The majority of the Foundation’s support for individuals is distributed each year through bursaries for undergraduate students studying at Queen Mary University, London.
We also award grants to individual young people from Tower Hamlets and the City of London studying at other colleges or universities. Applications for this scheme open annually in August and close in November, with decisions made in February.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible to be considered for a grant, individuals must be:
- under the age of 30 on the day their course or year of study begins, and
- permanently resident in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets or the City of London for at least the past three years, and
- from a low-income background, and
- studying full-time in Vocational, Further, Higher or Postgraduate education on a course of at least one year in length that will result in the awarding of a recognised qualification.
Individuals from a refugee background are welcome to apply, as long as they have been granted either Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK or full Refugee status. Individuals with time-limited leave to remain are not eligible to apply.
Purpose and Length of Grants
Grants can be made for education costs (books, equipment, travelling costs), maintenance (living costs) and/or payment of tuition fees.
Grants are typically made for one academic year at a time. For grants spanning more than one year, payments beyond the first academic year are conditional on receipt of end-of-year reports from the student’s college or university confirming that their attendance has been satisfactory and that they have completed all exams and coursework to enable them to progress into the following year.
Assessment Process
Tell us as much as you can about yourself – this is your chance to share your story and explain why you need a bursary.
Once submitted, your application will be reviewed by our bursaries panel. We’ll contact you in early December to let you know whether your application is successful or will proceed.
If shortlisted, we’ll ask for further information and documents about your circumstances. You’ll receive a secure link to upload these, which must be completed by 31st December. Late submissions won’t be considered. We’ll also contact your referee during this time.
Please note that being asked for documents does not guarantee a bursary.
All applications are reviewed by our Chair of Grants in January, with final decisions shared in early February.
Restrictions on colleges and courses
Grants are not given for courses at private colleges, fees at independent schools, or for short courses that are less than a year in length.
Grants are not made towards the costs of:
- Repeat years of study
- Study for a qualification at the same or a lower level than those an individual already possesses, even if the subject/s or module/s being studied are different
- Fees for Higher Education courses, unless they relate to second degrees, and a Student Loan for fees is not available
- Medical Electives.
How to apply for a grant
Individual applications are now open! Click here to start your application.
Closure of Individual Bursary Applications
Due to the exceptionally high number of applications we have received for our Individual Bursary Programme, we will be closing applications earlier than planned. The application portal will now close on Friday, 27th September 2025.
We are grateful for the strong interest shown in the programme and thank all applicants for taking the time to apply.
Please note that grants cannot be made retrospectively, meaning we are unable to fund a study that has already taken place.
Enquiries
If, having read these guidelines, you are not sure whether or not you are eligible or have any questions, please telephone 020 7488 2489 for advice or email us at aldgateandallhallows@portaltrust.org.