Bendigo and Adelaide Bank's generous funds open doors for rural and regional students

Having received $2000 through the 2022 Kyabram District Community Scholarship, the St. Augustine's College Kyabram graduate was given some leeway to focus on his studies.

"It's been able to take a bit of weight off my shoulders financially," he said.

"Having to travel back and forth to uni and especially with the high fuel prices at the minute, it's made it a lot easier.

"With that cost increasing and just being able to not have to worry has made it a lot easier to focus on getting my studies done to the best of my ability."

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Blake plans to major in sports development and management within his business degree, and he is far from the only person to have doors opened to a future career by these Bendigo Bank scholarships.

More than 178 first time students have been awarded a share of $635,000 thanks to the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank's generosity.

The bank offers one of the country's leading, privately funded scholarship programs and, since 2007, has provided more than $11 million to 1336 students.

Scholarships of up to $5000 are on offer to help recipients with the cost of travel, accommodation, tutoring, course materials and study equipment - to help ease the financial burden of tertiary education.

2022 recipients will study a range of disciplines including agriculture, information technology, commerce, architecture, science, education, health, hospitality and engineering.

"How the bank delivers on its more than 160-year-old purpose to feed into prosperity, not off it, takes many forms including investing in our leaders of the future," Bendigo and Adelaide Bank's head of social purpose Sharnie Curnow said.

"Our scholarship program is integral to realising this ambition and to addressing the disadvantage some students from regional areas face in attaining further education.

"The program has grown to become one of the largest privately funded and best targeted scholarship programs in Australia and is an initiative that will continue to nurture significant intellectual capital across the community."

For Blake and students like him the funds have allowed more access to the university system, as well as bringing a bit of relief to a stressful time.

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