Bermuda's scholarship season is in full swing with students across the Island scrambling to secure the top awards to enable them to further their studies. The Royal Gazette's Sam Strangewaystakes a look at the vast array of scholarships now available and talks to some past winners.

"It's changed my life, it's completely changed my life," says Bermudian artist Peter Lapsley of his move to New York to study for a masters degree in fine arts at Parsons New School for Design.

The 30-year-old former gallery director of Bermuda Society of Arts had long harboured a dream of returning to college to further his education and progress his own art.

Last year that became a reality when he was awarded one of Butterfield Bank's $10,000 Visual Arts scholarships. "Ten thousand dollars is a huge help," he says. "That's an enormous chunk of money. It was fantastic to receive it. They are basing it on you and your artwork so there's a certain validation. They are willing to basically invest in you to a certain degree and that's a wonderful feeling."

Without the cash, Mr. Lapsley would have struggled to pay school fees and live overseas. With it, he has been able to concentrate on his art and feels it has moved on tremendously as a result.

"Getting the scholarship just took me one step closer to being able to fulfil the dream," he says. "I'm now surrounded by 47 other students all doing various types of art. We are also surrounded by some pretty major artists and writers and staff who are on the faculty who believe that art can change the world and that's a really amazing environment to be in. It¿s been really fantastic."

Mr. Lapsley's success at gaining funds highlights the diversity of the scholarships now available in Bermuda. While many of the Island's corporate schemes are still aimed solely at grade A students planning a career in business, there are plenty of more unusual bursaries out there.

The Garden Club of Bermuda, for example, gives cash to those planning to study subjects including horticulture, landscaping, environmental studies and floriculture. Its deadline for applications is June 30.

Belco, meanwhile, offers funding to qualified engineering students, including a $20,000 annual scholarship. It also awards the Belco Richards-Minors Social Reconciliation Scholarship, paying for two years tuition and fees at Bermuda College.

The electricity supplier, like most organisations offering money for education, is clearly looking for students who stand out from the crowd: candidates must submit a 1,500 word essay on social responsibility and social justice.

Alan Thompson, president and chief executive officer of Butterfield Bank, describes its six scholarships - which total about $250,000 a year - as "at the heart of the culture" of the company. But he admits: "The vetting process is not an easy one."

Kim Pratt, who administers the Bank of Bermuda Foundation's 19 scholarships totalling more than $700,000, explains that her organisation normally receives hundreds of applications each year which have to be whittled down to a manageable shortlist by its education sub-committee.

"We look for community involvement, achievements and the studen's future goals," she says, adding: "The big scholarships are mainly going to be about grades."

Lawyer Wendell Hollis, a partner at Cox Hallett Wilkinson, was the first-ever winner of the bank'ss Sir Henry Tucker Scholarship back in 1971.

His all-rounder appeal – the award was given for academic performance, sports ability and leadership skills - landed him $12,000 in total, allowing him to study law at Bristol University in England and take his Bar exams.

He says without the money "it would have been a struggle for my parents". His company now offers legal scholarships each year like many other law firms.

"Everybody should try to go as far as they can with their education," says the 54-year-old. "In Bermuda there should never be an excuse that they can't do it because they can't afford it. There is ample opportunity to apply for and obtain scholarships. People are crying out for students."

Ralph Richardson, executive director of the ACE Foundation, echoes that sentiment. He says that for the last few years its Robert Clements Scholarship - which offers unlimited funds for a four-year programme in specific subjects – has been under-subscribed.

"It's quite amazing; it's probably the only place in the world that we don't see the number of applicants that we think we could get," he says. "We know it's the same in other businesses.

"I think because it's merit-based right away it's somewhat self-eliminating. If you haven't got the grades then you probably won't apply. We are looking for really highly qualified students who are very keen."

The foundation has broadened the scholarship this year to include subjects beyond though still closely related to actuarial science and risk management. "That will make it more attractive," said Mr. Richardson.

In contrast to the scholarship, the foundation's student loans, launched in February, 2005, are oversubscribed. The organisation is currently lending 77 students a total of about $2 million but there is a waiting list of some 150.

Students pay nothing back for the loans - from partnering Butterfield Bank - while at college and then have a year to find work before repayments begin. Even then, they are given a ten-year repayment plan with a preferential interest rate.

"We had no idea what the response was going to be like but immediately we launched it the response was overwhelming," says Mr. Richardson. "Students who get the loans can just go ahead and work on their studies and the payments come later. The arrangements have been made so it will be as pain free as possible."

Cynthia Cox, president of Knowledge Quest, is all too aware how many students struggle to make ends meet at college - and how lots can't even get there in the first place due to lack of funds.

Her organisation was set up five years ago by a group of Bermudian friends with the sole intention of helping cash-strapped - B students: those who aren't necessarily always top of the class but are driven and determined to succeed.

"We thought we'd help one student but once we started interviewing we just couldn't say no; there were just too many that needed it. We ended up giving eight scholarships the first year."

She describes Knowledge Quest as the "scholarship of last resort". "We want to see what students get elsewhere. In the end if they haven't got anything and can't go (to college) we will help them.

"It tends to be the people who are not necessarily going to get those other scholarships, the superstar scholarships. It's just purely needs-based and it really fills a gap."

Ms Cox believes there should be more state scholarships - Government offers eight worth $25,000 a year each - and better co-ordination of information for students on what's available. In fact, a website www.scholarships.bm has been set up which gives details of many of the awards but it is not expected to include a comprehensive list until next year.

"This island is rich enough that everybody should have a chance if they are academically capable but financially needy, says Ms Cox. "We really do our due diligence to make sure that they are actually needy."

Sherie Joell, of St. David's, was one such candidate. The 22-year-old, now a graduate trainee at the Bank of Bermuda, was desperate to go to university but knew her mother, a single parent, did not have the cash and her father, who has two other children, would only be able to partially help.

The former Berkeley Institute student applied to Knowledge Quest to study at Acadia University in Nova Scotia, Canada, and became one of the first recipients of a KQ scholarship, receiving $7,000 per semester.

Her attitude perhaps sums up why she was successful:

"I was determined to go to college whether I had a scholarship or not. I worked at the bank and I always had summer jobs."

She says getting the award "made life a lot easier".

"I appreciate Knowledge Quest so much more because they allow students that are just eager to learn. To get a scholarship they look for that more than anything else: your dedication."