UK Electronic Skills Foundation - UKESF Scholarships

UKESF Scholarship Scheme

You will receive a scholarship of annual bursary of about 1,160 EUR (£1,000), which will be paid for each year of your studies until you graduate. You will also receive a paid summer placement of at least 8 weeks per year; some companies even offer 6- or 12-month placements. Furthermore, you will be offered a free place on a 4-day face-to-face professional development course, as well as a mentor within your sponsoring company – an experienced professional who will advise you and meet with you at least twice a year. The programme is run by the UK Electronics Skills Foundation in partnership with employers from the electronics and technology sectors, who support each scholarship holder throughout their studies.

Who can apply

• University: You are studying at one of the 30 UKESF partner universities, which include Cambridge, Imperial, Manchester, Southampton, Edinburgh and Bristol, amongst others.
• Field of study: Your Bachelor’s degree programme includes a significant focus on electronics and is either accredited or in the process of being accredited.
• Year of study: You’re taking a gap year, so this is neither your first nor your last year.
• Grades: In your last end-of-year appraisal, you achieved an average of at least 60%.
• Nationality: You are a British national or are living in the United Kingdom as a ‘Home Student’. EU citizens with ‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled’ status are also eligible.
• Other funding: You are not currently in receipt of any other scholarship funded by a single company. A university scholarship that does not involve paid work is permitted.
• No prior withdrawal: You have not yet withdrawn from an UKESF scholarship.

How to apply

You apply via the UKESF online system by first selecting a company you wish to apply to. A few days after the application deadline, suitable candidates will be invited to apply to up to two further companies. The companies will then select who they wish to invite for an interview – usually between November and January – and you will receive a response by mid-February. The application period begins in September each year, so the next round will start in September 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is very narrowly defined: you must be studying electronics at one of the universities listed under 30, be in a middle year of your degree, and have achieved the minimum grade of 60%. As a result, the pool of applicants is smaller than for open scholarships. The selection is made by the individual employers, so a genuine interest in electronics and a compelling personal statement count for more than just top marks. If you meet the criteria and apply early in September, your chances are good.