UK Electronics Skills Foundation - UKESF Industrial Studentship

What the UKESF Scholarship gives you

You will receive a annual bursary of 163 EUR per year as well as paid work placements. The funding will continue for the remainder of your degree, up to a maximum of four years. In addition to the money, you will receive:

• A paid summer placement lasting at least eight weeks. Some companies offer 6- or 12-month placements or an industry project in the final year of study.
• A free place on a UKESF training course, including accommodation, which takes place over several days away from home.
• A mentor at your sponsoring organisation – in other words, an experienced person who will support you.
• A direct link to leading employers in the electronics sector.

The programme is run by the UK Electronics Skills Foundation (UKESF) in partnership with employers from the electronics and technology sectors. Each employer sponsors its own scholarship recipients directly. If you have already received another UKESF award, such as the ‘Semiconductor Talent Award’, you are not eligible for this scholarship.

Who can apply

• University: You are studying at one of the 30 UKESF partner universities in the United Kingdom, for example in Bristol, Cardiff, Glasgow or at Imperial College London.
• Field of study: You are studying on a Bachelor’s degree programme (BEng) or an integrated Master’s degree programme (MEng) with a significant focus on electronics or electrical engineering. The programme is accredited or is in the process of being accredited.
• Year of study: You are in any year of your degree, except the first or final year.
• Grades: Your most recent year-end average is at least 60%.
• Residence: You are a British national or are classified as a ‘Home Student’. This also includes EU citizens who live in the United Kingdom and have ‘settled’ or ‘pre-settled’ status.
• No competing sponsorship: You are not currently receiving any other scholarship funded by a single company, such as the IET Power Academy or the E3 Academy. University scholarships and the IET Diamond Jubilee Scholarship are permitted, provided they are not linked to any paid employment.
• No past withdrawal: You have not yet cancelled any UKESF scholarships.

How to apply

Take a look at the participating companies on the UKESF website and apply to an employer via the UKESF application system by the deadline. Once the UKESF has verified your eligibility, you can apply to further employers. The companies will then select who to invite for interviews – usually between November and January – and the results will be available by mid-February. The application deadline for 2025/26 has passed. The next round is expected to begin in September 2026.

How realistic are your chances?

This scholarship is highly selective. You must be studying electronics at one of the universities listed under 30, submit your application outside your first and final years of study, and have a grade point average of at least 60%. As a result, the pool of eligible applicants is small. As each company selects its own scholarship recipients, your chances depend on whether you meet the requirements of a particular employer. Good academic performance and a genuine interest in electronics are therefore advantageous. If you clearly meet the criteria, find out about the programme well in advance and apply as soon as the application round begins.