Students planning to apply to the Bank of Ireland's Millennium Scholars Trust have been advised to to get a move on as the deadline date of March 1 approaches.
Those facing economic, social and other barriers who would otherwise have been unable to go to third-level education can avail of the trust, which was set up in 2000.
Scholarships range from a minimum of €3,200 per year to a maximum of €38,000 over the duration of the chosen college course.
246 scholarships to a value of €4.4m have been awarded so far and this year’s intake should see the number rise to over 300.
The Trust also provides students with a mentor programme from volunteer BOI staff throughout the duration of their courses.