ICAS Foundation - ICAS Foundation Scholarship

ICAS Foundation Scholarship

You will receive an annual scholarship of up to £2,500 (about 2,900 EUR) throughout your degree programme, amounting to a total of up to approximately £10,000 (approx. 11,600 EUR) over four years. You do not need to reapply each year. In addition to the funding, you will be assigned a mentor who is a qualified chartered accountant and will support you throughout your studies. You will also receive support in finding work placements, entry-level roles and professional contacts. The scholarship is awarded by the ICAS Foundation, a Scottish charity that supports students studying accountancy and finance from low-income households.

Who can apply

• Course: You are a full-time, on-campus student on a first-cycle Bachelor’s degree programme in Accounting or Finance.
• Where you study: Any Scottish university or one of the English partner universities (Lancaster, Birmingham, Middlesex – for current students only –, City, St George’s, London, Portsmouth) or a selected Scottish partner college (Forth Valley, Fife or Glasgow Clyde College, HND Accounting, intake 2).
• Household income: Your household earns £34,000 or less per year before tax.
• Student support: You are eligible for student finance from the UK government. If you are paying international tuition fees, you cannot apply.
• No previous degree: You do not yet hold a university degree (exceptions may apply).
• No double funding: You must not be receiving a similar scholarship from another scholarship foundation or funding association at the same time.

How to apply

Applications must be submitted via the online form on the ICAS Foundation website. The application period runs from 1 March to 31 May each year. Filling in the form takes around 30 minutes and comprises four written questions, each requiring a minimum of 200 words. If you successfully pass the selection rounds, you will be invited to an informal virtual interview. You will be notified of the result within six weeks of the application deadline.

How realistic are your chances?

This funding scheme is very narrowly defined. You must be studying accountancy or finance at a specific group of universities and higher education institutions, come from a household with an income of £34,000 or less, and be eligible for UK student finance; as a result, the group of eligible applicants is quite small. If you clearly meet these criteria and provide detailed, personalised answers to the four questions, your chances are good. Applying early, between March and May, also means that the foundation will be better able to support you throughout the process.