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President’s Scholarship Programme 2021

Applications for 2021/22 are now closed.

The WIT President's Scholarship programme encourages and rewards inspiring people who demonstrate a capacity to shape a better society.

At WIT we believe that there are many different types of people who make our world a better place – it’s not always about achieving the highest marks. We recognise that people excel in life and contribute to society in many different ways. Some are creative, some are innovators, others are great leaders and more make significant contributions to our community.

We want to support five individuals who already demonstrate the ability to make Irish society a better place, and allow them to further their potential.

In our search for this year’s President’s Scholars we welcome applications from prospective students who are inspiring in their actions and behaviours.

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The programme will see five exceptional students being awarded scholarships with a total value of up to €12,000 each. There will be one scholarship available in each of the five disciplines:

  • Business

  • Engineering

  • Health Sciences

  • Humanities

  • Science & Computing

Each President’s Scholar will receive a bursary of €2,000 per year of study (to be paid in instalments) along with €500 per semester for student services. As a President’s Scholar you will have advanced entry to your selected course (Round Zero in early August) and you will also be part of the Student Ambassador programme for the duration of your studies, representing the Institute and the academic school in which you study.

 

Criteria for assessing applications

Our President’s Scholars will be individuals of outstanding ability who have demonstrated his/her leadership through any of the following areas:

  • Creating new ideas in science and technology (e.g. young scientist), business (i.e. young entrepreneurs programme) or social innovation (i.e. Gaisce awards)

  • Making a difference in a community, academic, social or cultural activity

  • Showing an extraordinary capacity for academic or scholastic endeavour

  • Showing extraordinary service in support of social change (i.e. volunteering on social project)

  • Providing inspiration or being a role model for peers

 

President Scholarship duties

As a President's Scholar, you will be expected to represent WIT in the following ways:

  • Event support: Each President’s Scholar will support the WIT Marketing & Outreach team at major events in WIT and external exhibitions like Higher Options, IGC Careers & Courses Fair (Kilkenny). Scholars may be asked to attend a school visit to their school with a member of the Marketing & Outreach team. 

  • PR and web content: President’s Scholars must write one written or video story per semester (two per academic year) using a template and training by the Marketing team. These articles may be distributed to media, be posted on WIT’s website and social media channels. 

  • Social Media: The President’s Scholar is required to promote WIT through their social media channels.

  • The Marketing & Communications team will support the scholarships in all of the above activities.

http://www.cao.ie

Applications

  • You must be domiciled in Ireland.

  • You can submit only one application.

  • You can only apply for courses on the list of eligible courses (listed on the second tab). Note that the following programmes are excluded from the President’s Scholarship programme as they are regulated by an external body:

    • WD116 – BSc (Hons) in General Nursing – regulated by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

    • WD117 – BSc (Hons) in Psychiatric Nursing - regulated by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

    • WD120 - BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing - regulated by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

  • You must list the course(s) as one of your choices on your CAO application.

The preference order of the WIT courses for which you have applied on the CAO is important. If successful, you will be offered your highest preference course within the Academic School for which you applied for a President’s Scholarship.

 

Changing course choices

You can change your CAO course choice before the scholarship closing date using the CAO facility to amend course choices up to 1 April 2021.

  • If you change your course choice from the one selected in your scholarship application to another in the same academic school, you should notify [email protected].

  • If you change your course choice to a course outside the academic school chosen, you nullify your scholarship application.

After the scholarship closing date, you can change your CAO course choice through the CAO Change of Mind facility from early May to 1 July 2021.

  • If you change your course choice from the one selected in your scholarship application to another in the same academic school, you should notify [email protected] by 2 July 2021 and your application will not be affected. 

  • If you change your course choice to a course outside the academic school chosen, you nullify your scholarship application.

 

Offer 

  • Successful applicants will be offered a course place in Round Zero and should accept that offer via normal CAO channels http://www.cao.ie

  • Applicants who have applied for both level 8 and level 6/7 courses with the academic school for which they applied for the scholarship, if eligible, will receive an offer on both lists and should accept their preferred offer.

  • The successful applicant will be offered the highest preference course within the academic school for which they applied for a President’s Scholarship.

  • Should the successful applicant list a programme outside of their chosen academic school or outside the institute as a higher preference and be eligible for an offer on that programme in Round Zero, they will be offered that programme and their scholarship will be nullified.  

 

Acceptance

  • Successful applicants must accept their Round Zero offer through the CAO within the CAO’s deadlines.

  • Successful applicants must register as per the instructions issued by the Institute’s Admissions Office in August of year of entry.

  • Successful applicants will not be entitled to use the WIT First Year Transfer process. To do so will nullify the scholarship. 

  • If a scholarship holder withdraws from the course for which they have registered or does not continue throughout the year to meet the attendance and other requirements for the course, including examination entry, they may be required to repay scholarship funds they have already received.

 

Deferral of places

  • Applicants can apply for a deferral of their CAO course prior to the deadline set down for acceptance.  Please note, however, it is not possible to defer the scholarship for future uptake.

