Cowrie Scholarship Foundation Application Form, Contact Number and Eligibility 2025
A full guide for students of Black African or Caribbean heritage planning to apply in 2025, including eligibility, partner universities, how to fill the form, deadlines, and official contacts.
What is the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation?
The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation (CSF) is a UK-based charitable organisation offering full scholarships for talented students of Black African or Caribbean heritage who come from socio-economically under-represented backgrounds. The foundation partners with select UK universities to provide not only tuition fee coverage but also maintenance stipends, mentoring, and additional support.
The aim is to widen participation in higher education for those who face financial barriers, systemic inequality, or socio-economic disadvantage. Cowrie Scholarship Foundation official site provides full details. 0
Partner Universities and Offerings in 2025
The scholarship is offered through various UK universities that have entered partnership with the Foundation. Each partner university has specific features and sometimes slightly different eligibility thresholds or stipends. Some of the partner universities for the 2025/26 entry include:
- University of Bath — offers full tuition coverage plus a living cost contribution of approximately £8,000 per year, along with mentorship, workshops and skills development. 1
- The University of Manchester — offers full tuition, and a maintenance bursary (approx. £6,000) plus additional support, depending on subject and applicant profile. 2
- Lancaster University — tuition waiver + a stipend of around £8,000 per year, under similar eligibility guidelines. 3
- Southampton University — full home fee tuition covered, and maintenance stipend in the £8,000 range, with eligibility based on income, heritage and student finance arrangements. 4
- Newcastle University — partners under similar eligibility criteria; contact and detailed application information posted on its website. 5
Eligibility Criteria for 2025
To be eligible for the Cowrie Scholarship in 2025, applicants must meet a set of core requirements, though some partner institutions have additional or slightly modified criteria. Key criteria include:
- Be of Black African, Black Caribbean, or mixed heritage (e.g. White & Black African, White & Black Caribbean, or similar categories) background. 6
- Have been offered or be applying to a full-time undergraduate degree programme at a UK university in partner list for 2025/26. Many require applicants to have accepted a place (firm or conditional) by relevant dates. 7
- Be ordinarily resident in the UK and meet “home fee status” in most cases for fee assessments. 8
- Have a household income assessment below a threshold (often £25,000 per annum or less, sometimes slightly more depending on the university). 9
- Have applied for and/or consented to share information from your regional student funding authority to support income assessment (e.g., Student Finance England or equivalent). Some universities require applicants to be in receipt of or eligible for maximum student finance support, and household income data must be shared. 10
- Must be new undergraduate entrants (first degree) in 2025/26. Those who already have a degree or are doing postgraduate study are typically not eligible. 11
- Meet contextual conditions in some universities: for example, living in an area of relative deprivation, being a care leaver, or having lived experience of socio-economic hardship, or having had Free School Meals, or being estranged, etc. 12
Because each partner university sets its own deadlines and may add priority criteria (e.g. for specific subjects, or for students from certain areas), always check the eligibility page of the specific university where you want to study.
