Bursary guidelines

ScreenSkills offers bursaries up to £3,000 to remove financial barriers to entering or progressing your career in film, TV and animation. Find out about what we fund and everything you need to know before, during and after you apply.

Overview

We offer funding of up to £3,000 to individuals currently working in film, TV, or animation who want to progress their careers, as well as those looking to enter or transition into roles within the UK screen industries.

Applications are open all year-round – exactly how much funding you can apply for, and what’s covered, depends on your career stage. We cover the four career stages and how to identify yours in section two of these guidelines.

In general, we fund training courses which cover practical skills you need for paid work, up to 3 months full-time or 6 months part-time. We also fund specific equipment to develop your skills behind the camera, as well as supporting costs to help you access training or paid work – such as travel, accommodation, food, care and disability access support.

We prioritise applications from freelancers, but you can still apply if you’re working on a continuous contract. For animation applications, we prioritise people working (or wanting to work) on TV series and feature film productions, as the financial support for bursaries comes from these areas.

In these guidelines:

Check if you're eligible
Find out what we fund and how much you can apply for
Get ready to apply
Apply for a bursary
What happens after you apply
More information (including how we fund bursaries, diversity and inclusion, your data and privacy, fraud prevention, and complaints and appeals)

Need support?

If you have a question that's not covered in these guidelines, or you need additional support to apply, please email bursaries@screenskills.com. We can set up a call (on the phone or over Zoom) to understand how we can best help you.

For any technical problems, email our support team at support@screenskills.com.

Looking for bursary funding for work in the screen heritage sector instead?

Find out more about the BFI Screen Heritage Fund.

1. Check if you're eligible

Answer a few questions to see if you’re likely to be eligible for a bursary.

If your answers show you're eligible, you'll still need to apply, and it doesn't guarantee your application will be successful.

To apply, you must also:

be 18 or over
be eligible to work in the UK
have a UK bank account
work in the UK screen industries (film, tv and animation), or show you'd like to work in them (covered in section three, ‘Get ready to apply’)
not currently be in full-time or part-time education studying a degree or equivalent

We can only offer you one bursary at a time

You can apply to fund multiple costs in one bursary application, but if you already have a bursary with us, we can't accept another application until it ends.

If you submit multiple applications, we'll only review the first one and will decline any other applications we receive.

When to apply

Applications are open year-round, but you need to apply for funding for work costs or training courses before they start. We can't fund anything you've paid for before you apply, like training, accommodation, food or care costs.

For training courses, please submit your application no more than 3 months in advance, and at least one week before the course starts. For example, if you apply on a Monday, the course must not start before the Tuesday of the next week.

It takes at least 4 weeks for us to review your application, so if you apply for a bursary and then pay for costs before you hear back, you do so at your own risk. We can cover these costs if your application is successful, but we can’t reimburse you if your application is unsuccessful.

2. Find out what we fund and how much you can apply for

We split careers into four stages - Entry, Early, Experienced and Expert – and offer funding across all of them.

In general, we offer funding for:

training courses – usually up to three months full-time or six months part-time
specific equipment you need to develop your skills
supporting costs to help you access training and paid work opportunities

Check our training courses for the types of courses eligible for funding.

The exact amount of funding you can apply for, what's covered and what you'll need to evidence your costs, depends on what stage of your career you’re currently at.

Identify your career stage

We know careers aren’t linear or an exact science, so check the descriptions to identify which career stage applies to you. If you're not sure, choose the stage that feels most relevant right now.

We won't reject any applications based on which career stage you choose

If we think you're at a different stage to what you include in your application, we'll change this for you. We'll contact you to let you know if it affects what you've applied for, and ask you if we need any more information.

The four career stages

Entry: you're not yet working, or have just started working, in the screen industries
Early: you're starting to establish your career
Experienced: you're established and progressing your career
Expert: you're highly regarded in your field

1. Entry: you're not yet working, or have just started working, in the screen industries

Maximum funding available: £1,000. We'll fund up to 100% of your total costs if they come to £1000 or less. This might be you if:

you know the screen industries are for you, even if you don't know exactly what your career looks like yet
you're working towards your first full-time role or professional production credits
you don't manage people or budgets, and don't spend money on behalf of the production or company

What's covered and how to evidence your costs

You can apply to fund multiple costs in one bursary application. Here’s what we fund for ‘Entry’ stage applicants and what you’ll need to evidence your costs.

1. Training courses (up to three months full-time or six months part-time)

We don't offer bursaries on courses we already fund. Please ask the training provider if the course is funded by ScreenSkills before you apply. In your application, tell us why you need this training for the career stage you're in, and how it'll help in your role (or a future role if you're not working in the industry yet).

As evidence for training course costs, you'll need:

the name of the specific training course or courses you want to attend
a link to the course outline
the name and address of the training provider
the training dates and confirmation that the course is going ahead
confirmation of course costs and booking confirmation, or contact between you and the provider to show there are currently places available on your chosen dates

2. Travel costs for training or short-term work (three months or less)

We only fund travel costs between your home and the training site, or between your home and your accommodation. We don't cover travel between your accommodation and the training site, unless it's a part of our disability access support.

