Today, the Premier, the Hon. David Burt and the Minister of Education and Workforce Development, the Hon. Diallo V. Rabain, JP, MP are extremely pleased to announce the introduction of a new prestigious scholarship for attendance at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

This scholarship was made possible by the generous donation of long-time Bermuda resident, Mr. Chris Maybury and Mr. Karim Alibhai, founder and principal of GenCom and the new owner of Rosewood Bermuda.

In 2017, Mr. Maybury approached the Premier with the idea of making a lasting investment in Bermuda, namely the introduction of a scholarship for a promising young Bermudian with leadership potential.  Mr. Maybury was soon joined by Mr. Alibhai in making this gift to Bermuda allowing for 2 scholarships to be offered.

“Investing in future leaders of Bermuda is a duty of non-Bermudians who are afforded the privilege of living on the most beautiful island on earth and a way to put something back into this vibrant community. This was the conclusion of Mr. Alibhai and myself and we encourage others to get involved in helping young Bermudians,” said Chris Maybury.

Premier, the Hon. David Burt, JP, MP said: “The Minister of Education, the Hon. Diallo Rabain and I are pleased to formally acknowledge the creation of scholarships for two deserving students to attend the University of St Andrews, made possible through the generous financial support of Mr. Maybury and Mr. Alibhai.  Their pledge to give full scholarships is admirable and a testament to their belief in Bermuda’s youth and supports the vision of the community and Government working together to provide a better future for our students. Two deserving students will receive scholarships covering tuition, accommodation, food, return airfare and a computer.  This is an outstanding contribution by these gentlemen and we appreciate their support.”

Founded in 1413, the University of St. Andrews is Scotland's oldest university.  A highly competitive institution, it offers over 900 degree courses, organised across four faculties: Arts, Divinity, Medicine, and Science. It is located 90 minutes from Edinburgh in the town of Fife. 

Mr. Maybury proposed the University of St. Andrews due to its range of degree courses, and the broad courses of study that allow for exploration and exposure in a student’s first year of university. St. Andrews also has a diverse international study body and provides significant levels of support to its students, both local and from overseas.
“We are honoured to give back to the Bermudian community by offering deserving students a scholarship to St. Andrews,” said Karim Alibhai, founder and principal of Gencom. “We are confident that St. Andrews’ unparalleled educational experience will not only enrich the lives of the scholarship recipients, but will also have a profound impact on the greater Bermuda community when these students return to Bermuda with new knowledge and leadership skills.”
The scholarship is valued at up to £35,000 annually for 4 years, for British Overseas Territory fee status students and covers tuition, accommodation, food, return airfare and a computer.  The intent of the donors was to fully fund all expenses so that scholarship recipients did not have to worry about money, but instead be focused on their studies and the successful completion of their programme of study at the University of St. Andrews.

To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must:

1. Be graduating or have graduated from senior school;
2. Be not older than 25 years on September 1st, 2018;
3. Have a track record of high academic achievement, including a minimum GPA of 3.0;
4. Have demonstrated academic achievement commensurate with the requirements of acceptance to the University of St. Andrews (e.g. external examinations such as Advanced Subsidiary (AS)/Advanced Placement (AP)/Scholastic Achievement Test (SAT)/ACT, good grades in post-secondary courses or obtained the Bermuda College’s Associate of Arts Degree with good grades);
5. Have applied to the University of St. Andrews prior to making a scholarship application;
6. Be accepted to the University of St. Andrews by the time of the scholarship interview;
7. Have made a significant contribution to community service in excess of the minimum requirements of graduation;
8. Be Bermudian;
9. Have attended school in Bermuda for at least 5 years, and
10. Demonstrate financial need.

In order to apply for this scholarship, students must first apply directly to the University of St. Andrews at https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/study/apply/ug/direct/. Students can then submit their scholarship application on Bermudascholarships.com by the deadline of Monday April 23rd, 2018.

More detailed information on the Bermuda to St. Andrews Scholarship, including eligibility and application requirements are available at www.moed.bm or www.Bermudascholarships.com. Questions can be emailed to: scholarships@moed.bm.