The Universitat Rovira i Virgili has opened a new call for scholarships together with the Social Council and the Repsol Foundation for students with economic difficulties and a good academic record. The deadline for submitting applications began on April 1 and will end on October 5.
The call maintains a dual objective that is not always easy to sustain in public universities. The grants aim to reward academic performance, but at the same time they are aimed at students whose continuity in their studies depends on their family's economic situation.
The program grants four renewable scholarships of 5,000 euros
The program has been running since 2006 and awards four renewable scholarships of 5,000 euros each year. Each can be maintained for a maximum of five academic years, thus covering undergraduate studies and also an official master's degree.
In addition, the call retains six more non-renewable scholarships, reserved for first-year students. Each of these grants has an annual endowment of 5,000 euros and has the collaboration of the Diputació de Tarragona.
For this year, the total endowment amounts to 75,000 euros allocated to the call. The program is presented as a way to strengthen the link between Repsol and the Repsol Foundation with Tarragona and university education.
Two URV students explain that the aid was key to continuing their studies
Judith Andreu Sagon, a third-year student in the double degree in Biotechnology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, recounts the effect the scholarship had on her academic journey.
"It was clear to me that it was a great opportunity to study at URV" - Judith Andreu Sagon, third-year student in the double degree in Biotechnology and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
In her case, the aid made it possible to continue at the university. She later added that, without that scholarship, continuing her studies would have been very complicated.
Andrea Von Esch, a student in the degree in Hispanic Language and Literature, shared a similar experience when referring to the cost of maintaining university studies in Tarragona.
"Otherwise, it would be very difficult to study here" - Andrea Von Esch, student in the degree in Hispanic Language and Literature, Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Judith Andreu Sagon also described the application process. She explained that they ask for many documents, reports, and opinions from high school teachers, and she defended that this level of demand responds to the public nature of the funds and the need to direct aid to families that truly need it.
The URV resolves the awarding of scholarships based on two criteria. It values the academic record of each applicant and also the family's socioeconomic situation of the applicants.
The deadline to apply for these grants will remain open until October 5.