Thirteen young Bermudians have been invited to join a pioneering American university.

Allen University in South Carolina has agreed to make $468,000 in scholarships available to Bermudians who otherwise could not afford to take a degree course.

The 123-year-old university originally agreed to enrol 10 students but has now decided to take an extra three, starting on Thursday, January 14.

And President Dr. Collie Coleman, and his wife Anne, will be speaking to the students and prospective students at the Progressive Labour Party headquarters this evening.

The scholarships came as a result of a meeting between Dr. Coleman and former student and Bermudian Senator Trevor Woolridge.

Dr. Coleman said it was not new for young people from other countries to attend Allen University. He said the Bermudians would be mixing with others from countries such as Ethiopia, Nigeria and Uganda.

"We have a global perspective allowing our students to meet people from outside their own countries. In this way they can learn about their neighbours,'' he said.

The Bermudian students will also be given jobs in the university which Dr.

Coleman says will help give them an all-round education.

"We told Sen. Woolridge that under no circumstances would we offer more than 10 places for students. But he came back having set up a fine review screening system and convinced us, when we saw the results, that we should take three more students.'' Sen. Woolridge said that the scholarships were aimed at young people who could not afford to attend the university. He said that people who already had degrees were refused.

He described the university's offer of the scholarships as "the most magnificent he had ever seen''.

Dr. Coleman said: "We came to Bermuda to meet the students who have been chosen and to assure parents that this is no hoax and we are a well established institution.

"We are making these opportunities available to help Bermuda to increase and improve its workforce through education.'' Yesterday, Mr. and Mrs. Coleman attended a service at the Richard Allen Temple. Mr. Allen was the founder of their university.

This evening's meeting begins at 5 p.m.

SEN. TREVOR WOOLRIDGE -- a former student at Allen University.