Queen’s University has launched a new Elite Athlete Programme (EAP) to provide ten lucky students, who are competing at the top levels of their sport, with a support package worth up to £8,000 per year. (scroll to the end of the article for the official brochure)
The new Programme from Queen’s Sport has been established to provide exceptional students, both existing and prospective, with a platform to achieve both their sporting and academic goals.
Today’s announcement is the latest addition to a suite of over 120 sports scholarships already available to Queen’s students through its Rugby, GAA and Soccer Academies and its Ulster Bank Sports Bursary scheme.
Successful applicants will have access to a significant contribution towards fees, accommodation and international competition costs throughout the athlete’s time at Queen’s, scholarships, individual academic support and career advice, lifestyle management, a catering and nutritional budget, expert coaching and the very best in athlete support services.
Highlighting the importance of the EAP launch, Queen’s Sports Development Manager, Karl Oakes said: “Queen’s is now in a position both locally and internationally to attract the very highest achievers in sport and academia across these islands and further afield. Our new Elite Athletes Programme is designed to cater for those athletes who are truly exceptional and who deserve to be supported in their academic and sporting careers so they can stay on course to achieve greatness in their chosen sport. Queen’s hopes to play a major role in the development of such athletes, not only throughout their time studying but long after they graduate.”
Students studying and competing at Queen’s already have access world-class facilities following the recent completion of a £20 million investment in sport which has seen the transformation of the facilities at Upper Malone and an extensive upgrade of the University’s Physical Education Centre (PEC).
The facilities will be in use in 2013 as part of the 2013 World Police and Fire Games. Basketball and handball events will be staged at the PEC, while Upper Malone will have Gaelic football, soccer, rugby and softball.
Online Applications for the EAP are now open via www.queenssport.com for current and prospective students of Queen’s University Belfast. The final date for applications is Friday 23 February 2013. Places on the scheme will be confirmed by the end of March 2013 subject to the conditional offers and returning students in September 2013.
