Support for Island Students.

In keeping with the Trust’s objects, the Trustees will consider direct applications from individuals who are classed as resident on the Isle of Man ⁽¹⁾ and have gained entry to a recognised educational institution in the United Kingdom to pursue training in Engineering, Horology, Medicine ⁽²⁾ and Building or Construction.

The Trustees will only consider supporting students who can demonstrate identifiable financial hardship, to the extent that, without additional financial support, they would be unable to pursue their educational ambitions. Accordingly, the Trustees will usually only consider applications from individuals who have been awarded grants by the Isle of Man Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC). The exception to this is graduate entrants to medical studies for whom the funding provisions made by DESC may be limited to two years support – see explanation below ⁽³⁾.

Any awards made are discretionary and based on the information provided in the Trust’s funding application form, supporting documentation and subsequent interview. The application process will necessarily require financial assessment of the applicant, and any contributors, to determine the degree of financial need.

The Trustees normally consider applications on a quarterly basis and aim to respond to all applications within four months of submission. All candidates will be notified of the outcome.

The Trustees reserve the right to impose conditions on the granting of any award. Any such conditions will be communicated at the time of notification.

Awards are made on an annual basis. Awards made in subsequent years, up until completion of the course, will remain discretionary and only be made subject to confirmation of satisfactory academic progress and taking into consideration any changes in financial or other circumstances.

Courses eligible for support for Isle of Man Students:

The Trustees will only support courses run in the United Kingdom:

Engineering.

The Trustees will consider support for Isle of Man students studying, or intending to study, on an undergraduate course at a university in the United Kingdom, leading to a degree-level qualification in one of the following seven engineering disciplines ⁽⁴⁾:

Aeronautical & aerospace engineering.
Chemical engineering.
Civil engineering.
Electrical and electronic engineering.
General engineering.
Manufacturing and production engineering.
Mechanical engineering

Building and construction.

The Trustees will consider support for Isle of Man students studying, or intending to study, on an undergraduate course at a university in the United Kingdom, leading to a degree-level qualification in a subject which the Trustees consider as falling within the description of “building and construction” but which is not one of the engineering disciplines listed above.

Horology.

The Trustees will consider support for Isle of Man students pursuing a training in watch and/or clockmaking at one of the following educational institutions:

Birmingham City University.

Horology BA (Hons).

British School of Watchmaking, Manchester.

The WOSTEP 3000-hour Programme, a full-time course recognised by the Convention Patronale (CP) as being equivalent to the Swiss CFC 4-year watch repair educational programme. The Trustees will also consider Island students who have gained a place on the WOSTEP 1800-hour course.

West Dean College, Sussex.

Foundation degree (FdA) specialising in Horology.
BA (Hons) Craft Practices – Clocks.
MA Conservation Studies – Horology, Clocks and Related Objects.
Graduate Diploma – Horology, Clocks and Related Objects.

Medicine.

The Trustees will consider support for Isle of Man students who have been successful in gaining entry to a course at a medical school in the United Kingdom, leading towards a primary medical qualification that is registrable with the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom ⁽²⁾.

Requirements for Application.

1. Applicants must be able to demonstrate that they are Isle of Man residents per the criteria used by DESC. ⁽¹⁾.

2. Applicants will already have been successful in gaining a place at the institution of their choice in a supported discipline.

3. Applicants will be expected to have made an application to the Student Awards Team (https://www.gov.im/student-grants) at the Isle of Man Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) to determine their eligibility for government financial support. The Trust will require written confirmation of any DESC tuition or maintenance awards. Pending confirmation of DESC funding, applicants will be asked to provide evidence in the form of a valid financial assessment of their individual circumstances, and that of any identified contributors, which will include completed year-end tax assessments. It is therefore in the student’s interest to ensure that tax returns (for both themselves and any contributors), and an application to DESC, are submitted at the earliest opportunity, to avoid delays in receiving a decision on funding.
NB. Funding provisions made by DESC for graduate entrants to medical studies may be limited to only two years – see notes below ⁽³⁾, in which case, for those years where assessment for DESC support is not possible, applicants to the Trust will be expected to provide evidence of a valid financial assessment of their own individual circumstances, and that of any identified contributors, which will include completed year-end tax assessments.

4. Applicants will be expected to submit a completed funding application form to the Trustees, outlining their personal financial circumstances and any identified support from contributors, which must be accompanied by such evidence in support as the Trustees require.

5. Applications are normally considered on a quarterly basis and the Trustees aim to respond to all applications within four months of submission. All candidates will be notified of the outcome.

6. Any awards made are discretionary, and the Trustees reserve the right to impose conditions on the granting of any award. Any such conditions will be communicated at the time of notification.

7. Awards are normally made on an annual basis.

8. Awards made in subsequent years, up until completion of the course will remain discretionary and only be made subject to confirmation of satisfactory academic progress and taking into consideration any changes in financial or other circumstances.

9. The Trustees retain the right to withdraw all, or part of your award, should you fail or withdraw from your course, or if your progress, conduct, or attendance is unsatisfactory. In such circumstances, you will be required to repay any fees or grant paid in respect of the withdrawn award.

For further information, or to request an application form, please contact the Trust via email by completing and submitting the form below:-

Referenced explanatory notes.

1. Regulations for the Isle of Man Residency Requirement (defined by the Isle of Man Government Department of Education, Sport and Culture (DESC) and adopted by the Trust).

The student must satisfy one of the following conditions: –

Condition 1. The student has been ordinarily resident in the Island for a period of not less than 4 years immediately before the beginning of the first year of the course, which may include a gap year, and will continue to be ordinarily resident in the Island for the duration of the course.

Condition 2. The student has resided in the Island for periods amounting in the aggregate to ten years or more, and 2 of those years fall immediately prior to commencement of the course and will continue to be ordinarily resident in the Island for the duration of the course.

Condition 3. The student has resided previously in the Island, and as a result is ineligible for financial assistance in the country or territory in which he or she is ordinarily resident.

For the purpose of the aforementioned:

a. No account shall be taken of temporary or occasional absences, and
b. A person is ordinarily resident in the Island if he or she voluntarily and for settled purposes lives in the Island for an appreciable period (a minor who lives with his or her parent being taken for this purpose to be living voluntarily where the parent lives).

2. Medicine is the science or practice of the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease achieved through the pursuance of a medical course leading towards a primary United Kingdom qualification registrable with the General Medical Council of the United Kingdom.

According to the Medical Act 1983, a “primary United Kingdom qualification” means any of the following qualifications, namely:

The degree of Bachelor of Medicine or Bachelor of Surgery granted by a body or combination of bodies included in the list maintained under subsection.
Licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians of London or the Royal College of Surgeons of England or the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh or the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh or the Royal College (formerly Royal Faculty) of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow.
Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of England granted before the coming into force of section 1 of the Medical Qualifications (Amendment) Act 1991.
Licentiate in medicine and surgery of the Society of Apothecaries of London.

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/54/section/4

3. The Isle of Man Department of Education, Culture and Sport (DESC) will offer a discretionary maximum of five years support for approved educational programmes. Thus, if a student has already completed a three-year degree course, supported by the DESC, he/she may be eligible for a further two-years means-tested support. A graduate entrant to medicine, which may be a four- or five-year course, must opt for which two years of the course they would like DESC support. The later clinical years which are more arduous, with a commitment of 46 weeks or more, attract more Government support and would normally be the sensible choice.

4. The Complete University Guide’s University League Tables 2023