The Reid Trust - The Reid Trust

The Reid Trust grant

You will receive a one-off payment of up to around 1,740 EUR (£1,500). You can use this amount towards tuition fees, completing a project, childcare or other care costs that enable you to continue your studies, or for travel within the UK for research purposes. You may apply for any amount up to this sum; however, the trustees may award you more or less than the amount you have applied for. The Reid Trust is a small UK charity founded in 1868 that provides financial support to women continuing their studies in the UK. It operates on a two-year cycle, meaning grants are awarded only every two years.

Who can apply

• Gender: You are a woman.
• Your schooling: You have completed secondary education and/or higher education in the UK. You do not need to have been born there.
• Where you study: You are studying, undertaking training or carrying out research at an institution in the United Kingdom.
• Level: This applies particularly to further study following your first degree. Bachelor’s degree programmes are not usually eligible for funding, unless you are a mature student who is unable to obtain a student loan.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Qualifications: You already hold the academic qualifications required for your chosen degree programme.
• Money: You must submit a complete financial plan setting out your income, expenditure and any shortfalls. Any significant shortfall must be justified.
• Not covered: Teacher training (PGCE), courses in legal practice, career progression within the NHS, the period spent writing a doctoral thesis, and travel or conferences outside the UK.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted online via the Foundation’s website. The next application period begins on 18 January 2027 and ends on 7 May 2027. You must write a personal statement of no more than 500 words and submit two letters of recommendation from academic or professional contacts (not family members). The members of the Board of Trustees will make their decision based on your written application, and successful applicants will be notified at the end of July 2027.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined: only women who have completed their education in the UK and are continuing their studies after obtaining their first degree are eligible to apply. As a result, the pool of applicants is smaller than for open scholarships. The foundation expressly points out that it is a small organisation with limited funds, meaning that the grants are modest and competition is fierce. A clearly written personal statement and a realistic, well-justified financial plan are of the utmost importance, as the decision is made solely on the basis of your written application.