Cowrie Foundation Scholarship

Award value

Tuition fee: Full tuition fee waiver
Paid directly to you: £6,000 per academic year
Other: Peer mentoring and professional mentoring
Award length: Duration of UG course, subject to reassessment each year.

Academic years

2026/27 2027/28 2028/29

Study level: Undergraduate
Fee status: Home (UK)
Number of awards available: 2

Student type: Prospective
Applications open: 1 March 2027

Eligible students

Low income households Black students

Applicable subject areas

All undergraduate degrees

Still unsure if this is for you? Then please contact us

The Cowrie Foundation scholarship is a partnership between the University of Manchester and the Cowrie Foundation, which supports students from Black African and Caribbean heritage, from socio-economically under-represented backgrounds, through providing financial support for the duration of their undergraduate studies.

This partnership began in 2021 and will support 23 students over seven years with tuition fees and living costs, as well as providing access to both peer and professional mentoring.

Scheme eligibility

Essential criteria are conditions you must meet to be considered for this scheme. Students who do not meet these criteria will not be considered for this award. To be eligible, you must meet the following:

Identify as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups: Black or Black British Caribbean, Black or Black British African, Mixed White and Black Caribbean, Mixed White and Black African, Other Black background;
Have applied to study an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester starting in the year that you are applying for this scholarship;
Have been assessed for fee status as a 'home' student;
Have submitted an application to your regional student funding authority (Student Finance England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland), had a full household income assessment, and consented to share your Student Finance information with your university;
Have a household income of £35,000 per annum or less, as assessed by your regional student funding authority.

Priority criteria

Priority criteria is additional information about you that will be used to make our final selection decisions. Priority will be given to students who:

Personal factors:

Are a care leaver or care-experienced student;
Are an estranged/independent student;
Are a young carer;
Are a refugee or asylum seeker;
Have a disability;
Are from a military family.

Socio-economic factors:

Were eligible for free school meals during secondary education;
Live in an area of relative deprivation.

Higher education progression information:

Live in a postcode of low progression to higher education;
Went to a low attaining secondary school;
Go to a low attaining sixth form/college.

How to apply

Students must complete the application form to be considered for this award. The application form will be linked here when applications open.

What you need to apply

Within the application, you will be asked to evidence each of the eligibility and priority criteria that you meet.

You will need (depending on which priority criteria you meet):

If you are care experienced, you will be required to provide a letter from your local authority or social worker confirming your time in care
If you are estranged from your parents, you will need to provide a letter from a professional to confirm your estrangement, including a teacher, doctor, social worker
If you are a young carer, you will need to provide evidence of this using a young carer assessment, carer card/passport, a letter from your GP or a healthcare professional, or a letter from another professional including a teacher or social worker
If you are a refugee or asylum seeker, you will need to provide evidence of your immigration status through a letter from the home office or a share code
If you have a disability, you will be required to provide a letter showing your personal independence payment or a letter from your school confirming what additional support they provide you
If you are from a military family, you will need to provide a letter evidencing this

Selection process

We will use the information provided in your application form, your supporting statement and your UCAS application to prioritise the applicants.
We will prioritise students based on the number and nature of the priority criteria that you meet.

If shortlisted, you will be invited to an interview. More information on what the interview will entail, will be emailed to you.

Terms and conditions

Sharing your household income information

When completing your Student Finance England application, you will need to ensure you have selected the option to consent to share your household income information with the Universities you have applied to or hold an offer with. Without this we cannot access that information, and we will not be able to consider your application for this scheme.

Breaks in funding

This award is not provided during study years abroad, placement years, or if a student takes a study interruption.

Your course offer and this scheme

Receipt of this award is subject to you meeting you course offer commitments and registering at the University of Manchester in the year of entry specified in the application form.

Engaging with donors

This scheme is generously supported by a donor. Successful applicants will be expected to provide regular updates on their progress to the donor and meet with them as part of the terms and conditions of receiving the award.

Understanding your fee status

This scheme uses your fee status as part of its eligibility criteria. Find out more about how The University of Manchester assesses tuition fee statuses here: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/tuition-fee-status/

Application and Selection process

Completing an application does not guarantee you will receive this award

Verifying your eligibilty

Applicants must meet eligibility criteria and be in a position to verify their circumstances in order to apply. Applicants who do not meet the criteria will not be considered for an award

Cowrie Foundation Scholarship

Key information