“I am really enjoying being in UCD so far. I have always wanted to study architecture since I was a young child and I’m delighted to be finally able to do so.

Architecture is an extremely expensive course. We are expected to buy many materials each week to make drawings and models of our designs. We also have many site visits to variouslocations around Ireland, and we have to pay for the transport costs ourselves. The scholarship is assisting me greatly in my studies because I can afford to buy the materials needed for my studio work. I had a part-time job until December last year just so that I could afford to buy the materials and to have some money to cover other costs. However, due to the intense workload of the course I was no longer able to keep my job, and the scholarship has taken a huge amount of pressure off me and my Mum.

I would like to thank you sincerely for supporting my scholarship. With the scholarship, I am able to design exactly what I want in my studio work because I know that I will be able to afford to make a model or drawing with the equipment and materials that I need. My Mum is a single parent to my brother and me following the death of my father, and it has taken a huge weight off my shoulders knowing that I won’t be putting any extra financial pressure on her to help me buy the materials I need every week.”