Douglas Bomford Trust Scholarships

Douglas Bomford Trust Scholarships

You get up to about 1,700 EUR per year (up to £1,500), or more in exceptional cases. The award normally runs for one year. It is paid in two equal halves, usually in February and April or May of the following year. You can spend it on materials, equipment, computing hardware or software for your studies or a project. It can also help if real financial hardship is holding your studies back. The money comes from the Douglas Bomford Trust, a UK charity that supports engineering and technology for sustainable farming, food and biological systems.

Who can apply

• Level: You are an undergraduate student (for example BEng, MEng, FdSc or BSc).
• Field of study: Mainly agricultural engineering. Other engineering subjects and agricultural sciences can be funded by exception.
• Where you study: You are enrolled at any university or college in the United Kingdom or Ireland.
• Membership: You are a Student Member of the IAgrE (Institution of Agricultural Engineers). This is required.
• UK connection: You have a link to the UK through your nationality, your place of residence or where you study.
• Your case: You can show that you support the Trust's goals, that you are also seeking other funding, and what the award will help you achieve.

How to apply

You email your application to the Trust's Secretary with the subject "Scholarship Award Application". Include a short CV, a letter of support from a tutor, and up to 500 words on why you are applying and how you will use the money. The deadline for the 2026 scholarships is 12 December 2025. Students at Harper Adams University and the Royal Agricultural University apply through their own university process instead. A panel reviews applications in December, interviews shortlisted applicants in January, and tells everyone the result by early February.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is cut narrowly. You must study a relevant subject in the UK or Ireland and already be an IAgrE student member, so the pool of eligible applicants is small. Up to five scholarships are given each year and the field is niche, so a well-matched applicant with a clear plan for the money has solid prospects. Funds are limited and it is competitive, so a specific, well-argued case for how you will use the award is what sets you apart.