Southwark Scholarship Scheme 2023: apply for the council to pay your university fees
16 March 2023
Southwark Council has launched the thirteenth year of its scholarships for would-be university students who might be put off going due to the tuition fees.
Since 2011, the council has helped 127 young people (under 25 years) to pursue their chosen course at university.
The scholarship award covers the full cost of tuition fees for young people from low income homes. Applicants must have good grades and show how they give back to the local community.
Three Southwark Scholars have united forces to increase the social impact of the scholarship scheme. Amaan, Sue-Marie and Josh set up the Southwark Scholarship Network, which 37 other scholars have joined and counting. Their aim is to create a support system among scholars and find opportunities to use their skills and experience for the benefit of the community.
Josh Tulloch is 25 years old and studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford University. He says: “The scholarship scheme has granted me maximum freedom now that I've graduated. Instead of worrying about paying back student loans, I've been able to start my own business and pursue my entrepreneurial passions. I hope to use my business to pour back into the Southwark community."
Amaan Ahmad is 22 years old and studying Computational Biomedical Engineering at Imperial College London. He says: “The scholarship allowed me to focus on making the most out of my education and working on outside projects with likeminded people without needing to balance a part-time job. This has even spun-out into my own education technology start-up that I will be working on full time after I graduate this year!
“I hugely urge anyone in the community to apply for the scholarship as it has opened countless doors for me. Not only physical ones, such as work with the council or with other scholars, but it also helped to break some mental barriers I had about what it would be like to pursue further education. I feel immensely proud to be called a Southwark Scholar.”
Sue-Marie Majeed is 21 years old and studying Medicine at Kings College London. She says: “Coming from a low-income family and living in a deprived community, pursuing medicine would have been impossible for me without this scholarship. I’ve been able to pursue a career that I am passionate about without worrying about the financial burden that often comes with studying medicine.
“Investing in education and supporting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds is a powerful way to tackle inequality. By contributing to the Southwark Scholarship Scheme, charities and organisations can help create a more just and equitable society, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”
The council is looking for local partners to help increase the number of scholarships on offer going forward. If you, your business or charity could help sponsor a young person through university, please contact eba@southwark.gov.uk
Cllr Jasmine Ali, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Children, Young People & Education, said: “We know tuition fees can loom over young people who want to go to university. So that's why we set up the scholarship scheme: to remove that financial burden and allow young people to fully concentrate on working towards their goals who might not ordinarily think university is for them.
“We are so proud of our Southwark Scholars and their many successes. High among of these is their work to reinvest in the borough and in ambitious young people just like them. The new network of scholars will help us build on the scholarship scheme's legacy so far for the benefit of our community.”
- For more information and how to apply for a Southwark Scholarship, visit www.southwark.gov.uk/scholarship
Expressions of interest must be made by 7 May 2023.
Page last updated: 16 March 2023
