Write a commentThree former Newry school pupils were among the recipients of DCU McAleese Scholarships named in honour of former President of Ireland, Mary McAleese and Chancellor of DCU, Dr Martin McAleese.
Ellen McConville and Emma Begley former pupils of Our Lady's Grammar School and Keelin Murdock former pupil of Abbey Grammar School were some of the early benefactors of the awards.
Dublin City University (DCU) have just launched the second round of McAleese Scholarships that aim to encourage students from the north to study at the Dublin-based university.
Up to 40 scholarships will be made available to NI students who apply to DCU through the Central Applications Office (CAO) for the academic year 2015/16. The scholarships will allow successful applicants to gain one of 40 additional places across more than 60 DCU undergraduate degree programmes as well as receiving a €1000 scholarship.
The scholarship scheme was launched in 2014 and aims to address the low level of NI students being admitted to universities in the South - currently only 1% of the student population. As the vast majority of NI A-level students take only three A-levels, these students find themselves at a disadvantage under the current CAO scoring system where only a student with four A*s can score maximum points. This means that students with excellent results in three A-levels will find themselves with scores well below the requirement for many programmes at some Irish universities.
Speaking at the announcement of the second round of scholarships, Mary and Martin McAleese said “It is a great honour to be connected with this innovative scheme which endeavours to create a level playing field for students from Northern Ireland who may wish to study at DCU. The scholarships highlight DCU’s commitment to engagement with young people from all parts of the island of Ireland and re-affirm its collaboration in the creation of the Eastern Corridor from Liffey to Lagan.”
Commenting on the awards Ellen McConville, a former student at Our Lady’s Grammar, Newry who received a 2014 Scholarship said “The McAleese Scholarship was a great boost for me coming to DCU. It has a straightforward application process and it’s a great opportunity for any student from Northern Ireland wishing to study in DCU. It definitely confirmed for me that I had made the correct choice in choosing DCU as a university. I also think that the McAleese scholarship highlights DCU’s outreach to students from Northern Ireland.”
The McAleese Scholarships were developed following engagement by DCU with schools and career teachers in Northern Ireland who reported that the current points allocation mechanisms can act as a barrier to A-level students wishing to study in the South. The scholarships are intended as an interim solution to address current imbalances while the Irish Universities Association Task Group on Reform of University Selection and Entry addresses this issue at a sectoral level.
The McAleese scholarships will be awarded on the basis of three A-levels only, with a minimum requirement of 2 ‘A’ and 1 ‘B’ grades. Ten scholarships will be available per faculty, with a maximum of three in any one programme offering. Applicants must meet DCU minimum entry requirements and specific programme requirements. Candidates will also be asked to create a short personal statement that will be used in the event of equal grade ranking of candidates.
The closing date for applications through the Central Applications Office (CAO) is 1st May 2015. To make an application through CAO, visit www.cao.ie.
To apply for the McAleese Scholarships, visit www.dcu.ie/mcaleesescholarship. For further information on applications and entry requirements, visit www.dcu.ie/registry/undergrad.shtml or contact Georgina Roberts, DCU Registry, tel: 00 353 1 700 8995 or email: georgina.roberts@dcu.ie.
For further information on undergraduate programmes, facilities and for campus tours, contact studenthelp@dcu.ie
