Maurice Watkins - Watkins Bursary

The Watkins Bursary

You will receive £2,500 per year (about 2,900 EUR) for three years to cover your living costs whilst you are studying for your Bachelor’s degree at University College London (UCL). The annual payment is conditional upon you making satisfactory academic progress. You may receive this funding in addition to any UCL undergraduate scholarship you are already receiving. UCL funds the scholarship through donations from its alumni and benefactors, and only one scholarship is awarded each year.

Who can apply

• University: You have been offered a place on a full-time bachelor’s degree programme at UCL.
• Field of study: Every Bachelor’s degree programme.
• Residence: You are based in the UK and pay the home student tuition fee rate, not the higher rate for international students.
• Financial need: You come from a low-income or disadvantaged background and provide evidence of this in your application.

How to apply

Once you have received an offer, apply online via UCL’s Portico portal in the ‘Funding’ section of your active application. The application deadline is Monday, 6 July 2026, at 5 BST. A panel of UCL staff will decide on the allocation of funding and will notify successful applicants by mid-September.

How realistic are your chances?

As only one scholarship is awarded each year, this is a single, highly competitive place rather than a broad-based funding scheme. The combination of ‘home fee-payer’ status and clear financial need criteria excludes many applicants. If you clearly meet these conditions and can demonstrate that you come from a genuinely low-income background, you have a real chance – so please set out your financial situation as clearly as possible.