Leathersellers' Undergraduate Student Grants
Leathersellers' Undergraduate Student Grants
We appreciate the time and effort that applying for a grant takes. We aim to be as clear as possible about what we are, and are not, looking for, how to apply and how long the process takes. Please look at the information in each of the tabs below before you apply. If the answer is not in the information below or you have an issue with the form, please contact us on studentapp@leathersellers.co.uk
AIMS OF THE SCHEME
The 2025-26 Leathersellers’ Undergraduate Student Grants Programme aims to support undergraduate students who are care experienced, and/or are students of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools or Colfe’s School, whose circumstances may otherwise prevent them from achieving their goals.
These grants aim to improve social mobility, relieve financial need where other support is not available and enable students to have a positive impact on society in the future.
GRANT AMOUNT
The maximum grant that may be awarded to a single student is £5,000 per annum, for no more than four years. Whilst we do award grants to the maximum level of £5,000, the average grant we currently give is around £4,100. All grants awarded are reassessed annually.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
The Leathersellers’ Foundation is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all grant applicants. We recognise it is unlawful to discriminate against anyone on the grounds of a protected characteristic as established in the Equality Act 2010.
As well as honouring our legal obligations, we welcome the benefits a diverse student population brings. Our grants programme, focused on social mobility, is an opportunity to broaden access to higher education.
Assessment criteria
Applications meeting the eligibility criteria, will be assessed by considering:
Financial Need
All applicants must show a financial need and an inability to secure those funds from public sources, personal savings and/or familial support (including parental or partner support as appropriate). Receipt of other bursary/grant/scholarship funding does not exclude you from applying for a Leathersellers’ Undergraduate Student Grant, though a shortfall should be shown.
Contribution to Society
All applicants are asked to explain why they have chosen the particular course to study, their future aspirations and how those will contribute to society.
Disadvantage Faced
We will consider any additional challenges that applicants face and the ways in which these may prevent applicants from reaching their full potential.
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply for a Student Grant for the academic year 2025-26 you must:
- be enrolled on a full-time undergraduate degree course at a UK University, or with an offer to do so later this year.
- be in financial need of support to study the course (and have exhausted other options for funding including loans or family support); and
- hold the ambition to have a positive impact on society in the future.
In addition, you must meet at least one of the following criteria:
- be care experienced (as defined below)
- be a current or former student of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools
- be a current or former student of Colfe’s School
Care Experienced
For the purposes of this programme, we define someone as being care experienced as someone who has been the subject of a care order/interim care order or voluntary agreement (commonly known as a Section 20 agreement) at some point between the ages of 0-18 years old. This includes all ‘looked after children’ irrespective of immigration status (see below for more information). Care orders granted by the Court and voluntary agreements allow the local authority to assume responsibility of a child’s care, either temporarily or until the age of 18 years old. There is no age limit on applications for these grants.
Studying in the UK
To be eligible to apply for a Leathersellers’ student grant, one of the following must apply to you:
- I am a UK citizen or have indefinite leave to remain
- I have the right to remain for at least five years
- I have been granted refugee status
- I have pre-settled status (EU)
Other Funding
Receipt of other bursary or grant funding does not exclude you from applying for a Leathersellers’ Undergraduate Student Grant. This will form part of the financial picture that is considered during our assessment process.
What we fund
Educational and Personal Development Opportunities
You may still receive funding from the Undergraduate Student Grants Programme during a year in which you decide to undertake (as part of your degree):
- an academic “year abroad” scheme
- a year in industry
- an intercalated year (for Medical, Veterinary Science and Dental students)
We do not fund fees or expenses for students for one-year professional conversion courses.
We do not fund postgraduate studies under this programme.
Making a good application
This grants programme is always heavily oversubscribed and so we wanted to offer a few pointers to give you the best chance of success.
Time to Prepare
Whilst you may only submit an application via the online form, we will provide a Word version of the form (available soon) to allow you to prepare your answers in advance. The financial section will require you to complete a budget form which will be available here once the programme opens.
We recommend you ask someone to proofread your application to help resolve typos and misunderstandings. A fresh pair of eyes can make all the difference.
Clear Financial Information
All funders need a full understanding of your financial situation and most assessments are made on trust. Please answer all the questions honestly, explain where needed and never leave requested information unanswered. Double check the figures you are entering as typos are common and confusing. Presenting planned income and expenditure that does not show shortfall (a need for funding) is unlikely to result in an award.
Preparing your Budget
Our budget template is available as an Excel document here. Once completed, you will then need to upload this as part of your application form.
Full Answers
Whilst concise sentences are appreciated, the application is your opportunity to present yourself to the panel and explain your motivations and challenges. Sharing the bare minimum information is unlikely to stand well against your peers who have offered more insight into their position.
