MA Funding & Scholarships

The Courtauld "Art for all" MA Scholarship

Closing date for applications: Monday 20 January 2025, 17:00 GMT

The first round of offers for M.A. “Art for All” Scholarships will be made during the second week of March 2025.

The Courtauld is committed to becoming a model of inclusion, accessibility and openness within the higher education sector, that lives up to the vision of our founder, Samuel Courtauld, of an Institute which would be “a missionary centre from which the idea of the value of Art would be spread through many diverse channels” founded on the primary ideal of “art for all”.

These scholarships work towards our aim of developing a diverse student body that is representative of the city in which we are located, and of the society in which we operate. These scholarships help us to promote Art History to a wider range of students, as a subject of intellectual enquiry and as a means of acquiring skills that lead to success in the contemporary jobs market.

The scholarships are principally aimed at encouraging academically strong students who come from under-represented groups in higher education in undertaking a full-time Master’s Degree at The Courtauld.

• Up to ten Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarships will be awarded in the sum of £15,500.
• The Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship is open to students on any full-time taught MA Programme across the institute, including MA History of Art; MA Curation; MA Conservation; MA Contemporary Art and the Moving Image; and MA Art and Business.
• The Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship is open to both Home and Overseas Students.

Applications for The Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship must be submitted using the Scholarship Application Form for The Courtauld Postgraduate Taught Programmes (below) by Monday 20 January 2025, 17:00 GMT.

Please note that all applicants for The Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship will be automatically considered for The Courtauld Postgraduate Studies Scholarships should they be unsuccessful in obtaining a Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship. Applicants should submit only one application form to be considered for both scholarships, indicating in the personal statement section how they fulfil the criteria which meet the requirements of one or more of The Courtauld Postgraduate Studies Scholarships available in their year of application, in addition to the criteria necessary for consideration for The Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship (see below).

N.B. The Courtauld “Art for All” MA Scholarship cannot be awarded in conjunction with any other Courtauld Scholarships or Bursaries awarded internally by The Courtauld. Students may, however, be in simultaneous receipt of funding from any institution external to The Courtauld.

The Courtauld Postgraduate Studies Scholarships

Closing date for MA Postgraduate Studies Scholarship applications: Monday 20 January 2025, 17:00 GMT.

The first round of offers for The Courtauld Postgraduate Studies Scholarships will be made during the fourth week of May 2025.

The Courtauld Postgraduate Studies Scholarships are awarded to students who fulfil certain criteria with regard to background or area of study. These awards vary in amount, duration and criteria from year to year. Some of these scholarships are open to both M.A. and Ph.D. students.

Applications for students commencing postgraduate study within the Academic Year 2025-26 are currently being accepted for the following Scholarships:

• American Foundation for The Courtauld Scholarship for Postgraduate Students (Any M.A. or Ph.D.)

A number of scholarships – generously funded by the American Foundation for The Courtauld Institute of Art (AFCIA) – are available to postgraduate students who are US citizens or permanent US residents and who are from a background which is underrepresented within higher education. These scholarships typically comprise a payment of £10,000.

• The Nicholas and Jane Ferguson Scholarship Fund for Medieval Art (M.A. History of Art or Ph.D)

This scholarship – generously funded by the Nicholas and Jane Ferguson Scholarship Fund Endowment – supports one student per year who is a Ph.D student or enrolled on the M.A. History of Art Programme and who is studying a Special Option centered on the study of Medieval Art. The value of this award averages £6,000 per year.

• The Kilfinan Scholarship for Classical, Medieval or Byzantine Art (M.A. History of Art only)

A single scholarship – generously funded by The Kilfinan Trust – will be offered to support a student on the M.A. History of Art Programme who is studying a Special Option centered on the study of Classical, Medieval or Byzantine Art. The value of this award is £2,000.

• Samuel Kress Foundation Scholarship for the Art of Western Europe (M.A. History of Art only)

This scholarship is generously supported by the Samuel Kress Foundation Endowment, and supports one student enrolled on the M.A. History of Art Programme who is studying a Special Option centered on the study of the art of Western Europe up to the nineteenth century. The value of this award averages around £4,500.

• Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation Scholarship for Overseas Students (M.A. History of Art only)

This scholarship is generously funded by the Dr. Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Foundation to support 3 students studying on the M.A. History of Art Programme who are ordinarily resident outside the UK. The value of this award is £5,000 per student.

