BPTC scholarships

Nov 14, 2024

Written By Jos Weale and Becky Kells

The Bar training Courses (known as the BTC, BPC, BVS, Bar Course) is an expensive part of becoming a barrister, but there are lots of scholarships out there to help you out.

From the enticing offers of Inns of Courts to some financial support opportunities from Bar training courses providers, it’s worth having a snoop round to check out what scholarships are out there. The majority of scholarships are offered on a merit basis, but there are diversity-focused awards and bursaries awarded on the basis of financial need too.

Inns of Courts scholarships

The first port of call for many will be Inns of Court Scholarships. Around £6 million is awarded annually and a sizeable chunk of this goes to Bar training courses students. Applicants must be a member of the Inn of Court to apply for the scholarship. Applicants may only apply for a scholarship in any single 'round of applications from one of the four Inns of Court.

Inner Temple

For 2025, the Inner Temple aims to provide over £1.7 million in scholarships for those undertaking the Bar course.

The Inner Temple's Bar Course Scholarships are awarded in three main categories- Named Scholarships, Major Scholarships and Exhibition Scholarships. The largest awards are:

Peter Taylor Scholarship of £22,000;
Stephen Chapman Scholarship of £21,000;
Five Princess Royal Scholarships of £20,000.
The maximum value for the Major Scholarship and Exhibition Scholarship is £20,000

Inner Temple also provides financial support to cover fees such as the membership admission fees and Call to the Bar fees. Additionally, it has disability grants for those affected by serious disability.

Middle Temple

Middle Temple offers a number of scholarships to Bar course students and you do not have to be a member of the Inn when applying to the scholarship, providing that you are not member of one of the other three Inns either. In 2024, over £1.2m was offered in Bar Course scholarships Major scholarships include:

The Queen Mothers’ Scholarship, which is intended to assist “outstanding candidates”;
Diplock Scholarships, preference being given to those who didn’t study law at undergraduate level;
Jules Thorn Scholarships;
Diana, Princess of Wales, and Duke and Duchess of Cambridge scholarships: awarded to a candidate who is “specially deserving of financial assistance”; who has "overcome adversity".

There are numerous more scholarships, with a list of more than 30 benefactor's scholarships on the middle temple website. Scholarships are merit-based, but there are some which have additional criteria, such as a state-school education, for example.

Lincoln’s Inn

Lincoln’s Inn's Bar Course Scholarship has around £1,730,500 to offer each year. These are all awarded based on merit: taking into account personality and presentation as well as intellectual qualities.

Scholarships include:

The Lord Mansfield- the most prestigious scholarship and the Inn offers up to ten of these awards.

Lord Denning; Marchant and Tancred, the next most prestegious awards.

Cassel; Droop; Kennedy; Mary MacMurray; Sir Thomas More. These minor scholarships are all offered at the same level.

Gray's Inn Scholarships

Gray's Inn aims to award approximately £1.2 million in scholarships, with a majority being allocated to Bar Course Scholarships. In addition, it has introduced four New scholarships, each with a minimum value of £20,000, to be awarded in 2019.

Alongside these, the following scholarships are also available:

Up to 8 Bedingfield Scholarships, worth a minimum of £5,000 and a maximum of £30,000.

Up to 4 Prince of Wales Scholarships, worth a minimum of £5,000 and a maximum of £30,000.

Up to 50 Named Scholarships, worth a minimum of £5,000 and a maximum of £30,000.

Residential Scholarships, which are awarded in addition to Bar course scholarships, worth £10,000.

Bar Training Course provider scholarships

BPP

BPP have quite a significant scholarship programme, many of the awards are aimed at, or specifically for, their Bar Training Course (BTC) students. Some are merit-based, whilst others take into account financial circumstances and diversity.

These include:

BTC Excellence Scholarship: up to £1,000

BTC Advocacy Scholarship: up to £2,000

Northumbria University

The Northumbria Law School offers five Bar Course Scholarships to students who have applied to study the Bar Course at Northumbria University. Successful applicants will enjoy a full waiver of the fees for the Bar Course at the university.

University of Law

The University of Law has a total of 7 Bar Practice Course (BPC) awards on offer in areas including:

Three Senior Scholar awards: £3,400
Two Advocacy Scholarships (London): £2,400
Two Advocacy Scholarships (Birmingham and Leeds): £2,150

There are also a number of scholarships available which can be used for any course studied at the University of Law. It is worth checking the University of Law's website to keep up-to-date with these.

Other scholarships

11KBW

11KBW awards an annual scholarship of £30,000 towards tuition fees and maintenance for a Black student. Additionally, successful student will also receive mentoring from members of 11KBW and a guaranteed assessed mini-pupillage.

CPS Anthony Walker Scholarship

For Bar courses students from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background studying at a university in the North West or Merseyside region, you may be eligible to apply for the Anthony Walker postgraduate bursary. If successful, scholars will be sponsored for the first year of their Bar course.

Scholarships