BP Widening Participation Scholarships

BP Widening Participation Scholarships

You get a cash bursary of about 11,200 EUR (£9,500) per year for the length of your engineering degree, up to 4 years. The money helps cover your living costs while you study. If you also receive the Imperial Bursary, your BP amount is reduced so your total support stays within Imperial's upper living-cost limit. The scholarship is funded by BP (British Petroleum) together with Imperial College London. Only 3 are awarded.

Who can apply

• Degree level: You are starting your first year as an undergraduate student in autumn 2026. You cannot apply if you are already on the course, and you cannot postpone the award.
• Field of study: You have an offer for a 3- or 4-year full-time undergraduate course in one of four Imperial engineering departments: Chemical Engineering, Earth Science & Engineering, Electrical & Electronic Engineering, or Mechanical Engineering.
• Where you study: You study at Imperial College London.
• Fee status: You have UK Home fee status, meaning you pay tuition fees as a domestic student.
• Background: You qualify through Imperial's contextual admissions route for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. For example, you have been in care, live in one of the most deprived areas of England, have had free school meals, or are the first in your family to go to university.

How to apply

First submit your UCAS application for one of the four engineering departments and get an offer. Then fill in the online scholarship form, which asks for a personal statement, by 29 May 2026. Your department scores your academic merit from your predicted A-level results and ranks applicants. The Faculty of Engineering makes the final choice. You hear the result by email no later than 31 July 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

Only 3 awards are given, and the conditions are strict: a specific set of engineering courses, Home fee status, and the contextual admissions criteria. This keeps the eligible group small, but the few places still make it competitive. If you clearly meet the background criteria, hold a strong offer in one of the four departments, and write a convincing personal statement, you have a fair shot. Secure your course offer early so your application is complete before the deadline.