A county Mayo student has been awarded a scholarship from UCD.

Kayleigh Kanakis, from Killimor, outside Ballinrobe is in her second year of a Science degree at UCD.

She has functional movement disorder and nummular headaches, and received a Cothrom na Féinne scholarship, which supports students who may not traditionally be in a position to access third-level education.

Kayleigh told Midwest News that the UCD Access and Lifelong Learning Centre has been hugely supportive during her first year in college. She was given on-campus accommodation and also received additional exam time, as well as a smart-pen which audio-records lectures.

She is one of the over 450 students from “non-traditional” backgrounds who have been awarded scholarships worth over €2m from UCD since 2012.