Since the programme was launched in 2016, the group has awarded over 380 bursaries to help tenants.

This year’s programme has just opened for applications – with another 50 education bursaries available.

Funded by the group’s charitable trust, Wheatley Foundation, the bursaries are available to people living in homes owned by one of Wheatley’s social landlords – Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Wheatley Homes South, Wheatley Homes East and Loretto Housing – and people who live in a home factored by or rented from Lowther.

Wheatley Homes Glasgow tenant Michael Gowran, 26, lives in the Scotstoun area of Glasgow with his partner and three-year-old daughter. Michael is in third year studying BA in Performance at the University of the West of Scotland. The course covers acting, theatre and performance.

He said: “Having a bursary from Wheatley Foundation has been great – it helped cover all of my travel costs and books for the year.

“I returned to further education after a few years out, so the bursary also meant I haven’t had to work while attending university full-time and working on course work and assignments.”

Bursaries are worth up to £1500 a year for full-time students and £750 for part-time studies. The bursaries help Wheatley customers with the expense of studying for an HNC, HND, Undergraduate Degree or Postgraduate course.

Professor Paddy Gray OBE, chair of Wheatley Foundation, said: “We are delighted we’ll reach this milestone figure and be able to support over 400 tenants from our communities. “The cost-of-living crisis has made it more difficult than ever before for people to be able to afford to go to college or university.

“Our education bursary is a lifeline for so many customers to achieve their dreams and reach their full potential.”

The deadline for applying is 30 June 2023.