The Sir Edward Youde Memorial Fund Council is inviting applications for its fellowships and scholarships for overseas studies, including the award for disabled students, for the 2005-06 academic year. The submission deadline is September 24.

Short-listed applicants will be required to attend the initial interview in Hong Kong to be conducted in December this year or January next year. Suitable applicants will be invited for the final interview around March or April.

Successful candidates should have a strong sense of commitment to Hong Kong and be ready to contribute significantly to the community upon return from their overseas studies. They will be required to work in Hong Kong for at least three years upon graduation.

The fellowships are for studies leading to postgraduate degrees either through research or coursework. The scholarships are for studies leading to undergraduate degrees.

The applicants will be responsible for fulfilling all application procedures and admission requirements of the academic institutions of their choice.

The value of a fellowship is about $251,000 per year for up to three years for a Doctoral degree or two years for a Master's degree. The scholarship value is about $232,000 per year for up to three years.

Application forms and information notes are available at the Student Financial Assistance Agency website. For enquiries, call 2150 6097/8.