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Trusts and Foundations exist to give away money and normally provide clear and concise funding guidelines.

Please be aware that many trusts have early deadlines, so you will need to allow plenty of time and start your funding search well in advance of the academic year for which you require financial support.

The following is a list of those that offer funding to individuals for education and training.  The list is not exhaustive and you will need to do your own research to find others.


Trusts and Foundations:

Scottish International Education Trust

The Scottish International Education Trust makes grants to individuals (most are Scots by birth or formation) who have already shown they have the potential for excellence in their chosen field. Generally this is evidenced by a good first degree or an equivalent qualification.  Priority is given to postgraduate students.  Applications may be submitted at any time. Applications that pass an initial assessment are submitted for assessment by the full board of Trustees at one of their six monthly meetings. Applications should be submitted no later than 7 February (for the March meeting) or 7 August (for the September meeting). Further information is available on the website.

The James Pantyfedwen Foundation (grants for postgraduate students from Wales)

Welsh citizens can apply to the Foundation for grants towards the payment of tuition fees (up to a maximum of £5,000 in each case) for Masters or PhD study. The closing date for applications is June 30 each year. Application forms are available from 1 April. Please note that at least 75% of the grants will be awarded to applicants intending to study at universities in Wales.

Anglo-Jewish Association (for undergraduate study)

AJA UJS Student Welfare Fund:
In partnership with UJS, the Anglo-Jewish Association offers means-tested grants to assist Jewish students (who are British Citizens) with the costs of undergraduate education in the UK. To find out more, please visit the website.

Finnart House School Trust – Finnart Scholarships

Scholarships for Jewish applicants to study for a recognised qualification (degree or diploma) at a UK institution. Applicants must be aged under 21 at the time of starting the course of study. Applicants must also be eligible for home fees and be able to provide evidence of financial need. Finnart scholarships are means tested; usually, the family income will be below the national average and there may be several dependents.
An application form is available on their website.
Applications must arrive by 30 April preceding the commencement of the academic year for which the grant is requested, at the latest.

Dewar Arts Awards

To be eligible to apply for Dewar Arts Awards, an applicant must:
– be under the age of 30
– live or work in Scotland
– demonstrate outstanding talent in any art form
– be without the financial means to achieve their full potential
An application form is available on the website.  Awards are allocated on a rolling basis, so there are no deadlines to meet.

The George Drexler Foundation

Deadline for applications: 31 March (submitted online).
Applications for financial bursaries (within the range £500 to a maximum of £2,000) are accepted from UK citizens to support a recognised educational course in the UK. In assessing applications, the Trustees wish to identify and assist individuals who are academically excellent, have exceptional ability or potential, but who are also experiencing hardship in their circumstances that is more than just a shortfall/lack of funding. To be eligible for support, applicants must have a personal or family link with commerce (either the applicant, the applicant’s parents or grandparents must have worked in or owned a commercial business. This does not include professional people i.e. doctors, accountants, architects, solicitors, etc.).
If you are applying for support and are studying at one of the below eight institutes please contact your school directly, as the Foundation offers separate schemes with them:
University College London, University of Nottingham, University of Liverpool, Peninsula College of Medicine & Dentistry, Royal College of Music, Royal Academy of Music, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and The Purcell School.

For more information please visit their website.

Gilchrist Educational Trust – Study Grants to Individuals

Applications from individuals may be submitted at any time of the year.
Applications are considered from students who have made proper provision to fund a degree or higher education course but find themselves facing unexpected financial difficulties which may prevent completion of it. Applicants will normally be in the last year of the course. Applicants must be full-time students at a British University. Those seeking funds to enable them to take up a place on a course are not eligible for consideration.

For more information please visit their website.

The Greenwich Blue Coat Foundation

To be eligible to apply, an applicant must:
– be under 25 years of age;
– for not less than two years previous to their application been resident or attending school in the Royal Borough of Greenwich (this includes study at Trinity Laban).
Trustees are particularly interested in supporting young people with limited means from the Royal Borough of Greenwich in furthering their educational or life skills or to assist their entry to a chosen career path.  Trustees will consider awards for course fees, essential equipment or other course related expenses.
The average award is around £500.
Applicants are required to complete an Application Form (available on the website) and will be required to provide evidence of their financial status.
The Trustees usually meet four times a year in January, April, July and November.

For more information please visit their website.

Il Circolo – Italian Cultural Association

These are awarded to several categories of undergraduate and postgraduate students and researchers to pursue their studies. More information.

The Ha Grant

A £300 grant that is awarded to one final year student studying at an arts institute or on an arts degree in London (UK) at an undergraduate or postgraduate level. Information about how to apply is available on the Ha Grant website.

The Leathersellers’ Company (undergraduate student grants)

The 2024-25 Leathersellers’ Undergraduate Student Grants Programme aims to support undergraduate students who are care leavers, and/or are students of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools or Colfe’s School, whose circumstances may otherwise prevent them from achieving their goals.).  Please visit the website.

Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust

The Trust awards bursaries for full-time university study at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

  • Grants for undergraduate study: Bursaries of up to £3,000 a year for UK university students who are in financial need and have a parent or spouse or are employed themselves as a commercial traveller, pharmacist or grocer. There are two deadlines for applications: 1 March and 15 October.
  • Grants for postgraduate study: Bursaries of up to £5,000 a year for UK university students who are in financial need and have a parent or spouse or are employed themselves, as a commercial traveller, pharmacist or grocer. The deadline for applications is 1 September.

Please visit their website for more information.

Oppenheim-John Downes Memorial Trust

Financial assistance to British artists, sculptors, writers, musicians and dancers.
Successful applicants must be over 30 years of age on December 1st in the year in which the application is made and British Subjects born within Great Britain, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man (Section 34 of the Race Relations Act applies).
As a general guide the maximum award would be £1,000 but, in exceptional circumstances, the Trustees may consider making a larger award.
Awards are made in December of each year with the closing date for applications being 7 October.  Application forms can be downloaded from the website.

Philological Foundation

Individual recipients of grants must be under 26 years of age at the start of the period to which the grant relates and be or have been pupils at a secondary school in the City of Westminster or London Borough of Camden.  Grants are given to support apprenticeships, further or higher education at colleges or universities, attendance at schools of art, music, dancing or drama, travel for educational purposes or preparation for a profession, trade, occupation or service. Applications will not be considered for doctoral study.
You can download an application form from the website and will be able to apply online in the future.  Trustees meet at least five times a year.

The Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust (Masters and Doctoral students)

Funds students pursuing postgraduate degrees in any subject.
To be eligible to apply, you need to be:
– over the age of 24 on 01 October of the year of study;
– either accepted on, or applying for a full- or part-time place on a Masters or Doctoral degree programme in any subject, at a university in the UK;
– already resident in the UK at the time of application, and resident in the UK during the course of study.
For full eligibility criteria, please see the website.
Applications are welcome from students beginning their first year of study, as well as from those already embarked on their degree course.  Awards are competitive and made on the basis of academic merit and financial need. Grants are normally from £500 to £1,500 in value. They are intended to cover the shortfall incurred by educational and subsistence expenses upon payment of tuition fees.

Roger De Haan Charitable Trust (RDHCT) – Creative Arts Bursary

Through the Creative Arts Bursary, the Trust supports exceptionally talented individuals living in Shepway, Kent, who wish to pursue higher education opportunities in the Creative and Performing Arts.  Students may not apply for funding if they have already started the year which they are applying for. Subsequent years may be considered.
Young people aged 13 to early twenties, living in Shepway, will also be considered for help with fees and other expenses to attend high quality short courses, such as those operated by the National Youth Theatre, National Youth Orchestra, National Youth Ballet School, Royal Opera House or similar. The course must be one for which you attend audition.
Within the terms of the Trust, funding can only be agreed in cases of real financial need, so it is really important to make your financial circumstances clear.
An application form is available on the website.

Rutlish Foundation

The Foundation makes grants to students under the age of 25 years. They may exceptionally give consideration to older candidates. Grants are intended to assist students taking full time first degree or comparable courses at Universities, or other educational establishments. Research students and those taking further degree courses may also be considered.
Applicants must be people born in or ordinarily resident in the Ancient Parish of Merton or have attended Rutlish School for at least three years.
If you wish to check if you live in the area of benefit please contact the Clerk to the Trustees with your address (grahamw.mills@btinternet.com).
An application form and further guidelines on applying are available on the Rutlish School website.

The Tait Memorial Trust

The Trust offers awards/grants for postgraduate study, performance opportunities to Australian musicians and performing artists and general help in the furtherance of their careers while resident in the UK.
Applicants must be:
– Australian citizens
– or domiciled in Australia
– and be under the age of 35
– plan to study in the United Kingdom
For information about how to apply and for deadline dates for submitting completed applications, please see the website.

Sir William Boreman’s Foundation

The Foundation awards grants to provide financial assistance to young people who are ordinarily resident in Greenwich and Lewisham, are full or part-time students, aged below 25 and have a total household income of £30,000 gross (before tax) or less.  The Foundation awards grants to cover living expenses in order to allow individuals to continue their education or training.  To be eligible to apply, an applicant must be a UK national or have settled status. For full guidelines on who is eligible to apply, please see the website.  An application form is available on the website.

The Portal Trust

The Trust provides bursaries to young people below the age of 25, who come from a low income or disadvantaged background and who permanently reside in one of our named inner London boroughs. The 14 boroughs that make up inner London are: Camden, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith and Fulham, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth, Westminster and the City of London. Typical bursaries are between £1,000 and £2,000 per year for each year of a course. Ultimately, however, awards are based upon the level of need, the budget available and the number of other successful applicants. Applications open in April and close in September, with bursaries awarded in the autumn, at the beginning of each academic year. Visit the Portal Trust website to find out more and to complete the online application form.

