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Cowrie Scholarship Foundation

We are proud to be the first arts institution to be joining the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation in supporting the next generation of Black British students.

Important Information

The RCS Cowrie Scholarship is currently closed for applications. It will reopen soon for students starting RCS Music courses in 2024/25 and later for students starting RCS Drama, Dance, Production, and Film courses in 2025/2026. More information will be available on this page in due course.

About the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation

The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation was set up to enable economically disadvantaged Black African and Caribbean heritage students to attend UK universities. Here you will find all the information needed in order to apply to the fund for support.

The Foundation was established in 2020 by Professor Richard OC Oreffo, who holds the chair of Musculoskeletal Science and is co-founder of the Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells & Regeneration at the University of Southampton.

Black British students are under-represented at many of our universities. Individuals from affluent areas are five times more likely than those from deprived areas to attend a high-tariff university ranked in the top third by entry requirements. While many issues are at play in why more Black British students do not enter university, the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation seeks to address one part of the jigsaw: the financial cost of university education.

The Award

Scotland’s national conservatoire is the first arts institution to partner with the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF), which aims to fund up to 100 disadvantaged Black British students through university in the next decade.

The scholarship will see the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland cover tuition fees for three students over the next ten years, enabling them to study at a world-class institution for performing and production arts education.

The scholarship will cover your home UK tuition fees and a maintenance stipend of up to £8,000 for each year of your course. Recipients will also receive bespoke mentoring for the full time of their studies. The scholarship is tenable for the duration of your programme of study, subject to satisfactory progression.

Access to university should not be limited by race or social class, unfortunately, this is not the case for all in our society. All should have access to an outstanding academic experience.

How to Apply

The RCS Cowrie Scholarship is currently closed for applications. It will reopen soon for students starting RCS Music courses in 2024/25 and later for students starting RCS Drama, Dance, Production, and Film courses in 2025/2026.

More information will be available here soon!

Cowrie Scholarship Fund Values

Equality


We are committed to equality for Black British students and their representation in UK universities.

Diversity


We are committed to everyone, regardless of background, having equal access to education and its transformative force in their lives, our lives and the world we live in.

Inclusion


We are committed to eradicating the financial and racial barriers for socially and economically disadvantaged Black British students attending UK universities.