Our partnership with the Cowrie Foundation

This partnership began in 2021 and will support 23 students over seven years with study and living costs during their degree, as well as providing access to both peer and professional mentoring.

The Scholarship

For 2026 entry, we have one scholarship available. The recipient of the award will:

• have their tuition fees paid for throughout their degree, excluding any intercalation, study abroad or industrial placement years;
• receive an annual maintenance bursary of £6,000, which will be paid in two instalments in October and February.

Alongside the financial element of the Scholarship, you’ll also receive access to two mentoring programmes – a peer mentor (another student at The University of Manchester), and a professional mentor (working in a professional environment). You’ll meet with your mentors on a monthly basis and gain knowledge and skills to support you in successfully progressing through your course and into your chosen career.

Continued receipt of the scholarship year-on-year is dependent on satisfactory academic progression.

Who can apply? 

Essential eligibility criteria

You must meet all of the following to apply:  

1. Identify as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups: 

• Black or Black British – Caribbean 
• Black or Black British – African 
• Mixed – White and Black Caribbean 
• Mixed – White and Black African 
• Other Black background  

2. Have applied to study an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester starting in September 2026.

3. Have been assessed for fee status as a 'home' student. 

4. Have submitted an application to your regional student funding authority (Student Finance England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland), had a full household income assessment, and consented to share your Student Finance information with your university.  

5. Have a household income of £35,000 per annum or less, as assessed by your regional student funding authority.

Priority criteria

We’ll use information collected within your application form to confirm eligibility for this scholarship. Not all eligible students will be invited to interview.

We use additional information to shortlist applicants, including:

Personal factors, such as if you are:

• a care leaver or care-experienced student;
• an estranged student;
• a young carer;
• a refugee or asylum seeker;
• disabled;
• from a military family.

Socio-economic factors, such as if you:

• were eligible for free school meals during secondary education;
• live in an area of relative deprivation.

Higher education progression information, such as if you:

• live in a postcode of low progression to higher education;
• went to a low attaining secondary school;
• go to a low attaining sixth form/college.

Application and selection process

Application

The application form will be open from Monday, 2 March until Sunday, 26 April. The application form link will be posted here when live. 

Please note that you will need to provide formal evidence of all additional priority criteria that you meet, so make sure that you have documentation to verify this.

Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview in May.

The interview gives you an opportunity to tell us more about yourself and why you would benefit from receiving the Scholarship.

A small selection panel will review the application form and interviews to decide on awardees. You'll receive a decision by Monday, 1 June.

Still have a question?

Enquiries should be sent to cowrie@manchester.ac.uk.