BIMM Dublin team up with Bohemian F.C. on new scholarship

BIMM Music Institute Dublin has teamed up with Bohemian Football Club to launch a new scholarship for those currently or formerly housed in Direct Provision.

This unique scholarship will ensure that a former or current resident of Direct Provision (DP) can access a degree in music. The scholarship has been made possible by sales from Bohemian’s 2022 Bob Marley away shirt, together with the fantastic work of the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) and Amnesty International.

Application to the scholarship will be open to all current or former residents of Ireland’s Direct Provision system, including mature students. The BA (Hons) in Commercial Modern Music is Ireland’s first third-level degree course in contemporary music. It is open to those who wish to study drums, guitar, bass, vocals and songwriting.

Applicants interested in applying for this scholarship should first apply for the BA (Hons) in Commercial Modern Music via the CAO, using the course code TU 961 before the deadline of 1st February 2023. Following that initial deadline, CAO Late Applications will be open until 1st May 2023.

Bohemian FC is Ireland’s oldest football club – one of the world’s oldest 100% fan-owned football clubs – and has been playing in Ireland’s top football division every year since 1890. With core values of inclusivity and progressiveness, they’re committed to using sport as a force for good in society to bring about positive change. The club will be actively involved in selecting the deserving recipient of the scholarship, with the winner having their BA (Hons) Commercial Modern Music course fees paid in full for the four-year duration of the degree course, worth up to €12,000.

Speaking about the announcement of the new scholarship, Lucky Khambule, from the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI), says:

“We at the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland are delighted to be part of this project with Bohemian FC and BIMM Dublin. People in the asylum system face many difficulties, and being able to enjoy music can truly brighten up their lives. This scholarship will now provide a fantastic opportunity for a musician in, or formerly in, DP, to develop their talents in a world-class environment.

Bohemian FC Chief Operating Officer, Daniel Lambert added:

“Music and sport are two of people’s great loves, and at Bohemian FC, we have worked in recent years to connect these two passions, most notably working with the Bob Marley estate and Fontaines D.C. on our 2021 and 2022 shirts. Another area we have worked tirelessly on is the plight of migrants, particularly the need for the Direct Provision system to end. We are now connecting all three, inspired by the scholarship offered by Fontaines D.C. last year, and made possible by profits of the Marley shirt this year, to cover the full costs of a four-year degree in modern music.”