Chemistry Tercentenary Access Bursary

In 2013, we celebrated 300 years of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh. In the years since our Tercentenary, alumni and friends of the School of Chemistry have donated to support students in financial need, including our industry partners Afton Chemical.

Thanks to their contributions, access bursaries are available to support undergraduate students of outstanding potential, with 3 more bursaries available in the next academic session for new students joining in September 2026.

The School of Chemistry are offering three bursaries, for the sum of £2,000 each per year (e.g. £8,000 for a four-year BSc or £10,000 for five-year MChem course). This annual bursary will be available for duration of the programme of study, subject to satisfactory academic progression.


The bursaries will be awarded to UK-based applicants who are accepted for full-time admission to an undergraduate degree programme offered by the School of Chemistry at the University of Edinburgh.

The bursaries are not available to students already on programme. They are also not available to students studying Chemistry as part of a degree programme hosted by another School within the University. Eligible students must have applied through the University and Colleges Admission Service (UCAS) and have been offered a place at the University of Edinburgh.

The bursaries are aimed at students who are:

  • attending schools with low attainment or progression to Higher Education
  • from disadvantaged backgrounds based on area deprivation measures e.g. the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD20)
  • people with care experience
  • young carers themselves
  • refugees or have asylum seeker status
  • involved in LEAPS or other Widening Participation programmes e.g. SWAP Access Programme.

Eligible students will have evidenced, or be predicted to achieve, a strong academic performance before starting university. When offering bursaries, we will take the above factors plus academic merit into consideration.


There is no separate application for this scholarship, all offer holders from the UK will automatically be considered.

You will be contacted by a member of staff from the School of Chemistry if you are selected as a recipient of this award. All recipients of the award will be notified before the start of September 2026.


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