Horticulture Grants & Bursaries For UK Students

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Each year the Society gives a limited number of Travel Awards to enthusiasts wishing to gain field experience in the serious study of alpine plants in native habitats. Applications should be for clearly defined projects, though Awards have been made to those wishing to participate in an AGS Tour if it complements a particular area of interest.

The Alpine Garden Society also offers the Hendry Fund Grant. Following her death in 1993, Ms Evelyn F. Hendry left a significant part of her estate to the East Surrey Group of the Society. This is used to fund grants for specific alpine-related projects, which can involve research on any aspect of alpine plants in the wild or in cultivation.

Visit Website Or  Email ags@alpinegardensociety.net 

The Professional Work Experience (PWE) module provides undergraduate Bachelor of Agricultural Science students at UCD with a unique opportunity to develop their skills and commercial experience during stage three of their degree programme.

The Agricultural Science Association (ASA) has teamed up with the Irish Farmers Journal to provide four €1,000 scholarships to stage three B.Agr.Sc. students to support travel and other costs associated with their placement. The four successful candidates will be awarded 70% of their scholarship prior to commencing their placement and 30% following completion of their placement and review.

Recipients of the ASA/Irish Farmers Journal PWE Scholarships will be required to submit a series of blogs for farmersjournal.ie whilst on their placement. Recipients will also be required to submit a 500 word summary of their experience to the ASA at the end of their PWE placement. This may be used in future promotional material by the ASA.  Applications must be submitted by November.

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 The AFCP website provides a searchable list of charities and trusts which provide funding to help with all types of training, education and research in the food and farming sectors. 

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 The ASHS offers an awards programme for students and professional horticulturists, allowing them to recognise outstanding member accomplishments in horticultural research, extension, and education. These awards range from Fellowship of the Society and recognition of achievements within the industry, to considerable travel grants for students right at the beginning of their careers. 

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 Bentham-Moxon Trust  was founded in 1984 by bringing together a number of charitable trusts, all of which had the objective of supporting the work of Kew. It aims to provide financial support for plant and fungal collection, research and education that further the work of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Grants are given for professional and academic travel, including, but not limited to, field study expeditions and attendance at conferences. 

Visit Website Or  Contact Jennifer at j.alsop@kew.org 

 The BALI Chalk Fund run a Student of the Year Award for BALI Registered colleges to participate, and nominate a student to receive the award. Winners will receive a cheque of £100 and a certificate. The BALI Chalk Fund have also launched a UK BALI Chalk Fund Student of the Year. Each student that is nominated will be considered for the UK Student of the Year award. The winning student and their college will receive a cheque for £500 and 2 tickets to the BALI National Landscape Awards Ceremony, held in December. 

Visit Website Or  Email info@balichalkfund.org.uk 

 British Cactus and Succulent Society have a limited amount of funds available to students involved in research and conservation of succulent plants and also a travel award for a person wishing to undertake a study of succulent plants in another country. 

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The Norah Stucken award: a £500 prize for a project which has made a significant impact within the industry.

The Aberconway award: £500 prize for the best horticultural dissertation submitted by a student or non-student under the age of 30.

Young Horticulturist of the Year: the winner of this annual competition is awarded a £2500 travel bursary to help them further their career.

The Pam Pointer award: awarded to four students of Horticulture a year in recognition of outstanding achievement in academic and practical pursuits, sponsored attendance at the CIH conference and 1-year free associate membership

Visit Website Or  Contact the Secretariat at cih@horticulture.org.uk  

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Current scholarships include:

The Student Scholarship awards £1,500 to each of up to 5 students to support their studies in horticulture. Preference is given to candidates who have an interest in ornamental commercial horticulture, especially with an emphasis on the bedding, container, pot plant and cut flower sectors.