The Black Heart Foundation Scholarship Programme

The Scholarship Programme awards several annual bursaries to qualified candidates to advance their educational goals and life aspirations. The process is open to all stages of education from preparatory education to post graduate schooling and the bursaries can be applied to the costs of formal (classroom/school) education or experiential education (field/community). The Scholarship Programme supports candidates with their educational endeavours primarily in the UK and US, but is open to considering work in other education resource limited geographies. The application window is open, and there is no deadline to submit an application. For more information please visit their website.

 

The Sidney Perry Foundation

The Foundation aims primarily at helping first-degree students. Grants are intended to be supplementary – maximum grant being £1000. The majority of funding required should have been obtained from other sources; shortfalls of more than £3000 will not be considered. For more information please visit their website.

Split Infinitive Trust

In terms of student applications, the Trust favours supporting performance arts courses (e.g. music, drama, dance). The trustees meet quarterly, normally towards the end of March, June, September and December. There is no fixed cut-off date but generally any applications received up to the 10th day in the month of a meeting will definitely be able to be considered.For more information please visit their website. 

The Community Foundation for Wiltshire & Swindon

Grants to Individuals:
Scholarship Grants – One Degree More
Scholarship Grants support young people who want to gain an undergraduate university degree. The Foundation offers scholarships to talented individuals to help them overcome difficult financial circumstances and achieve their potential. They provide grants of up to £1,500 per annum, plus the possibility of an extra £500 for certain situations and courses. Applicants must live in Swindon or Wiltshire, be aged between 17 and 24 at the time of application and either they or their parents/carers must be in receipt of means tested benefits. Grants awarded for each year of the course.
Vocational Grants
Vocational Grants are open to individuals aged between 14 and 25 to support course costs – especially vocational courses – as well as young people on Apprenticeships or looking to start a business. Applicants must live in Swindon or Wiltshire and either they or their parents/ carers must be in receipt of means tested benefits. Grants are up to £1,000.

The William Barry Trust

The Scholarship is intended for Foundation courses or BA courses and not for Post Graduate or PhD courses. Grants of up to £1,000 are awarded per student per year to those who are unable to obtain adequate assistance from other sources and who are in need of financial help in order to undertake a course of training for technical crafts or artistic occupations. For more information visit their website.

The General Jan Zygmunt Emil Berek and Irena Bogumila Berek Charitable Trust (for Polish students)

The Trust provides grants and scholarships to Polish students of limited financial means to enable them to be educated in the UK at university or other institution of higher education. Please email to request further information about the application process. You can search the Charity Commission’s register of charities using charity number 1150135 to find further information about the Trust.

The Yorkshire Ladies’ Council of Education (YLCE) Educational Awards Fund

Provides small awards (between £100 and £500) to help British women (aged 21 years or older) who have been offered a place at a British educational institution and who cannot finance their chosen educational course from their own resources and who do not qualify for Student Loan Company support.  Grants support FEES ONLY and are paid direct to institutions on behalf of applicants.  Applications are assessed in September, January, March and June and completed forms must be received by the first day of the relevant month.   An application form and full guidelines for applicants are available on the website. 

 

 

Support For Travel:

Lisa Ullmann Travelling Scholarship Fund (LUTSF)
LUTSF supports individuals working in all areas of movement and dance who wish to travel in order to enrich their practice and pursue a personal passion. Applications are welcomed from choreographers, performers, lecturers/teachers, writers, therapists, administrators and related professionals. The average scholarship in the last few years has been around £600. Completed applications will be required by 17 January 2019 for projects taking place between 1 April 2019 and 30 April 2020.

Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
The Trust awards Travelling Fellowships to British citizens from all walks of life to travel overseas, to bring back fresh ideas and new solutions to today’s issues, for the benefit of others in the UK.
Applications are accepted from May until the end of September for travel the following year. For more details and to apply, visit the website.

Related Links


Disclaimer

Please note whilst every effort has been made to provide up-to-date information on the funding organisations listed above, we cannot guarantee that the information is correct and recommend that you consult the literature produced by the individual funding organisations for complete and up-to-date information as well as for relevant application forms.

Funding Application Advice

Applying to Trusts and Foundations – Do’s & Don’ts

  • Allow plenty of time – many trusts have early deadlines so begin your funding search well in advance of the academic year for which you require financial support
  • Presentation – prepare your application carefully so that it makes a good first impression
  • Ask for specific sums of money and provide a budget outline if possible
  • Explain clearly in any covering letter or personal statement exactly what you will gain from undertaking your programme of study
  • Don’t overload the application with attachments – try to make the maximum impact with the minimum of paper and other information

Dr Claire Mera-Nelson devised some top tips to assist you in making a successful application for funding.

Four students gathering around a double bass whilst one student plays