Research all Opportunities
Funding for students is varied and you will need to spend time working out which funds/bursaries are open to you and which are not. There are a host of websites to help you with this, some of which are listed on MoneySavingExpert’s Student Area. UCAS also provides information about scholarships, grants and bursaries here.
References
We ask all applicants to provide a reference from an individual who knows you from school, university, a mentoring or access programme, or from a job or volunteering role. We are not looking for a personal reference from a relative or friend but are looking for a reference that adds something extra to your application, so please consider who is best to ask for this.
Your reference should contain a brief statement (max 1 page) explaining:
- how long they have known you
- in what capacity they know you
- why they think the Leathersellers’ should consider supporting you with a student grant.
You will need to upload this when you submit the online application form.
Application process
We only accept applications made via our online form. However, we have provided a Word version of the form (available soon) to allow you to prepare your answers in advance.
You don’t need to complete the application all at once – you can choose to register with us at the top of the form, save your progress and sign back in anytime. Please note you need to choose to save your form each time (there is no autosave)
Application Timeline Student Grants 2025
Applications Open: 10am, Wednesday 8th January 2025
Deadline for applications: 5pm, Tuesday 11th March 2025
First stage outcome (declined or invited for interview) – notified by 25th April 2025
Interviews for shortlisted applicants: May 2025
Informed of final decision: early July 2025
Acceptance forms sent to process payment: August/September
Successful grantees will receive payment, only when proof of enrolment to the relevant undergraduate course has been provided (usually September/ October)
What you can expect from us
You will receive an automated email to confirm safe receipt once you submit your application (please check your junk/spam folder for this).
- Each application is then thoroughly reviewed by the Leathersellers’ Grants Team and members of a working group of members of the Livery Company.
- We will contact you via email by 25th April 2025 to either invite you to interview, or to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful.
- We expect to conduct interviews by Zoom in the middle two weeks of May.
If anything changes regarding your circumstances, contact details or the information you provided on the form after you have submitted it, please inform us by email at studentapp@leathersellers.co.uk.
FAQs
Unfortunately, as we only have a small Grants Team at the Leathersellers it is not possible for us to provide feedback to all applicants.
For the purposes of this Grants Programme, if you have been the subject of a care order/ interim care order, you are eligible to apply as a ‘care leaver’. Care orders are granted by the Court and allow the local authority to assume responsibility of a child’s care. Care orders may be temporary or last until the child is 18 years old.
If you have limited leave to remain but meet our other eligibility criteria, please email us to discuss at studentapp@leathersellers.co.uk.
If you are awarded a grant, you will be asked to complete an acceptance form and provide your bank details. When these have been returned and proof of your enrolment is received, the first grant payment will be processed – this is usually around September.
You will submit an annual review and update of how your studies are going and confirm your ongoing financial need. This is light touch, and we will provide you with all the information in advance, should your application be successful.
For the 24-25 academic year the success rate of this grant was 26%. Out of the 81 applications received, 21 received funding.
The maximum grant that may be awarded to a single student is £5,000 per annum, for no more than four years. Whilst we do award grants to the maximum level of £5,000, the average grant we currently give is around £4,100. All grants awarded are reassessed annually.
What our students say
‘To say the Leathersellers bursary is life-changing is not cliché. For me, it acted as the springboard toward achieving all my dreams at medical school. Doing a second degree, and being from a working class background, the bursary provided me with the financial support that I needed to thrive, not just survive. Without it I would have been working crazy hours around my studies – with little time for anything else. If you’re thinking of applying – go for it. You miss all the shots you don’t take!’
“I have always felt many things were out of my reach – fortunately the Leathersellers has helped to start to change that mind set.”
“Giving scholars the opportunity to speak out and share their stories in front of the movers and shakers of the social mobility space is exactly what I was talking about when I mentioned the enrichment component of scholarship. You instill in us that confidence and understanding that what we have to say is importance and of value; far beyond the monetary, The Leathersellers is the gift that keeps on giving.“
Over 50% of students reported having benefited from the grant because it meant:
- they could focus on studying and do fewer hours at or get by without a part-time job
- they were not getting into as much debt (both formal or informal)
- they were able to take part in more extra-curricular activities, work experience and/or volunteering
Impact: Evaluation
We recently launched a report about the findings of an independent evaluation of the Leathersellers’ Student Grants Scholarships programme that looked into the short and medium term impact of the grants given.
The evaluation found that recipients of these grants are enabled to spend more time studying, taking part in university life and volunteering, with a notable positive impact on confidence and reduction in stress.
In the medium term it was found that the support helped
- recipients achieve more academically, and develop ambitious aspirations
- alumni reach their education and career goals, and chosen pathways
- motivate recipients to help others
You can read more about the findings and the evidence behind these here.