Bank opens $1.5 million scholarship program

The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group today launched its largest ever university scholarship program, offering $1.5 million in support to Australian students.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Chairman Robert Johanson said students starting their first year of undergraduate study in 2015 were eligible to apply for financial support under the program, helping to ease the rising costs of a university education.

Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, community involvement and financial need.

"Unfortunately, the growing cost of further study can rule out many young people's chance of following their dreams," Mr Johanson said.

"Many students, particularly where they will be leaving home to attend university, face significant financial pressures.

"The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Group's suite of scholarships aim to go some way at reducing those barriers and ensuring talented students can reach their full potential.

"We are always working to create successful communities and we believe that starts from the ground up, by investing in our young people."

The Group will this year support almost 220 first year and returning students, with the help of its subsidiaries and partners, the Community Bank® network, Rural Bank, Rural Finance, University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.

Victorian student Gaby Bolton received a Bendigo and Adelaide Bank scholarship at the start of this year to help her move from her hometown of Inverleigh to Melbourne to study a double degree in medicine and surgery at Monash University.

"My first year of university has been better than I could ever have imagined. Studying medicine is definitely full on and a great challenge, but I have made some fantastic friends and the course is great," Gaby said.

"The scholarship I received from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank has been such a life saver. Being so full on, it is hard to have a job during the university year, so a lot of stress has been relieved by having that extra money to pay my rent."

Scholarship applications open today, close on Friday 23 January 2015 and will be assessed in early 2015.