Recognizing that many students require financial assistance to pursue their post-secondary goals, the Provincial Government has introduced a new scholarship program. Twenty-five scholarships valued at $2,000 each will be provided to recent graduates of Adult Basic Education (ABE) or Comprehensive Arts and Science College Transition (CAS) programs, or the General Educational Development (GED) test, who are beginning a full-time program at a university or college.

"This is the first time provincial scholarships have been made available to support adults who have gone back to school to upgrade their education to advance to post-secondary," said the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education. "These individuals have made the important and sometimes difficult decision to improve their skills and with additional supports, we believe many will choose to continue with post-secondary education."

The Successful Post-Secondary Transition Scholarships will be available to eligible ABE, GED or CAS graduates who have completed these programs since September 2005 and are enrolled in their first year of a full-time undergraduate program of eight months or longer. Recipients will be chosen based on academic excellence and the quality of their written submission.

"The Provincial Government is determined to provide every support we can to help all students with the cost of post-secondary education," said Minister Burke. "This is why we have frozen tuition, introduced up-front, needs-based grants, and reduced the interest on student loans. And just last month, we announced more than $200,000 in scholarships for graduating high school students. We hope these new scholarships will encourage more adult learners to pursue their educational dreams and goals, and ultimately contribute to the social and economic success of their communities and the province overall."

The application deadline for these scholarships is February 8, 2008. More information and applications are available at www.gov.nl.ca/edu, or can be obtained at post-secondary institutions throughout the province.

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Media contact:
Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca

2008 01 09                                                   9:20 a.m.