There are loads of scholarships aimed at students from ethnic minority backgrounds in the UK. Here are some great examples.
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Scholarships for students from ethnic minorities offer financial support throughout uni. This might be in the form of a tuition fee waiver, a grant to help with living costs or a combination of both.
Some organisations refer to these scholarships as being for ‘BME’ (Black and Minority Ethnic) or ‘BAME’ students (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic).
On the whole, the scholarships below are for students from all ethnic minorities (unless otherwise stated). And, unlike Student Loans, these don’t need to be repaid.
But this isn’t an exhaustive list of all scholarships available to ethnic minority students in the UK. So, if none of these apply to you, don’t be put off. This is just to give you an idea of what’s out there.
Ethnic minority scholarships, grants and bursaries
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Whether the award is a ‘grant’, ‘bursary’, or ‘scholarship’, it’s always non-repayable.
Bursaries and scholarships are generally funded by unis, companies, charities or individuals. Student grants, on the other hand, tend to come from the government. But this isn’t always the case.
In this guide, ‘grant’ is used to refer generally to funding that isn’t repayable. None of the awards below are government-funded.
We’re using the terms fairly interchangeably here. All you need to remember is none of these will need to be repaid.
Amos Bursary
The Amos Bursary consists of two different awards. There’s the actual Amos Bursary and the King’s College & UCL Scholarships.
Amos Bursary
To be eligible: Students need to be of African and Caribbean descent, in Year 12 and applying to university. It’s open to those who have spent their whole secondary education in a state school or college in Greater London or the West Midlands.
You must hold at least six GCSEs grades 9 – 6, have the right to work and live in the UK and have home status at a uni in the UK. Lastly, you should be a committed and hard-working student.
To be considered, two of the following criteria must also apply:
- You’re from a single-parent household or have spent time being looked after or in care
- You’re receiving income-related benefits or have a household income of less than £40,000
- You were eligible for free school meals at any point during school
- You’re the first generation in your family to study at uni
- You come from another economic or social disadvantage that isn’t already listed, and you’re able to share details in your personal statement.
Award amount: This offers financial support for students throughout their time at uni and post-graduation.
King’s College & UCL
To be eligible: Students need to be of African and Caribbean descent. It’s open to those who apply to King’s College London or University College London.
Award amount: The award provides financial support of £1,000 per year for the course duration. Students are also supported post-graduation.
Bank of England Black Future Leaders Sponsorship Programme
The Bank of England has a scholarship that includes a summer internship. It’s perfect for those who want to gain experience working in the world of finance.
To be eligible: Students need to be in their last year at university and expected to achieve a 2:1 or above. And they should be of a Black or mixed background. Also, they should have a household income of less than £50,778 per year.
Award amount: The award is worth at least £5,000 for one academic year of study. It’s intended to cover living expenses and other study-related costs. It also includes an eight-week paid internship with the Bank of England during the summer.
Black Academic Futures – University of Oxford
The University of Oxford awards 50 scholarships to students from Black or mixed backgrounds. This is under their Academic Futures programme. It aims to address under-representation and help improve equality.
To be eligible: Students must be from a Black or mixed background and ordinarily reside in the UK. They should hold an offer for a taught or research postgraduate degree at the University of Oxford. This includes full-time and part-time DPhil and master’s courses.
Award amount: Students will get their course fees covered, plus a grant for living costs.
Black Bristol Scholarships Programme – University of Bristol
The University of Bristol has multiple scholarships available, including:
Black Futures Scholarship
To be eligible: Students must be black or mixed background UK applicants for a full-time undergraduate degree. They should hold an offer (or be awaiting a decision) to study at the University of Bristol. They should have a household income of £50,000 or less.
Award amount: Up to 20 awards of £2,000 a year, with an additional £1,000 available for employability opportunities.
Bristol PhD Scholarships for Applicants of Black and mixed Black Heritage
To be eligible: Applicants must be of black or mixed black heritage and applying for a postgraduate research programme in the Faculty of Arts, Law and Social Sciences, or the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences. They need to be UK-domiciled and eligible to pay Home fees.
Award amount: The scholarship covers four years of full-time study, which for 2025/26 equates to £20,780 a year. There is also an allowance for paid sick leave and parental leave.
Access Postgraduate scheme
To be eligible: Applicants need to be from an underrepresented background. They must be in their final year of undergraduate study at the University of Bristol. And, they need to be eligible to pay Home fees and complete the Access Postgraduate Scheme.
Award amount: 10 students will get a fee waiver of up to £5,000 towards postgraduate tuition fees. There are also 20 non-funded places where students get access to mentor schemes and skills development sessions.
MA Black Humanities Scholarship for teachers
To be eligible: Students should be from a Black or mixed background to apply for this scholarship. They should have Qualified Teacher Status and be currently employed in a UK school. They also need to have applied for the MA Black Humanities programme and be eligible for Home fees.
Award amount: Two scholarships covering all fees for the programme.
The Black Heart Scholars Programme – The Black Heart Foundation
Several scholarships are available to students at all stages of higher education. The funding can help students with the costs of a classroom-based degree or with the costs of experiential education (e.g. research or fieldwork). Awards are for students from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds and, as such, are not solely focused on ethnic background.
