The Bursary

The Bursary Programme

Each year the Association awards bursaries to financially disadvantaged Visakhians to help them through university in Sri Lanka.  The students are selected based on their financial situation and academic achievements. The bursary is for the duration of their university course which ranges from 3 – 5 years, and is currently LKR 48,000 per annum.


The Scheme was initiated in 1985 and aimed to support students at Visakha, for 4 years from grade 9. Visakha started as a fee levying school in 1917. When it achieved grade 1 status in 1947,entry was based on a tough examination ,as well as ability to pay.Four years later students had to pay only the facilities fees.In 1961 Visakha became a national school and free education was available to girls from all parts of the island and all walks of life. Selection was on a highly competitive nationwide examination. By the late seventies, it was clear that there were students who desperately needed financial support to achieve their potential. Our Bursary Programme was initiated to respond to this need. 


Over the years the number of annual recipients and the grant increased as funds collected by the Association through various fundraisers grew. In addition, we have been fortunate to have bursaries sponsored by generous individuals. Since the inception of the scheme the Association has awarded 251 bursaries at a cost of LKR 30,624,000 (approximately £270,000). 


We receive applications from many students each year, all with excellent results -several also have outstanding achievements in sport and extra curricular activities - despite many of them suffering severe financial hardship. It is difficult to envisage how people even manage to survive let alone achieve what these girls have on the amount of money that seems available to them. One wishes that we have the funds to help all these girls. Unfortunately we do not. If any of you would like to sponsor a bursary please contact our secretary.       


The students are extremely appreciative of the help they get from us .One student said that we had given her the idea to help someone once she was able to, just like we had assisted her.


A student who graduated in 2011 with an Upper Second in Management sent us this:

“I would like to convey my heart full gratitude towards our past Visakhians who have helped me to end my journey with second class upper division degree.”

A further e mail from the same student received a year later:

“Thank you so much for your heartiest wish and the support you extended throughout my university life. I’m happy to inform you that I have been selected for masters in commerce at Delhi University. It’s a full scholarship offered by the Indian Government. I thought it’s appropriate to inform you all as you all have helped me a lot in my bachelors.”  

Another recipient of a bursary became a teacher at Visakha on graduating. She wrote 

‘’I wish to convey some good news. I got through my Bachelor of Arts General Degree with FIRST CLASS HONOURS, from the University of Kelaniya 2009. I must thank you and PPAV -London Branch for the grant which enabled me to achieve all this.
I now look forward to imparting my knowledge of Japanese Language to the students of Visakha Vidyalaya, to the best of my ability through the kindness of PPAV(UK).’’
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