CEF’s newest grant scheme has awarded £980,000 to 110 low-income students across Scotland, enabling them to begin postgraduate study at Scottish universities in 2026-27.

Carnegie Masters Grants, launched earlier this year, help to widen access to postgraduate education by filling the gap between the cost of studying and the funding available through government loans.

Successful applicants will undertake full- and part‑time master’s courses at 15 Scottish higher education institutions, with grants contributing to tuition fees and essential study expenses.

Awards span a wide mix of subjects important to Scotland’s social and economic future, including speech and language therapy, hydrogeology, finance and climate change, and psychotherapy.

The scheme will give an important boost to Scotland’s universities, which have seen a significant decline in international students studying at postgraduate level in recent years.

Malcolm Jack, Head of Grants and Operations at CEF, said:

“We’re thrilled to be supporting so many people in Scotland to pursue their ambitions. Many of the individuals we’re funding are the first in their families to go to university and others have overcome significant barriers to reach this stage.

Postgraduate education is increasingly important for graduate employment and outcomes, but access to funding is scarce and tuition fees are out of reach for many. We want to reduce the financial barriers that prevent talented students from progressing and hope these grants will open doors to new careers and opportunities.”

The scheme received 362 applications highlighting the high level of demand for access to postgraduate education for students from low-income backgrounds.

Applicants were asked to demonstrate how their chosen programme would help them achieve their career ambitions and the wider contribution it would enable them to make to Scotland.

Carnegie Masters Grants were introduced under CEF’s new strategy, which aims to embed equity and support success in Scotland’s higher education system.