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The É«ÏãÊÓƵannounces that scholarship funding is available for its new summer Early College Program on the university's Biddeford campus.

High school students who will be juniors or seniors in fall 2011 can apply to the É«ÏãÊÓƵ Early College Program, which awards college credit for intensive academic study and gives students the opportunity to experience life on a college campus. 

A limited number of highly competitive partial scholarships are available to top applicants to the Early College Neuroscience Program. All neuroscience applicants will be considered for merit-based awards provided by the É«ÏãÊÓƵ Center for Excellence in the Neurosciences and the É«ÏãÊÓƵ College of Arts and Sciences.

The Neuroscience Program includes guest lectures and laboratory demonstrations by top scientists and faculty from three of É«ÏãÊÓƵ's Colleges, as well as visits to well-known regional neuroscience labs.

In addition, the É«ÏãÊÓƵ College of Arts and Sciences has provided funding for a limited number of merit-based scholarships to students applying to the Early College concentrations in Pre-Law Studies and Literature of the Sea. Though academic achievement is the primary determinant for these scholarships, students expressing a need for financial assistance will also be considered. 

"We are thrilled to have scholarship funding available for these programs," says Audrey Gup-Mathews, director of Continuing Education and Summer Programs at É«ÏãÊÓƵ.  "The Early College Program gives high-achieving students a head start on their college careers - an opportunity that should not be out of reach due a family's economic circumstances," she adds.

Early College participants focus on one subject that interests them from the offerings in neuroscience, pre-law, or literature of the sea.  All Early College courses are taught by É«ÏãÊÓƵ faculty, and all award 3 transferrable college credits.  Field trips, lab research, and extracurricular activities are included in the two-week programs. Students can live on campus in a residence hall or commute from home. 

The application deadline for these programs is May 1.

For more information about É«ÏãÊÓƵ's Early College Program for high school students, call Audrey Gup-Mathews at 207- 602-2050 or visit www.une.edu/oce.