Blue Diamond Scholarships are offered annually by this premier group of 44 garden centres who also have their own extensive nurseries and a unique collaboration with the National Trust and a Partner Garden with the RHS. Bursaries of up to £2,500 are available to students’ studying horticulture at a college on a wide range of courses. Applications for support towards the cost of student life including course fees, equipment and materials associated with your studies, travel are all welcome for these flexible scholarships.

The British Protected Ornamentals Association – Peter Seabrook Bursary offers £1,000 to support one or more students studying commercial horticulture. The scholarship is also available to schools and horticultural colleges to finance trips for students over 16 years of age to leading commercial horticultural establishments.

The Ball Colegrave Sponsored Travel Scholarship awards up to £1,500 to fund travel to Europe in order to develop knowledge and experience in bedding plant production and marketing. An employee in the early stages of their career at a commercial bedding plant nursery, or a student studying horticulture with an interest in commercial bedding plants should apply.

The John Gibson Environmental Scholarship will award £1,500 to a student with a keen interest in environmental solutions and sustainable applications as applied to commercial horticulture. John Gibson worked at Colegrave Seeds with the late David Colegrave and was at the forefront of the development of the market for hybrid seeds and seedlings. This scholarship recognises John’s keen interest in environmental solutions that can advance commercial horticulture in a sustainable manner.

The Horticultural Research Scholarship will award up to £4,000 to support applied research within the horticulture industry. Students with proven merit who are perhaps undertaking a research project as part of their education that would benefit from some early funding support to extend their project can apply. This includes undergraduates, postgraduates and those studying for doctoral degrees.

This scholarship is currently offered via the Royal Society of Biology as part of their Plant Health Undergraduate Studentships. We co fund this scholarship with The Crispa (Richard Cahn) Charitable Trust. Richard Cahn was a well known and highly respected figure in the horticultural business world and perhaps best remembered for creating Roundstone Nurseries and Garden Centre in West Sussex.

The Majestic Trees Sponsored Travel Scholarship is offering up to £3,000 to fund a placement abroad at a tree nursery. This also includes the opportunity for a work placement at Majestic Trees, which could become a permanent position. The owners of Majestic Trees, Steve and Janet McCurdy, first met in California whilst Steve was working as an exchange student. Steve’s work experience opportunity greatly influenced the way they run Majestic Trees and it is for this reason that Majestic Trees provide this scholarship for a student passionate about tree production.

Hort Tech Award supported by Worshipful Company of Gardeners is offering up to £5,000 to students, academics and individuals who are developing horticulture technologies.

As technology becomes increasingly important in horticulture, a number of colleges and universities have specialist technical schools, working on projects as well as educating students. Projects looking to reduce human labour inputs or improve growing conditions and product ‘shelf-life’ are all vital to the future commercial ornamental.

Brian Crosby Scholarship funds up to £1,000 to a student from, or studying in, the north west of England, Brian’s home area. As with al of the CSF scholarships, this award is not means tested, and can be used to support course or exam fees, equipment and materials associated with your studies, travel or the other ‘costs’ of student life.

Scholarship Season opens for applications in September each year with the deadline for entries being the 31st January following. Awards are made usually towards the end of March or early April. To enter applicants simply need to complete an application form which they can do online 

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The trust awards a bursary of between £500 – £1000 annually to students of horticulture or related disciplines. Students must either be Derbyshire- based, or from elsewhere working on a Derbyshire project. Broadly, any aspect of coursework or career development, or research or writing may be considered. 

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 The Trust has set up two schemes, one for awarding Bursaries to horticultural students and the other for small grants to assist projects involving gardens and other designed landscapes within the County.  

Visit Website Or  Email devon-gardens@btconnect.com 

 The Diana Aitchison Fund is intended to help young gardeners further their knowledge of rock and alpine plants and their cultivation. Priority for grants will be given to students following horticultural courses lasting one or more years and might go towards fees, living costs or travel expenses, either on a full-time course or at another location, such as summer work experience at a botanic garden or nursery. The fund was established thanks to a generous donation from the estate of the late Diana Aitchison, and is managed by the Scottish Rock Garden Club. 

