About the programme
Women students from low income households, and those who are under-represented in the engineering sector, are being offered the exciting opportunity to apply for a £15,000 bursary to support their studies.
Forming part of an exciting new pilot programme launched in spring 2022, the Northern Ireland Engineering Education Programme HE bursaries support eligible women students from sixth forms and FE colleges Northern Ireland as they progress from A Levels and vocational courses to full-time degree courses at higher education institutions in the UK and Ireland.
The awards are open to students who have enrolled in their first year of an engineering or engineering-related subject at degree level.
'Engineering-related' can include subjects such as Computer Science, Technology with Design, Physics or Maths. Successful applicants will be able to show an understanding of how their chosen subject can lead to a career in engineering, and should ideally be looking to follow a career in the field after graduating.
Applying For This Bursary
Before you apply, please download and read the Application Guidance notes. These will help you understand whether you are eligible to apply and and provide detailed instructions to help you complete your application - you should refer to the guide throughout the application process as it also gives additional guidance for answering the application questions.
Eligibility Criteria
The scheme is only open to eligible women students who attended a sixth form or FE college in Northern Ireland.
You will therefore need to have been a resident of in Northern Ireland (international students are not eligible), and have started your course in autumn 2022. You must be studying at a higher education institution in either the UK or Ireland.
You must also be able to answer 'yes' to one, or both, of the following statements:
- I am in receipt of funding - scholarship, bursary, grant from my university or the government, that was awarded based on my personal or household financial situation
- I have been continuously eligible for free school meals since the start of my post-16 studies
Any applications that are incomplete, do not meet the eligibility criteria below, or do not adhere to the guidelines will be rejected. The Academy is committed to diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from women and other groups who are currently under-represented in engineering.
What is the Northern Ireland Engineering Education Programme?
These bursaries, worth £5000 per year for three years, form part of the wider Northern Ireland Engineering Education Programme, which is a one-year pilot programme being delivered by the Royal Academy of Engineering, and developed in partnership with the Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.
To address the prominent STEM skills shortage in the region, the programme is working to encourage more young people, especially young women and people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds and other underrepresented groups to progress towards engineering careers. To achieve this, the programme is establishing a network of primary and secondary schools and FE colleges across Northern Ireland, who are supported by local engineering industries, to engage in a variety of STEM experiences. The aim is to spark an interest in the field amongst young people, who will subsequently be supported into engineering and technician roles thanks to substantial bursaries offered as part of the programme.
The Northern Ireland Engineering Education Programme is delivered by the Royal Academy of Engineering, and developed in partnership with Department for the Economy in Northern Ireland.