The Darlington Scholarship

The Darlington Scholarship is a new scholarship programme established especially for University of Edinburgh graduates. Launching for 2025-2026 entry, the scholarship aims to widen access to eligible full-time on campus postgraduate Masters programmes at the University of Edinburgh.

The scholarship is designed specifically for those who are domiciled in Scotland and who have benefited from an Access Edinburgh scholarship or Scotland Scholarship during their final year of undergraduate study.

This opportunity is open to students transitioning directly from undergraduate to postgraduate study in 2025-2026 academic year. This is part of our ongoing commitment to support our students’ achievements and help them thrive beyond graduation.

Joyce Blow Darlington

The Darlington Scholarship is made possible through an extraordinary legacy donation made by Joyce Blow Darlington. Joyce wished to make higher education more accessible to those who might otherwise be unable to afford it. Thanks to her kindness and profound commitment, Darlington Scholars will have the opportunity to pursue their academic and future aspirations with less financial constraint.

The University of Edinburgh will award up to 25 scholarships for full-time on campus Masters students beginning their study in September 2025. Each Darlington Scholarship includes:  

  • A cash award of £16,000
  • A fee discount of 40% on eligible programmes up to fee level of £18,000. For programmes that cost above £18,000, fees are capped and the 40% discount will apply.

Candidates are encouraged to apply for postgraduate funding from SAAS (up to £13,900 in tuition and living costs), with the Darlington Scholarship designed to contribute to the outstanding costs of postgraduate study.


The Darlington Scholarship is for students committed to continuing their education at the University of Edinburgh. To be eligible for this award, candidates must meet the following criteria:

  • Must complete an undergraduate degree at University of Edinburgh in the 2024-2025 academic year. 
  • Must have been in receipt of Access Edinburgh or Scotland Scholarship in their final year of undergraduate study. 
  • Must have Scotland domiciled fee status (were eligible to receive SAAS funding) at undergraduate level. 
  • Must be an offer holder for an eligible 1-year full-time on-campus postgraduate taught (PGT) or Masters by Research (MScR) Masters programme for 2025-2026 entry and have met all admission conditions by the start of the programme.

Candidates will not be eligible for the scholarship if:

  • The candidate is already in receipt of, or later awarded, a full scholarship. 
  • The candidate has accepted, or subsequently accepts, another University of Edinburgh scholarship (must inform the scholarship office if another scholarship is accepted later).  
  • The candidate is fully sponsored by an employer. 

Darlington Scholarships will be awarded based on the annual level of support provided under the Access Edinburgh scholarship or Scotland Scholarship:

Top priority: Care experienced or estranged students, currently receiving £5,000 Access Edinburgh award.  

Second priority: Applicants from the lowest household income band, currently receiving £3,000 Access Edinburgh award or £3000 Enhanced Scotland Scholarship. 

Third priority: Applicants currently receiving £2,000 Access Edinburgh award or £2,000 Scotland Scholarship. 

Fourth priority: Applicants currently receiving £1,000 Access Edinburgh award or £1,000 Scotland Scholarship. 

Fifth priority: Applicants currently receiving £500 Scotland Scholarship. 

If the number of eligible applicants exceeds the available scholarships, candidates’ application statements will be carefully reviewed by a selection panel. Please see the 'Applying' section below for details of what to include. The final decision is at the discretion of the panel.  

The Darlington Scholarship is designed to benefit access to further study across the University of Edinburgh. If demand is high in certain disciplines, scholarships will be distributed to successful applicants across Schools and Colleges. This allows the scholarship to support students across a wide array of academic fields and contributes to creating a rich postgraduate community at the University.  


1. Apply for your degree programme

You must apply for your chosen programme before you apply for this scholarship. 

Deadlines for degree programmes vary, so please check the deadline for your chosen programme here: Postgraduate MSc Taught / Postgraduate MScR

2. Apply for the Scholarship

Applications will open soon. Instructions on how to apply for the scholarship will be displayed here shortly.


For any enquiries, please contact the Student Funding Team


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