Time is running out to apply for Wheatley education bursaries

The bursary programme, which is set to support its 400th customer this year, is open to tenants living in some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities.

Scotland’s leading housing, care and property-management group is offering bursaries to help support people go on to college and university courses.

Worth up to £1500 for full-time students and £750 for part-time studies, the scheme is funded by Wheatley Group’s charitable trust, the Wheatley Foundation.

Bursaries are available to those people living in homes owned by Wheatley’s social landlords - Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Wheatley Homes East, Wheatley Homes South and Loretto Housing - and people who live in a home factored by or rented from Lowther.

Applicants need to be quick as the closing date is 30 June 2023.

Since the scheme launched in 2016, it has awarded £1million in support to over 380 people from communities across Scotland. The scheme will support its 400th customer this year.

Shona Elliott, 51, is a Wheatley Homes East tenant and lives in West Lothian with her husband and 12-year-old daughter.

Shona is just finishing her final year of a part-time BSc in Health and Social Care, through the Open University, specialising in mental health.

She said: “Due to health issues and various surgeries I couldn’t have studied in-person at university. Doing my course through the Open University means I can study from home.

“Having this bursary has not only helped me get the equipment needed – such as stationery and a laptop - but with the cost-of-living crisis it has also helped ease the financial burden and helped to pay our heating costs.

“I had to give up work due to health issues, so the bursary has given me peace of mind. Knowing we had this money coming in took away some of the financial worries.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to go and study to do it – if I can do it, anyone can!”

Wheatley Homes Glasgow tenant Michael Gowran, 26, lives in the Scotstoun area of Glasgow with his partner and three-year-old daughter.

Michael is in third year studying BA in Performance at the University of the West of Scotland. The course covers acting, theatre and performance.

He said: “Having a bursary from Wheatley Foundation has been great – it helped cover all of my travel costs and books for the year.

“I returned to further education after a few years out, so the bursary also meant I haven’t had to work while attending university full-time and working on coursework and assignments.”

Professor Paddy Gray OBE, Chair of Wheatley Foundation, said: “We are delighted we’ll reach this milestone figure and be able to support over 400 tenants from our communities.

“The cost-of-living crisis has made it more difficult than ever before for people to be able to afford to go to college or university.

“Our education bursary is a lifeline for so many customers to achieve their dreams and reach their full potential.”

Bursaries are available for people who want to study for an HNC, HND, Undergraduate Degree or Postgraduate course.

For more information and to apply, email bursaries@wheatley-group.com