To be eligible: Applicants should present a clear case of financial need. The programme supports candidates undertaking studies primarily in the UK or in the USA. But the Foundation is open to considering other locations.
Award amount: The amount awarded will be determined on a case-by-case basis. It may cover tuition fees, living expenses and other education-related costs.
Journalism Diversity Fund – National Council for the Training of Journalists
The Journalism Diversity Fund is awarded each year to applicants who wish to pursue a career in broadcast or digital journalism.
The scholarship is not exclusively focused on ethnic backgrounds. But it’s open to all applicants whose social class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability or other individual circumstance (e.g. they spent their childhood in foster care or are a single parent) is underrepresented in newsrooms in the UK.
To be eligible: Applicants must have secured a place on a postgraduate NCTJ-accredited course. They should also be British citizens residing in the UK. And, they need to be committed to building a career in journalism. They shouldn’t be in receipt of any other bursary awards.
Award amount: The award includes financial support towards course fees and living expenses in addition to mentorship from a working journalist.
Diversity100 PhD Studentships – Birkbeck, University of London
The University of Birkbeck is offering five studentships. These are for PhD students to undertake academic research in any discipline.
To be eligible: Applicants should be new PhD students or current Birkbeck PhD students who have at least 50% of their research remaining. They should be from ethnic minorities. Also, they need to ordinarily reside in the UK and be eligible for domestic student status.
Award amount: Awards offer financial support for tuition fees and provide a tax-free stipend for living expenses for up to three years full-time or five years part-time.
Frank Olufemi Akindolie Medical Scholarship
This is a privately funded scholarship aimed at supporting UK medical students from ethnic minorities. In exceptional circumstances, more than one scholarship award may be made.
To be eligible: Applicants should be full-time students from ethnic minorities who are already studying at a UK medical school. Students currently at secondary school who are either still considering a career in medicine or holding an offer to start medical school in the future are not eligible to apply.
They must also share evidence of giving back to society through volunteer work.
Award amount: The award is worth £1,500. It also includes a one-year-long mentorship.
Geospatial Student Accelerator Scheme – Esri UK & Akama Fund
This scheme supports up to 60 individuals studying Geography, Archaeology, Landscape Architecture, Biology, and Earth & Environmental Studies (or related courses).
To be eligible: Students need to have a Black or mixed Black heritage and have a household income of less than £50,000 (which they can share evidence of as part of the application process).
Award amount: There are two awards available. 10 students will receive the full award of around £2,500, while 50 more will get £300 to purchase items needed for fieldwork.
They’ll also receive development support through workshops, Esri UK’s mentorship network and networking opportunities.
The Law Society Diversity Access Scheme
The Law Society Diversity Access Scheme supports several people every year. The funding is for students from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds who want to become solicitors.
To be eligible: Applicants must not have access to financial gifts or family loans. They must reside in England or Wales and plan to stay there while studying. Also, they shouldn’t have more than £5,000 in savings. They must also meet two or more of the following criteria:
- Have attended a non-fee-paying school
- Are the first generation of their family to go to uni
- Were eligible for free school meals at school.
Students who don’t meet these criteria may still be eligible if they’ve faced exceptional circumstances to pursue their studies, such as due to race, sexuality, religion, disability, ongoing health issues or other personal circumstances.
Award amount: The award includes a bursary to fund the LPC or SQE, work experience and mentoring support.
The Lord Blunkett Widening Access Awards – University of Law
The Lord Blunkett Widening Access Awards aren’t exclusively focused on applicants’ ethnic backgrounds. They’re offered to “students whose backgrounds are under-represented in Higher Education” with the intent of promoting greater diversity in the workplace.
To be eligible: Applicants should have received an offer for a place at an undergraduate degree at the University of Law. They must also take an online assessment and receive the highest score. Lastly, they must also show evidence of either of the following:
- Experience within care
- Family estrangement
- Refugee status
- Being a carer for a parent or sibling
- Disability
- A low income.
Award amount: Various awards worth £1,000.
BME Music Scholar’s Fee Waiver – Goldsmiths, University of London
This award aims to support one student from an ethnic minority who intends to progress through postgraduate study and into an academic research position in music.
To be eligible: Applicants must hold an offer for Goldsmith’s MMus Creative Practice programme, be from ethnic minorities and hold domestic student status.
Award amount: The successful applicant will be awarded a full tuition fee waiver.
The Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Scholarship
These scholarships are provided by the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation and are available to full-time students at all levels of higher education.
To be eligible: Applicants should be new full-time students with aspirations or great academic achievement. It’s open to those who are starting a full-time course at any level of higher education in one of these fields of study:
- Law
- Finance
- Business
- STEAM – (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics)
- Medical
- Multi-sector disciplines
- Human Rights Law
- Kidney Healthcare
- Disability and Neurodiversity
- Financial Services (University of Roehampton)
- Leadership (London South Bank University).