 

REACH Programme

Applying for the President’s Scholarship will not affect your application for the WIT REACH programme (http://www.wit.ie/reach)
Successful scholars may not be eligible to avail of some financial elements of the REACH programme but may still avail of other supports within the programme. Please contact [email protected]

 

SUSI Grant

Applying for the President’s Scholarship will not affect your application for the SUSI grant (http://www.susi.ie). 
The President’s Scholarship financial award is not considered as reckonable income and should not affect SUSI applications.
Successful scholars must declare their President’s Scholarship award to Revenue.

 

Other Institute Schemes

Should the successful applicant be eligible to be offered a place in Round Zero under any other WIT scheme, the applicant will be offered the highest preference listed course.

 

President's Scholarship process 

You can download the WIT President's Scholarship process document.

Stage 1

  • You must apply for a WIT course through the CAO at http://www.cao.ie by 1 April 2021.

  • You must choose a WIT programme in the academic area for which you wish to apply for a President’s Scholar.  For example, if you wish to be considered as a President’s Scholar in the School of Engineering, you must apply for a course in the School of Engineering.  You cannot apply for the scholarship unless you have applied to the CAO and chosen a WIT course.

  • Within that academic school, you can choose one programme from the level 8 and the level 6/7 course list.

 

Stage 2

Apply for the WIT President's Scholarship before Thursday, 1 April 2021 (5.15pm) using the online form on this webpage. 

Your application will require the following information:

  • You must enter your CAO number when submitting your scholarship application.

  • You must select the academic school for which you wish to apply (this cannot be amended) and indicate your choice of programme within that school. You can amend your course choice subject to conditions. These are listed in the “Conditions” .

  • You must submit a 300-word summary statement with the application outlining why you meet the criteria to be a President’s Scholar.

  • You must submit documentation to support your statement with the online application.

  • You must submit academic certificates/transcripts, and these should be copies and not originals, certified on headed paper or school/HEI stamp.  Personally typed results will not be accepted.  

  • A certified English translation is required for qualifications not issued in English or Irish.

  • If documentation is in a different name, a certified copy of the your official name change document must be provided. 

 

Stage 3

Candidates who submitted all required information in their application will be assessed, candidates will be shortlisted and invited to WIT to present to a panel in late May (expected date).

 

Stage 4

  • The five successful President’s Scholars will receive their offer in Round Zero from the Central Applications Office in early August in advance of Leaving Certificate results.

  • Applicants who have applied for both level 8 and level 6/7 courses with the academic school for which they applied for the scholarship, if eligible, will receive an offer on both lists.

  • The institute may also create a panel and, in cases where the scholarship is not accepted in Round Zero, the institute may offer the scholarship in subsequent rounds of the CAO.

  • Candidates offered the President’s Scholarship in subsequent rounds may be required to meet the points and entry requirements.

  • Successful, panelled and unsuccessful candidates will be notified directly by WIT.

Who do I contact with questions?
Ms Mary Hartley, President's Office on [email protected] or Tel: 051 302015.

Is the Scholarship open to non-Leaving Certificate applicants?
Yes, the scholarship is open to QQIFET/FETAC, mature and other school leaving applicants.

What is the criteria for Irish domiciled?
If the student has been residing in Ireland for 3 of the 5 years previous to applying for the President’s Scholarship their domiciliary of origin should be Ireland. 

Is the Scholarship aligned to one WIT school?
There are five scholarships available, one in each academic school. Applicants apply for a scholarship in one school only. Applicants can change their course choice, but only within that school. See Section 5 for more information on changing course choices.

Are all courses eligible for the scholarship?
The following programmes are excluded from the President’s Scholarship programme as they are accreditated/regulated by external bodies:

  • WD116 – BSc (Hons) in General Nursing – regulated by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

  • WD117 – BSc (Hons) in Psychiatric Nursing - regulated by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

  • WD120 - BSc (Hons) in Intellectual Disability Nursing - regulated by Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland

What support documentation is required for the initial application?
Official past academic performance are required as well as documentation to support your summary statement. This could be a link to an essay, webpage, images, project, presentation, an app etc. 

What is required for Stage 3 assessment?
Shortlisted candidates will be invited to the Institute for interview by leading academics in their chosen discipline area. Each academic school will provide more information at this stage.

Do applicants receive their offer in advance of Leaving Certificate results?
Yes, they will receive their offer in Round Zero.

If the minimum entry level grades/points are not achieved, will the student be eligible for the Scholarship?
Yes, in the case of individuals completing their Leaving Certificate as the scholarship will be awarded in Round Zero, before Leaving Certificate results are issued.

Applicants offered the President’s Scholarship in subsequent rounds may be required to meet the points and entry requirements.

If an applicant is offered their first CAO choice course for WIT, will they not have the option of receiving offers from other higher educational institutions?
If they receive an offer of a scholarship from WIT and it is their first choice on the CAO, they can't receive a higher offer from another institution. If they receive an offer of a scholarship from WIT which is not their first choice on the CAO, they can receive an offer from another institution in Round 1 should they be eligible. If they accept that offer, they will lose the WIT scholarship.

When will the Scholarship holder receive the bursary?
The bursary will be paid over two instalments per year of the registered programmes and €500 per 1st and 2nd semester for student services.  

How is the bursary paid?
The bursary will be paid directly into the scholar’s bank account.  

Will the bursary affect a SUSI application?
The President’s Scholarship bursary is not considered as reckonable income and should not affect an application for the SUSI grant.   Successful applicants must declare their President’s Scholarship award to Revenue.  

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