Visit Website Or  Email Matthew at mtopsfield@icloud.com 

 The Foundation can provide grants for any charitable purpose, however their present policy is to focus grant-making in the areas of horticulture and plant sciences, as well as fine art and art history, reflecting the primary interests of the Foundation’s instigators – Sir David Montagu Douglas Scott KCMG OBE and his wife, Valerie Finnis VMH. In general the Trustees will only usually consider grants of between £500 and £10,000, although, exceptionally, larger grants may be considered at the Trustees’ discretion. Preference is given to making grants to smaller charities where the grant would have a significant impact 

Visit Website Or  Email administrator@finnis-scott-foundation.org.uk  

 The Trust was formed 1986 under the original name of the Williams Dykes Memorial Fund, and offers bursaries to anyone studying a relevant course in horticulture to help with the costs of their courses and research, whether full or part-time. The Trust has encouraged applications particularly relevant to the Garden Centre Industry and the furtherance of the therapeutic benefits of gardening.

The Trust also offers the Dick Allen Scholarship, open to young staff within GCA garden centres, to help further their career. The recipient will attend the International GCA Congress and participate within the ‘Interactive Tour’ group.

Visit Website Or  Email the trust administrator at info@gca.org.uk  

This programme is an exchange, sponsored jointly by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in the UK and by The Garden Club of America (GCA) in the USA, in association with Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania. The programme offers financial aid to British graduates and student horticulturists to undertake a 12-month stimulating internship at the world renowned Longwood Gardens, Pennsylvania, USA with exposure to American horticultural techniques and regional plant species. 

Visit Website Or  Email interchangefellowship@rhs.org.uk 

 Glanbia Ireland and Baileys are collaborating to support farm families’ positive environmental actions, with the launch of Ireland’s first Sustainable Farming Academy.

As part of this Academy three bursaries (one per university) are being made available for Glanbia Co-op family members who are commencing their degree studies in agricultural science in either UCD, UCC or South East Technology University.

 Glanbia Co-op Members are requested to complete the form linked below and in particular the personal statement on behalf of their family member who is commencing their studies.

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 The Trust offers the Christopher Lloyd Bursary, the purpose of which is to create opportunities for trainee and young gardeners to travel and work in interesting places, widen their experience and gain inspiration from experts in the UK and abroad. Applications are invited for bursaries of up to £1,500 and are accepted at any time of the year. 

Visit Website Or Email education@greatdixter.co.uk  

 The Society offers a number of small bursaries as part of the Kenneth Black Bursary Scheme, for students and for people who are employed in horticulture, with the aim to stimulate interest in growing hardy herbaceous plants and to develop a deeper understanding of them. The bursaries have been designed specifically for students at colleges and universities studying subjects related to horticulture and for horticulturists in employment, including those in apprenticeships. 

Visit Website Or Email bursary@hardy-plant.org.uk 

 The Foundation provides support of up to £2,250 to students whose personal and financial circumstances make progression to higher education difficult. They have two awards for a higher level apprenticeship in agriculture, and three awards for students wanting to progress to a land based degree. Those eligible to apply must be at a FE college or sixth form college, and must not have already undertaken a further education course. 

Visit Website Or  Email Anna at enquiries@hkf.org.uk 

 The Historic and Botanic Garden Training Programme (HBGTP) enables enthusiastic and committed horticulturists to increase their horticultural and other technical skills through garden placements in a range of historic and botanic gardens throughout the UK. The programme is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

HBGTP offers trainees a structured learning programme and an assigned Supervisor and Mentor to guide and support their practical training.

Visit Website Or  Email Elinor Davies at Elinor.davies@english-heritage.org.uk  

  The Historic Gardens Foundation (HGF) will offer grants towards publication of material relating to historic parks, gardens, and designed landscapes. Grants are available to charities, other public interest organisations and, in exceptional cases, individuals, who are pursuing aims similar to those of the HGF. Preference will be given to projects with an international dimension and to Applicants who have worked with the HGF in the past. The grants are not confined to the UK and Applicants can be from any country. 

