Postgraduate Bursary Scheme
The Stationers' Foundation bursary programme provides financial and mentoring support for students on a wide variety of MA/MSc courses, leading to a career in the Content and Communications industries. The Foundation offers up to 16 bursaries annually to postgraduate students pursuing specific courses at participating UK universities. Successful students receive a bursary of up to £9,000 and are offered mentoring from an appropriate member of the Stationers' Company during their studies.
On successful completion of their Masters programme, Bursary Recipients are offered the Freedom of the Stationers' Company and are expected to participate in the life of the Company. Payment of the annual membership fee is waived for the first three years. Thanks to the generous donation from Lord and Lady Sparrow, one or two additional Sparrow Awards are given annually to ensure that applicants who would otherwise have missed out on a bursary receive support.
Applicants must be at the early stages of their career, resident in the UK, and classified as paying UK tuition fees with a conditional or unconditional offer for one of the approved courses at participating institutions including Cardiff University, City St George's University of London, Kingston University, London College of Communication, University College London, University of Reading, University of Salford, and Queen Mary University of London. The courses cover journalism, publishing, data journalism, communication design, library and information studies, archives and records management, and data science.
The selection process involves shortlisting based on academic merit, financial need, quality of application, and interest in becoming an active member of the Stationers' Company. Final award decisions are based on interview performance where candidates make a 10-minute presentation demonstrating their achievements and work quality. The first generation students are particularly encouraged to apply.