Applications open for sought-after Bank scholarships

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank* scholarships worth $4.06 million have helped 370 students throughout Australia begin their university journey over the past eight years.

Statistics like these are impressive. For us, what's more impressive is where these young people are today.

Margaret River's Therese Colman received a Bank scholarship in 2010.

She headed off to university, completed a Mass Communications degree and today is working for a high profile events company in Dubai.

Gippsland local Caitlin Bialy accepted her scholarship in 2009.

In 2016, Dr Caitlyn Bialy will begin her medical internship at LaTrobe Regional Hospital in Traralgon.

Piero Craney from Wyoming, NSW, was awarded a scholarship in 2013 and today as well as continuing his studies, he is an intern at a global law firm in Sydney and in his spare time is Chairman of the NSW Youth Advisory Council.

Najib arrived in Australia as a refugee as an 11 year old. A Bank scholarship has enabled him to study International Business at The University of Melbourne.

During the summer break you'll find Najib working at Bendigo Bank's head office in Bendigo and our State office in Docklands before he heads back to uni' in March for his third year of studies.

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Chairman Robert Johanson said it was pleasing to know that former scholarship recipients are today university graduates and that our organisation assisted them to achieve their ambitions.

"We're a financial organisation which prides itself on being Australia's most community connected, going that extra step and helping young people from regional areas succeed in their chosen careers reinforces the Bank's commitment to rural Australia," Mr Johanson said.

"Young people from regional areas who want to go to university in the city face huge costs. They don't have the option of living at home.

"Many are from drought affected areas, so our objective is to help regional students who otherwise would not have been able to move to a capital city for study."

"I look forward to phoning the successful students to tell them their scholarship application has been accepted," he said.

This year's Bendigo and Adelaide Bank scholarship program opens on Tuesday 1 December 2015 and will close on Monday 25 January 2016.

Information about the Bank's scholarship program, which also includes Community Bank^®, Rural Bank and the Alexander and Bridget Jones Memorial Scholarship is available from our website.

"With our combined scholarships, more than 100 first year university students will receive funding. I encourage those seeking financial support to apply," Mr Johanson said.

* this includes Community Bank^®, Rural Bank, The Alexander and Bridget Jones – Montmorency Secondary College Scholarship and scholarships offered in partnership with University of Melbourne and La Trobe University.