Talented students who would like to pursue a career in heritage and creative arts industries may be eligible for funding to study at the internationally renowned West Dean College. These include a new Visual Arts Scholarship in Tapestry and Textile Art in 2015/16 which will cover the full tuition fees for one year. West Dean welcomes funding applications from prospective students from all walks of life and the deadline for 2015/16 is 5pm on 30 March 2015. West Dean is an independent College funded by charitable trust The Edward James Foundation.

"Edward James, founder of the College, was a strong supporter of young and emerging artists and craftspeople and our scholarships follow in the tradition he established," says Francine Norris, Director of Education. "With the support from other funders and funding from The Edward James Foundation, West Dean is able to offer several scholarships and bursary funding for potential students from both the UK and abroad. Since undergraduate fees were increased, we have seen a marked uplift in students needing financial support to continue in continuing to postgraduate education'. A high proportion of students receive West Dean funding support."

Metalwork Conservation student, Dorothy Cheng, is The Edward James Foundation Scholar this year. Dorothy is from Seattle and, after completing the West Dean Graduate Diploma is now continuing her studies on the Postgraduate Diploma programme, before completing her MA at the College. "Without the scholarship, I wouldn't have been able to come back for a second year of study at West Dean, which is necessary for me to become a fully qualified and confident conservator of metal objects," says Dorothy. "The first year gave me a firm foundation in conservation techniques, methodology, science, and ethics, but I needed the additional bench experience that a second year provided to put into practice everything I have already learned."

One of the few Colleges in the world which offers graduate and postgraduate study in a range of conservation disciplines, West Dean also offers programmes in Visual Arts, Making Stringed Musical Instruments and Creative Writing and Publishing*. Qualifications include Diploma, Postgraduate Diploma, MA and MFA and many are validated by the University of Sussex.

The emphasis for students at West Dean College is time in the studio and at the bench. Conservation students gain hands-on experience working on unique and often rare objects from acclaimed collections. Combined with theoretical and scientific study and collaboration across the disciplines, West Dean graduates are sought-after and many go on to work in some of the world's finest institutions, such as the Victoria and Albert Museum, National Maritime Museum, The British Museum and Imperial War Museum.

Funding opportunities and study options are in the full time digital prospectus at www.westdean.org.uk.

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Notes to editors

• West Dean College is part of The Edward James Foundation, an educational charitable trust established in 1964, also comprising West Dean Gardens, West Dean Estate and the West Dean Tapestry Studio. Charity No. 1126084. All photography is free to use for editorial purposes.
• *Subject to validation
• Any journalist interested in attending a short course or event for news or review purposes, high res images or information on filming should contact the Media Relations Team.
• West Dean College is situated on the A286, six miles north of Chichester and within easy access of Portsmouth, Guildford, Brighton and London.