Application Form: How to Apply in 2025
The application form is usually available on the website of the partner university or via the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation page. Here are the typical steps to complete an application successfully:
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Find the correct university page
First, identify which university you are applying to among Cowrie Foundation’s partners (e.g. University of Bath, Lancaster, Manchester, Southampton, Newcastle etc.). Go to the university’s official website Scholarships, Financial Aid or Widening Participation section. Each partner page is the definitive source. For example, Bath’s page for CSF gives details on how and when to apply. 13
Check deadlines
Each university has a deadline: applications often close in spring (e.g. May) for autumn 2025 entry. Do not wait until the last minute, as delays in income assessment or document preparation can disqualify you. 14
Gather required documentation
Usually include:
- Personal statement (600-900 words in many cases) explaining why the scholarship matters, your academic goals and the impact you hope to make. 15
- Proof of identity and evidence of household or parental income. Possibly documentation from regional funding authority or student finance body. 16
- Evidence of “home fee status” if required (may involve residency documents or proof through UCAS or student finance). 17
- Academic transcripts or predicted grades, offer letter (if you already have it), UCAS application details. Some applications require offer holders only. 18
- Personal statement / supplemental essay where required. 19
- Contact details, reference letters in some cases, and confirmation that the applicant agrees to share income assessment info with the university and funding authorities. 20
Complete the online form
Most applications are handled fully online. Fill in your personal and academic details, upload files, provide your offer / UCAS info if available. Be precise about your study programme, subject, address etc. If any field does not apply (e.g. you do not have an offer yet), follow instructions given (some require offer before final awarding). 21
Submit your application and follow up
After submission, you should receive confirmation via email or portal. Monitor your email and university dashboard. If required, complete any income assessment or administrative steps (e.g. confirm home fee status, provide missing documents). 22
Benefits of Being a Cowrie Scholar
Being awarded the Cowrie Foundation Scholarship comes with several benefits beyond just tuition fee waiver. Depending on the partner university, these may include:
- Full or major tuition fee coverage. 23
- A maintenance stipend to help with living costs (often several thousand pounds per academic year). 24
- Mentorship programmes (personal and professional mentors), workshops, career support and networking opportunities. 25
- Access to university support services for students from under-represented backgrounds. 26
- Potential additional bursaries or institutional support from the university. Sometimes top-ups or extra grants are available for book costs, travel, accommodation. 27
Contact Information
Direct contact for the Cowrie Scholarship Foundation is somewhat indirect: most enquiries are handled by the respective partner universities rather than the Foundation itself. Below are known contact points from partner universities for 2025 entry:
- SOAS University of London – for enquiry regarding scholarship application, email scholarships@soas.ac.uk. 28
- Newcastle University – general contact via university switchboard: +44 (0)191 208 6000. 29
- University of Southampton – for questions, email studentinclusion@soton.ac.uk, and phone +44 (0)23 8059 5000. 30
- Lancaster University – contact person: Head of Social Mobility and Student Success via email wp@lancaster.ac.uk. 31
- University of Bath – contact via the Student Retention & Success Team. The contact email is given on their scholarship page. 32
If you are applying via another partner university, check that university’s “Fees & Funding” or “Scholarships” page for their specific contact details. Always use university email addresses (domain of university) to avoid phishing attempts.
Important Dates & Deadlines
The Cowrie Scholarship Foundation deadlines generally fall around spring (April to May) for undergraduate entry in the coming academic year (e.g. 2025-26). Example: Lancaster University deadline was 2 May 2025. Southampton also has similar deadlines. 33
Offer holders are often informed by early September. Universities usually make announcement for awarding by September for the next intake. 34
Tips for a Strong Application
To increase your chances of being awarded the scholarship, consider these strategies:
- Write a compelling personal statement: include your academic ambitions, personal challenges, community impact. Authenticity matters.
- Ensure your household or parental income information is accurate and properly documented. Incomes above threshold often disqualify even strong candidates.
- Apply early. Income assessments (via Student Finance) and offer confirmations may take time, and missing those steps may block your eligibility.
- Gather strong academic references. If your coursework or grades are good, ensure referees can comment on both your academic and personal strengths.
- Demonstrate extra-curricular involvement, leadership or community service, especially if you come from under-represented contexts. It helps selection panels distinguish candidates.
- Ensure all documentation is clear, legible, professionally presented (scans rather than blurry photos), and that all uploads match the required format and size.
- Be honest about eligibility criteria — claiming status or background you do not truly meet can backfire, or disqualify your application.
What to Do After Submission
After you submit your application, expect to receive a confirmation via email or through the university’s application portal. There may be follow-up requests such as verifying documents, confirming household income, attending interviews in rare cases, or completing additional university or student finance authority steps.
Keep track of email, spam folder, regularly log into the university portal, and note any messages or alerts. If you are selected, you will receive instructions via university channels. If unsuccessful, many partner universities will notify applicants by early September.