Award amount: The award will cover costs related to education. Successful applicants will have the chance to be mentored by leaders in their respective fields and gain work experience.
Open Futures Scholarships for Black Students – Open University
The Open University offers several scholarships for students from ethnic minorities. They’re for students who are studying any discipline at an undergraduate level.
To be eligible: Applicants should identify as being from a Black background with a household income of no more than £25,000 a year. They need to be UK residents and be eligible for domestic student status.
Applicants should also be new undergraduate students who don’t already hold a higher education qualification. They must be studying at least 30 credits per academic year.
Award amount: There are 10 awards covering the full tuition cost of your qualification.
Research Opportunity Scholarship – University College London
University College London (UCL) offers this scholarship in partnership with the Windsor Fellowship. It supports postgraduate students from ethnic minorities studying a research degree in selected academic disciplines.
To be eligible: Candidates should be permanent UK residents eligible for domestic student status. They also need to be from one of the following backgrounds:
- Black (Black British, Black Caribbean, Black African or other Black background)
- Pakistani (or Pakistani British)
- Bangladeshi (or Bangladeshi British).
Award amount: The award covers tuition fees. It includes a stipend for living expenses plus an additional grant for research costs of up to £1,200 per year and a one-off conference cost of £1,000. The award also includes a personal and professional development support package.
Royal College of Music Scholarships for Black, Asian and Ethnically Diverse Students
At least three scholarships are awarded to students from ethnic minorities by the Royal College of Music (RCM) every year.
To be eligible: Students must be from an ethnic minority. They need to be UK nationals and eligible to pay domestic student fees. They should be applying for the Bachelor of Music course and attending an audition or interview during the college’s main London audition period.
Award amount: Awards are worth up to the value of full fees for each year of the course and can be used either to cover tuition fees or to help with living costs.
SJM Concerts Futures Scholarship – Manchester Metropolitan University
The SMJ Concerts scholarship helps students over three years while studying at Manchester Metropolitan University.
To be eligible: Students must be from a Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic background. They need to be a UK student with a household income of less than £42,875 a year. They must also be enrolled on the first year of one of the following degree programmes:
- LLB (Hons)
- BA (Hons) Business Management
- BA (Hons) Business Management with Law
- BA (Hons) Events Management
- BA (Hons) Music and Sound Design.
Award amount: The scholarship awards £1,500 per year for up to three years.
Stormzy Scholarship for Black UK students – University of Cambridge
The much-acclaimed Stormzy scholarship provides support for a number of Black students to attend Cambridge to pursue an undergraduate degree in a discipline of their choice.
To be eligible: Candidates must have a confirmed place at Cambridge to study for their first undergraduate degree. They need to be eligible for full financial support from Student Finance for both a Tuition Fee Loan and a Maintenance Loan. And they should be from one of the following ethnicities:
- Black African
- Black Caribbean
- Black Other
- White and Black Caribbean
- White and Black African
- Any other mixed Black background.
Award amount: Successful applicants will get £20,000 per year of undergraduate study to cover tuition fees and help with living costs.
Toledo Scholarships – National Film and Television School
The NFTS awards scholarships annually to ethnic minority students who wish to enrol on an NFTS master’s programme.
To be eligible: Applicants should be from an ethnic minority. They need to be UK permanent residents and be eligible for domestic student status.
Award amount: Amount varies per successful applicant.
The Walcot Foundation
This grant supports individuals living in the borough of Lambeth, London, who wish to increase their income through university or higher education. They’re available to everyone, including those from ethnic backgrounds.
To be eligible: Applicants should live in Lambeth and have lived in the borough for at least one year. They need to be from a low-income household and be able to show evidence.
Award amount: Award amounts vary depending on the chosen degree or qualification.
PhD Scholarship – York Graduate Research School
Six completely funded PhD scholarships are open to those from Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic groups at York Graduate Research School.
To be eligible: Applicants should be eligible to pay Home fees and also have a ‘BAME’ background (Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic).
Award amount: The awards provide support with tuition fees, mentorship, a tax-free stipend of over £18,622 per year and between £2,000 – £5,000 a year in research training support grants. They also offer advocacy, mentorship and coaching.
Black British Researchers Scholarship – University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham offers up to 10 PhD scholarships to support gifted students from ethnic backgrounds with their academic goals.
To be eligible: Students must have a Black or mixed background and not already studying a PhD course at the University of Birmingham. They also need to be eligible to pay Home fees.
Award amount: Successful students will receive around £20,780 per year to pay for living expenses, course fees and other additional research costs. The award also offers research opportunities, mentorship and a support grant.
Cowrie Scholarship Foundation
The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation aims to create new futures for over 100 disadvantaged Black British students by 2030. To do this, they partner with UK universities, donors and businesses. They also receive support from mentors.
To be eligible: Students must have a Black British background, have Home fee status and be undertaking their first undergraduate degree in the UK at one of the 26 partner universities. They must also be facing financial disadvantage with a household income below £25,000.
Award amount: Full scholarships that cover tuition fees and living costs.
Even if you’re not eligible for any of these scholarships, don’t give up. There are many other scholarships, grants and bursaries out there!
