How to apply

To help us to get to know you, we will ask you for a personal statement of between 600 and 900 words explaining:

• Why the scholarship would be beneficial to your studies
• How it would help you to achieve your academic goals
• How your education would be of future benefit to your community and/or society
• What achievements, academically and personally, are you most proud of? This could include overcoming a challenging personal circumstance. There is no right or wrong answer. We are keen to hear your personal story.

Alongside your personal statement we will ask for you for some additional information including:

• Your full name
• Your University applicant ID number or, if not known, your UCAS number
• Your full home address (including Postal Code)
• Your programme of study
• Name of the School or College you are currently attending
• Your ethnicity
• Your email address
• Confirmation that you have applied, been assessed for, and expect to be in receipt of the maximum level of support from the government through your regional student funding body, Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) or Student Finance (England, Wales or Northern Ireland) for tuition fees and maintenance loans and that you have provided consent to share your information with the University.
• Confirmation this is your first undergraduate degree programme, and you have not started a degree programme previously
• Confirmation that you understand that representatives from The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation will view your application and any submitted documentation as part of the selection process.
• Agreement that your UCAS references (personal and supporting statements) may be used as part of the selection process.

We will also look at where you live and other measures of educational challenges, often referred to as socio-economic metrics.

Submitting your application

Please check your eligibility before completing the Cowrie foundation scholarship application form.

Closing Date

Your application must reach us by the closing date of Friday 1 May 2026, 5.00pm.

Payment of the scholarship

• The maintenance stipend will be divided into equal amounts and awarded at three points in the year.
• The Scholarship is not available as a cash alternative.
• The award is each year of study.
• Scholarships are reviewed on an annual basis and we cannot guarantee funding for the following entry year for applicants who decide to defer.

Decisions

A panel of representatives from Lancaster University will assess applications and compile a shortlist of the strongest applications. The shortlist will be sent to the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation who will make the final decisions.

Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application by the first week of September 2026.

Please do not contact the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation as all awards and notifications will come from Lancaster University.

Enquiries

If you have questions about the award please contact Martin P. Walker, Head of Social Mobility and Student Success via wpscholarships@lancaster.ac.uk. In the subject line of the email please write "Cowrie Scholarship Enquiry".

Additional information

• The scholarship is only available to undergraduate students joining year 1 of an undergraduate programme. This must be your first degree and you must not hold any other higher education qualifications.
• All offer conditions must be met or exceeded.
• UCAS tariff point equivalencies are not part of our consideration.
• All other entry requirements must be met.
• Applicants must apply for and have an offer to study on a full-time taught undergraduate degree programme at our Lancaster campus for the 2026/27 academic year.

Lancaster University reserves the right to withdraw this scholarship or bursary if award holders are subsequently found to be ineligible or if the terms and conditions of the scholarship are not adhered to.