If you are thinking about pursuing a career in a particular profession it is worth checking out if there is a relevant Livery Company as many of them offer educational grants for students.
The livery companies probably had their origins in this country before 1066. They evolved to regulate their professions, the equivalent of today’s trading standards departments, checking quality of goods and weights and measures. They also controlled imports, set wages and working conditions and trained apprentices.
Today City street names in The City – such as Milk Street, Bread Street, Ironmonger Lane, Poultry, Cloth Fair and Mason’s Avenue – mark the sites where it all began. The social and economic conditions which produced the guilds have long been overtaken by changes in industry, but the Livery still flourishes today. The companies’ continue to fostering their trade in a wide context, serving the community, and embracing modern skills and professions. Today there are 108 livery companies in the City of London many of which provide educational grants for students wishing to train in their particular profession.
Here are the details of today’s Livery companies which offer educational grants for Higher Education students.
The Worshipful Company of Actuaries
Grants are given to assist in the general education of people in need who are training to qualify as Actuaries.
The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London
Support is given a student from every medical school and some schools of pharmacy. We also support a student at the Guildhall School of Music and offer prizes at the London medical schools, Christ’s Hospital School and the City of London Academy, Southwark
https://www.apothecaries.org/society/what-we-do/
The Worshipful Company of Barbers
The Barbers’ Company McNee Awards for mature medical and dental students, primarily at London Teaching Hospitals, to enable them to undertake medical training as a second degree.
https://www.barberscompany.org/charities.html
The Worshipful Company of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
Works with The University of East London providing the Sir Edward Howard Memorial Prize and further links have been established both within the Business School and the University in general. Provide links between Liverymen willing to assist students or recent graduates requiring special help in furthering their business careers and encourage their companies to provide job placements for students or graduates after graduation. Liverymen accept suitable candidates for work experience or job shadowing. Liverymen with interviewing experience hold mock interviews for students or graduates facing their first important educational or career interview.
https://www.wccsa.org.uk/charitable-trust/grant-application-form
The Worshipful Company of Cordwainers
Various scholarships and bursaries at seven different colleges or universities for students studying footwear and leather related subjects.
https://cordwainers.org/charitable-work/#supportingeducation
The Worshipful Company of Curriers
Awards and scholarships given to students of fashion at London School of Fashion, Northampton University and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
https://www.curriers.co.uk/grant-makin/charitable-activity/
The Worshipful Company of Distillers
Each year a Scholarship is awarded to an MSc. student at Heriot Watt University to assist with their studies.
https://www.distillers.org.uk/charity/scholarships/
The Drapers company
The charity aims to promote the education of young people under the age of 25 living in Greenwich or Lewisham, by the award of grants to institutions and individuals, particularly those from low income or otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds.
https://www.thedrapers.co.uk/Charities/Grant-making-trusts/Sir-William-Boremans-Foundation.aspx
The Worshipful Company of Dyers
The Company of Dyers is pleased to support a growing list of bursaries, prizes and support grants to students at technical colleges and in universities across the UK.
The Worshipful Company of Engineers
Grants are given to undergraduate students at British Universities studying engineering subjects who are suffering hardship and would not complete their first degrees without financial support and postgraduate students (PhD or MSc), who have completed a first degree in engineering and at a British University who are suffering hardship and would not complete their courses and be awarded their postgraduate qualifications without financial support.
https://engineerscompany.org.uk/engineers-trust/
The Founders Company
The bulk of the annual income is spent on educational grants and bursaries, the larger elements being grants relevant to metallurgy and materials engineering.
https://www.foundersco.org.uk/the-charity
The Worshipful Company of Framework Knitters
Students in further and higher education about to enter the final year of a diploma or first degree, on a postgraduate course, or registered for a research degree, are eligible to apply. Students of design, management, marketing, science and technology relevant to the knitting/knitwear industries are eligible for consideration. Applicants are normally British citizens and resident in the United Kingdom.
https://www.frameworkknitters.co.uk/student-bursaries/
The Grocer’s Company
In 2003 The Grocers’ Company, in conjunction with the Charity, set aside £500,000 to establish an endowment fund to mark HM The Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the income from which is used to provide scholarships to help London University to attract students of exceptional ability. Initially, The Grocers’ Company Queen’s Golden Jubilee Scholarship Fund is providing scholarships at Imperial College and University College London, which commenced in the academic year 2003/04. The scholarships are awarded to students nominated by the respective colleges.
https://www.grocershall.co.uk/index.php/charity/education/
The Worshipful Company of Launderers
The Company has a charitable and education trust which aims to give scholarships for the further education of people pursing studies of benefit to the laundry industry.
The LeatherSellers company
The company awards University Exhibitions (grants), to study for a full-time Degree at any UK university. Applications are particularly welcomed from students of engineering or subjects connected with the leather trade or from students who intend to take Holy Orders.
https://www.leathersellers.co.uk/charitablefund/
The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards
The Trust was initially for beneficiaries and dependants of those who were or had been employed in the manufacture of Playing Cards. Later, the objectives of the Trust were widened to provide for the relief of need, hardship and distress, especially among children, and the provision of financial assistance for the education, and wellbeing, for those under 25.
https://www.makersofplayingcards.co.uk/MPC_Charity.htm#Apply
Worshipful Company of Marketors
The Marketers’ Scholarship award of £10,000 is for a Full-Time MBA student at Cass Business School who has opted for marketing subjects as his or her main focus.
https://www.marketors.org/Charity/Marketors-Trust
The Worshipful Company of Musicians
The Musicians’ Company awards include Scholarships, platforms and silver and bronze medals.
https://www.wcom.org.uk/what-we-do/yeoman-awards/
The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers
The Worshipful Company of Pattenmakers supports the Clinical Podiatry Practice within the School of Health and Bioscience of the University of East London. It also supports two students at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
The Worshipful Company of Scientific Instrument Makers
The Company offers an apprenticeship, mentoring and bursary to help students through A’levels and university. Subjects taken include Engineering, both mechanical and electronic, Scientists from all disciplines: Nanotechnology, Nuclear and Medical Physics, Genetics, Astronomy and more:
https://www.wcsim.co.uk/support/
The Worshipful Company of Shipwrights
Awards are primarily made to individuals to support them in their training at one of the schools teaching modern and traditional timber ship and boat building, or to universities and colleges teaching naval architecture, and marine engineering.
https://www.shipwrights.co.uk/education/billmeir-award-scheme
The Stationers’ Company
Give scholarships to people entering a related trade towards their university studies. See full list on page. Preference is given to students who intend to pursue a course of study, or educational project of particular merit, associated with printing, bookbinding, paper conservation, stationery, papermaking, publishing, book selling or newspaper production and includes subjects such as advertising, editing, creative writing, website design. Recent awards have averaged £2,000 each.
https://stationers.org/education-charity.html
The Worshipful Company of Upholders (Upholsterers)
The Company awards bursaries and prizes to students at the Sir John Cass Department, London Metropolitan University studying Upholstery, Soft Furnishing, Furniture Restoration and Cabinet Making.
The Vintners Company
Every year the Company awards trade scholarships to the tune of some £9,300 through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and the Institute of Masters of Wine. These awards allow students to pursue their studies by visiting wine producing regions.
https://www.vintnershall.co.uk/?page=schol_bursaries