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  The Society offers two student awards during each Symposium, one award for the best oral presentation given by a student who is in the same time the presenter and first author of the submitted manuscript, and one award for the best poster presented by a student who is first author of the work. Winners will be recognised in the quarterly journal, and will receive a one-year complimentary membership of the ISHS and a certificate. 

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 The Society offers a limited number of educational bursaries designed to assist successful applicants in acquiring or enhancing their Japanese garden related skills. It is aimed at UK landscapers / gardeners and those on a gardening-related course of study. The bursaries may be used, for example, to contribute to travel or course fee costs and must assist applicants in acquiring new or additional skills in Japanese garden design, and/or construction, and/or maintenance. 

Visit Website Or  Contact info@jgs.org.uk 

 Up to four new entrants to horticulture are awarded a place on the Trust’s Horticultural Training Scheme, which pays a salary and provides accommodation within the estate if it is needed. Trainees take a hands-on role under the supervision of experienced gardeners principally at the flagship gardens at Douneside House and also at Alastrean House.

The MacRobert Trust gardens have been accredited by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as a ‘Qualifications Approved Learning Centre’. Practical training and assessment to RHS Level 1 and 2 can now be provided in-house.

Visit Website Or  Contact alison@themacroberttrust.org.uk 

 MPG members have access to a sponsorship fund to provide bursaries, financed by donations and one bequest from members. The bursary is intended to support an educational, conservation, or research objective of the individual applying and is normally, although not exclusively, given in the form of a reduced rate for attendance at an MPG event. Consideration will also be given to applications to research new Mediterranean plant areas which might be of interest for future events. 

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 The Merlin Trust offers grants to British or Irish Citizens who are between the ages of 18 and 35 years or in their first five years of a career in horticulture, for studying plants in the wild and in gardens, abroad and in the UK. Funding is also available if you are a foreign national studying in a British or Irish horticulturally recognised institution. Applications are invited throughout the year for long or short term projects, grants up to £1,500 may be available.

The Trust was founded by Valerie Finnis VMH in memory of Merlin Scott to encourage young horticulturists

Visit Website Or  Email Sarah at info@merlin-trust.org.uk  

 The Nerine and Amaryllid Society can provide grants to individuals or groups of horticulturists wishing to enhance the educational, conservation, or research knowledge associated with the Amaryllidaceae family of flowering plants. Proposals for funding can be considered at any time of the year 

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 The Trust awards approximately 20 individuals each year with the opportunity to research topics of interest in either farming, food, horticulture or rural industries. Recipients are able to travel anywhere in the world for a period of time no less than 8 weeks, and on return a written report will need to be submitted and published, and any findings or recommendations presented at the Annual Nuffield Farming Conference.

A bursary of approximately £7000 will be given towards travel and subsistence expenses. In addition, the Trust and the individual award sponsor will meet any travel and expenses in relation to the Pre Study Briefing and Contemporary Scholars Conference. The total value of an award is in excess of £12,000.

Visit Website Or  Email Mike at director@nuffieldscholar.org  

 A Nuffield Farming Scholarship is a travel and study bursary awarded by the Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust Ireland Ltd. The objective of the award scheme is to encourage the advancement of agriculture and rural development through the promotion of awareness, education and leadership in the Irish agriculture and rural sectors. The overall scholarship award is €16,000. This bursary is a contribution towards the cost of travel and accommodation which will be incurred by scholars for their international travel. It will not cover the full cost of registration & travel for the Contemporary Scholars Conference, Global Focus Programme and travel in pursuit of the study topic. 

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 Online Turf are offering a privately funded scholarship for Agriculture & Horticulture students in college & university.

The list of eligibility requirements are as follows;

Applicants must be enrolled in full time education studying an agricultural or horticultural course in university or college

Applicants must study & reside in the UK

The applicant is 18 years or above or has parent/ guardian permission

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