch a higher education grant programme of this scale.
\nThe Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, formally opened it for a second year at St Paul\u2019s Way Trust School this morning.
\nHe said: \u201cPoverty should never be a barrier to success. This scheme is aimed at making sure that not one of our young people misses out on higher education because of money.
\n\u201cThe overwhelming response to the scheme last year tells me that this is an initiative that is making a real difference to the lives – and to the life opportunities – of young people in Tower Hamlets.\u201d
\nThe council is committed to excellence in educational standards, with proven success in the entire journey of a young person through early years, primary school, secondary school and sixth form. This has been built through strong partnership working with schools, parents, governors and the council.
\nThe awards scheme is aimed at helping to:
\nMake higher education a more realistic prospect for young people from poorer families in the borough
\nReduce the number of local students who drop out of university before completing their courses
\nEncourage more school and college leavers from Tower Hamlets to attend university
\nCabinet member for education and children\u2019s services Cllr Gulam Robbani said: \u201cIt was recently revealed that Tower Hamlets is among the top 10 boroughs in the country for the proportion of students who go on to higher education.
\n\u201cWe want this to increase even more, and through the Mayor\u2019s Higher Education Award and other initiatives such as launching a jobs fair with the Russell Group of Universities and expanding the sixth form provision in the borough, we are making it happen.\u201d
\nStudents who received one of the bursaries last year have been talking about what a help it has been.
\nOrin Begum, 20, is studying Law at Oxford University. She said: \u201cI had to move for university and that means paying money on rent and utility bills and to have that extra bit of money means it\u2019s there to rely on.
\n\u201cWith law books, one book costs \u00a350 and I don\u2019t have that kind of money so to have that extra support from the council has been indispensable. It has come in so handy.
\n\u201cA lot of students really worry about money but having that support there is a reassurance and a relief from the money worries.\u201d
\nErce Kose, 20, is studying Computer Science at the University of Liverpool. He said: \u201cMy computer was in dire need of updating so I spent most of the money on components. Without the award, I would have had to have been struggling with substandard equipment so I\u2019m really glad for the award.\u201d
\nThe Mayor\u2019s Higher Education Award is being launched as a result of the success of the Mayor\u2019s Education Award \u2013 a scheme, now in its fourth year, in which Tower Hamlets Council gives school leavers grants to help them stay in education.
\nBoth the MEA and the Higher scheme are now accepting applications.
\nFor full details on the Mayor\u2019s Higher Education Award and to apply, visit www.towerhamlets.gov.uk\/higher
\nApplications close on December 15.
\nThe scheme is being administered by the council\u2019s benefits team, who can be contacted on 0207 364 5001 or benefits@towerhamlets.gov.uk<\/p>\n

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