The reputation of the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School precedes it but it’s not cheap. However, if you’re dead set on attending the Smurfit School, you’ll be very interested in the opportunity to secure a scholarship from a €100,000 fund, through the Aspire Scholarship Programme 2016. This scholarship will pay for 50% of the successful candidates’ chosen course fees. The programme is offering up to three MBA and nine MSc scholarships to graduates and students can choose to study any of the MBA and MSc courses on offer. Students will commence their studies in September 2016.

This is the seventh year that the Aspire Scholarship Programme has been run. The programme was founded in 2010, after an anonymous benefactor of the school committed €500,000 to establish it. The donor provided the funds specifically for those who could not otherwise afford to study at UCD Smurfit School, and as a contribution to the recovery of the Irish economy.

Since 2010, almost 70 scholars have benefited from the fund. A special selection committee has been established to decide who will be awarded the scholarships and will be chaired by Cormac McCarthy, former chief financial officer of Paddy Power, and representatives from UCD Business.

ADVERTISEMENT

The closing date for entry is 29 April 2016. Applications can be made at www.smurfitschool.ie/aspire.