The deadline for the 2018 Nuffield Farming Scholarships is looming, and candidates are being urged to start their applications now.

Nuffield's scholarships lend themselves to motivated individuals, with a passion for farming or related industries, aged between 22 and 45, who want to broaden their horizons, and make a real change to agriculture.

Academic requirements are not a prerequisite of the scholarships, but individuals should be well established in their career, and demonstrate a passion for the industry they work in.

Mike Vacher, Nuffield director, reminds prospective scholars that it is best to apply as soon as possible, in time to make the July deadline.

He said: "The online application process is designed to be relatively straight forward. However, it does take time and can raise some questions.

"Because of this, I’d recommend speaking to a scholar, or a member of the Nuffield team before starting the process.

“They’ll be able to answer questions, provide you with first hand advice, and help you gain a good understanding of what the scholarship entails, which is a great starting point.

"There will be numerous individuals on hand at every stage of your Nuffield journey to provide help and guidance.

“Successful applicants will be provided with a bursary of £7,000 for 18-months’ worth of global travel and study, as well as unrivalled training, worldwide contacts, attendance to international conferences and other lifetime experiences.

“We encourage individuals from all corners of the industry to apply, and you don’t need to be from a farming background either.”

The final deadline for application submissions is July 31, with shortlisting taking place in October.

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For more information please visit nuffieldscholar.org.