STUDENTS from challenging backgrounds could benefit from a “life-changing” funding boost of £48,000 in Glasgow.

Over the next four years, young people who have experienced living in care or who are estranged from their family or living in areas of high deprivation, can access vital financial support.

Thanks to the generous donation by the Robert and Jeanne Mairs Charitable Trust, Glasgow Caledonian University’s Health and Life Sciences students could benefit from widening access support through bursaries and hardship funding.

READ NEXT: 'Happy days': Glasgow man's Shettleston memories turned into a book

Those studying social work will be a priority focus for the funding, which has been secured in collaboration with the GCU Foundation.

Annually, two £4000 bursaries and a total of £4000 hardship funding will be available. Social work students will be able to apply for payments of between £250 and £500 to help support them in times of financial hardship, with applications opening this month.

Professor Anita Simmers, Dean of the School of Health Sciences, said: “At Glasgow Caledonian, we are committed to supporting life-changing opportunities for those with the most need in our communities.

"We are sincerely grateful that the Robert and Jeanne Mairs Charitable Trust are providing dedicated financial support for our health and social care students through bursaries and hardship funding. These will provide a much-needed lifeline to our aspiring students.”    

The trust was established by two local doctors to support the relief of poverty and advancement of education and health.