Cash to support Asian students

The government and the British Council have announced details of a one-year scholarship scheme to support students affected by the Asia currency crisis.

Universities and colleges have been given until Monday to bid for matching funds for a maximum of 40 scholarships per institution, each worth up to Pounds 2,000.

The awards will be available from September for full-time students from Indonesia, Malaysia Korea and Thailand - where United Kingdom institutions expect to face the greatest recruitment problems in the next year. About 70 per cent of awards will go to new recruits. The rest will be set aside to help students continue their studies in the UK.