• Sophie Trevelyan Thomas Scholarship for Medieval or Renaissance Art (M.A. History of Art only)

This scholarship is generously funded by The Sophie Trevelyan Thomas Scholarship Endowment and supports two students enrolled on the M.A. History of Art Programme who are studying a Special Option centered on the study of Medieval or Renaissance art. The value of this award averages £8,000.

• The University of London Studentship for Postgraduate Students from London (Any M.A. or Ph.D)

A number of University of London Studentships are available to any postgraduate student (M.A. or Ph.D.) whose principal address is situated within Greater London and who is from an underrepresented group in higher education. The value and number of these awards varies depending on financial need.

• Garfield Weston Scholarship for Australian or Canadian Students (M.A. History of Art only)

This scholarship, which has been generously funded by the Garfield Weston Scholarship Endowment, supports a number of students enrolled on the M.A. History of Art Programme, with a preference for students who are Australian or Canadian nationals. The value of the award is at least £10,000 per student.

Applications for one or more of The Courtauld Postgraduate Studies Scholarships are made using a single Scholarship Application Form for The Courtauld Postgraduate Taught Programmes (below) by Monday 20 January 2025, 17:00 GMT.

Please note that where any applicant for the Postgraduate Studies scholarship fulfils any of the criteria listed in the specific scholarships above, they should indicate how they meet those criteria in the personal statement section of the form. Applications will be considered for the Postgraduate Studies Scholarship where any of the above criteria is met, even if the student does not meet any of the widening participation criteria on the form.

Programme Specific Scholarships - Conservation

Closing date for applications: Monday 20 January 2025, 17:00 GMT

The first round of offers for Programme Specific Scholarships – Conservation will be made during the second week of March 2025

• J. Paul Getty Trust Fund for Education in the Conservation of Wall Paintings Scholarships

Several scholarships are awarded each year to MA Conservation of Wall Paintings students. The value and number of these scholarships is determined by demonstrable financial need, and the scholarship award will be paid annually in each year of the three-year’s duration of the course.

Please note students on this programme are not eligible for Master’s Loan by the UK government.

• Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Scholarships for MA History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage

Several scholarships – generously funded by the Robert H. N. Ho Family Foundation Centre at The Courtauld – are available to students studying the MA History and Conservation of Buddhist Heritage.

• The Simon Gillespie Studio Scholarship for MA Conservation of Easel Paintings

This scholarship is intended to support one student enrolled on the MA Conservation of Easel Paintings for the full three year duration of the course. The Simon Gillespie Studio Scholars will receive a payment of £10,000 each year for the duration of the course.

Applications for one or more of the Programme Specific Conservation Scholarships are made using a single Scholarship Application Form (below) by Monday 20 January 2025, 17:00 GMT.

Please note that students can apply for the Conservation scholarships in addition to the “Art for All” MA scholarship and the Postgraduate Studies Scholarship. Students who wish to be considered for programme-specific Conservation scholarships in addition to MA “Art for All” and general Postgraduate Studies Scholarships should submit one Application Form for Taught Programmes along with one Application Form for Courtauld Conservation Programmes. In the event that any student is offered more than one internal scholarship, they must choose which single scholarship they take up.

Loan Schemes

• UK Government Masters Loan
• US / Canadian Government Loan

External Scholarships

• Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust (Quest)

Awards ranging from £2,000 to £15,000 are available for craftsmen and women of all ages to help them further their careers. Students on the MA in Conservation of Wall Painting and Postgraduate Diploma in the Conservation of Easel Paintings are eligible for this award. Further information can be found here

• Anna Plowden Trust Bursaries

Students on full-time conservation courses can apply independently to the Anna Plowden Trust for up to £3,500 towards their fees. More information can be found here

• London Goodenough Association of Canada

The LGAC offers scholarships payable to wards accommodation and living expenses to any postgraduate student who is a national of Canada. More information on the criteria and value of scholarships can be found here

• British Council

The British Council offers a number of scholarships for non-UK postgraduate students. More information on the criteria and value of scholarships can be found here

• Fulbright U.S. Student Program

The Fulbright Program offers a range of grants and scholarships for postgraduate students who are nationals of the United States of America. More information can be found here

Alumni Loyalty Scheme

The Courtauld offers an alumni loyalty scheme, open to any graduate of The Courtauld Institute of Art admitted to a taught postgraduate programme of study.

Recipients will receive a 10% loyalty discount off their MA tuition fee for the duration of the course.

This discount is not applicable to the Ph.D. Programme.