Bursaries for Care Experienced Students

Bursaries for Care Experienced Students

Students who have experienced care are eligible for these awards provided by The University of London Scholars Programme and for Love Macdonald Bursaries, donated in memory of Barry Macdonald.


Courses: All undergradaute and postgraduate courses. Acting and Gap Year Diploma students also eligible

Eligibility: Home/ ELQ/ Overseas Care Leavers. 

Duration of Award: Awarded each year for the duration of studies

Value of Award: At least £1,000

Application Details: All eligible applicants will be automatically awarded funding. Further information on support for care experienced students can be found here.

About Barry MacDonald

Barry MacDonald (1948-2016) was a kind, witty and fearsomely clever man with a lifelong enthusiasm for theatre and the arts.  

During his varied and successful career he ran an international television news agency, worked on the relaunch of a major disability charity and was a founding director of the National Lottery Community Fund. He was also a non-executive director for a number of organisations including Kent Opera, the London Ambulance Service and the Department for Energy and Climate Change.  

Barry was a great believer in the power of theatre to bring people together and free their creativity. He was involved in running several amateur theatre companies in south west London, drawing on his extensive management experience. In his late 30s he discovered his own acting talent, and with his glorious speaking voice was in constant demand in plays ranging from Shaw’s Pygmalion to Dennis Potter’s Blue Remembered Hills. Shortly before his death he won an Arts Richmond Award for his performance as Malvolio in Twelfth Night.  

Having grown up in a pre-fab on an estate in south east London, Barry never forgot how access to education had transformed his life. As a result he was passionate about ensuring that all young people should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential regardless of their background. That is why his partner Alison Love chose to support this bursary for care leavers in his name, to keep his thoughtful generous spirit alive.  

Barry MacDonald

University of London Scholars Programme

Central is one of 17 independent federal member institutions of the University of London. The UoL Scholars’ Programme is funding scholarships across member institutions and is in support of UoL’s strategy to help young people across London flourish – while narrowing social, economic and health inequalities – and aims to close the attainment gap between students. Central has chosen to direct these awards to students who have experienced care.