The heart of a community is always its people, but for many rural and regional NSW towns, the challenge is to hold onto them and not lose them and their skills to the bright lights of the big cities.

For this reason, the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Foundation (RASF) established its Rural Scholarships program in 2007.

The RASF Rural Scholarships provide financial support to selected part-time and full-time tertiary students to assist in their education and ideally see them return to their hometowns to roll out their much-valued skill sets.

2018 has seen 53 students from around the state receive study grants of $3000 for part-time and $6000 for full-time study.

They range in scope from budding veterinarians to physiotherapists and mental health practitioners.

Applications will open next week for the 2019 Rural Scholarships program.

Interested applicants are encouraged to visit www.rasnsw.com.au/scholarships to discover more about the Rural Scholarships program and complete the online application form.

RAS Foundation Manager Cecilia Logan says the feedback the scholarship recipients give about the importance of the financial helping hand proves just how important it is;

“We constantly hear from our recipients the difference these funds make towards them achieving their qualifications,” Cecilia Logan said.

“The generosity of the public and our benefactors is of an enormous benefit to not only the students but their families and communities.

“Services that are rare or non-existent in some circumstances in rural NSW are being established because RAS Foundation scholarship recipients are bringing their skills back home,” Cecilia Logan said.

July 1 2018 sees the opening up of the next round of applications for the RAS Foundation Scholarships, with successful applicants announced mid-2019.

About the Royal Agricultural Society of NSW (RAS) Foundation:

The RAS Foundation is a charitable foundation that encourages educational opportunities and helps build strong and sustainable rural and regional communities through a range of targeted grants and scholarships.

Visit www.rasf.org.au for more information on the RAS Foundation.