We expect you to use public transport where possible

We only cover standard class or economy rates for trains and planes. If you need to use your own transport, we cover 25p per mile by car and 24p per mile by motorbike or scooter. Your vehicle must be road-legal, and we might ask for copies of your driving license, insurance and MOT.

As evidence for travel costs, you’ll need:

For journeys more than 25 miles

a description or link showing the journey from your home to the training site
a breakdown of costs (for example, ticket quotes or mileage receipts)

For journeys less than 25 miles

we don't usually support this, but you can explain in your personal statement in section three any exceptional circumstances (for example, mobility issues) which mean you need travel support
a breakdown of costs (for example, ticket quotes or mileage receipts)

3. Accommodation for training or short-term work (three months or less)

For accommodation in London, we fund up to £165 a night. Outside of London, we fund up to £135 a night.

As evidence for accommodation costs, you’ll need:

a description or link of the distance from your home to the training
a website link to your chosen accommodation and a breakdown of costs (quote for the room or apartment)
an explanation of why you need to stay away from home (for example, this could be because travelling home would be unsafe, or if it costs less to stay rather than travel back and forth)

4. Equipment

laptops, tablets, computers and camera equipment up to £800 - we only fund up to 50% of total laptop, tablet and computer costs
wet weather gear, up to £200
equipment hire

As evidence, your application must include a clear reason for your choice of device

If you're applying for funding to buy or rent equipment, clothing or software licenses, as evidence you'll need:

the name of your chosen equipment, clothing or software supplier
the specification, make and model, and why you need it to develop in your role or career stage
a quote for the cost of the equipment, clothing or software

We encourage you to choose the most cost-effective choices

We don't fund the highest spec kit available. For example, if a second-hand computer can do what you need, we won't fund a new Mac.

We may consider funding more than 50% for computer equipment if you can both:

demonstrate good value for money (second-hand or refurbished)
clearly demonstrate why the equipment is essential for your role

If you need multiple pieces of equipment, choose the most important ones

Please prioritise one or two which are essential for your next steps. We only fund the maximum amount available in exceptional circumstances and strongly encourage applications which show value for money.

5. Food costs per day (if not provided by your employer or training provider)

We cover £5 for breakfast, £10 for lunch and £15 for dinner, if you're more than 25 miles away from home. We don’t cover the cost of any alcohol. Please keep itemised receipts as evidence of food costs.

If you're less than 25 miles away and need support with food, you can explain your circumstances in your personal statement in section three.

6. Care costs

We fund care costs up to £75 a day (maximum £1,500 a year). As evidence you'll need to provide:

the name and contact details of your career
a DBS certificate or link to your carer's website
a breakdown of costs

7. Disability access support to help you take up work or attend training

Examples of disability support we've funded before include, but aren’t limited to:

assistive technology
BSL interpreters
equipment costs to help you work, where funding isn't available from your employer

If you'd like to speak to us about this before applying, please email us. As evidence of these costs, you'll need to show a:

description of the type of support you need and why (for example, a support worker or specific equipment)
breakdown of costs (for example, quote for support worker services or links to equipment prices)

What's not covered for ‘Entry’ stage applicants

the cost of driving lessons
anything listed in ‘What we don't fund’

2. Early: you're starting to establish your career

Maximum funding available: £2,000. We can fund up to 80% of your total costs.

This might be you if you:

know roughly which role or department you want to work in, but might not be regularly working in it yet
have experience in one industry area but want to pursue another
have two or more professional production credits or have been employed in industry roles on two or more occasions
sometimes manage people at your level
have minor budget responsibilities, like handling petty cash or getting quotes for goods and services

What's covered and how to evidence your costs

You can apply to fund multiple costs in one bursary application. Here’s what we fund for ‘Early’ stage applicants and what you’ll need to evidence your costs.

1. Training courses (up to three months full-time or six months part-time)

As evidence for training course costs, you'll need:

the name of the specific training course or courses you want to attend
a link to a copy of the course outline
the name and address of the training provider
the training dates and confirmation that the course is going ahead
confirmation of course costs and booking confirmation, or contact between you and the provider to show there are currently places available on your chosen dates

2. Travel costs for training or short-term work (three months or less)

We expect you to use public transport where possible

As evidence for travel costs, you’ll need:

For journeys more than 25 miles

a description or link showing the journey from your home to the training site
a breakdown of costs (for example, ticket quotes or mileage receipts)

For journeys less than 25 miles

we don't usually support this, but (you can explain in your personal statement in section three) any exceptional circumstances (for example, mobility issues) which mean you need travel support
a breakdown of costs (for example, ticket quotes or mileage receipts)

3. Driving lessons

We fund the cost of driving lessons up to £1,262 (in line with the UK's average cost to pass your test). As evidence you’ll need to:

show you have provisional confirmation of lessons from your chosen instructor
give a breakdown of costs – for example, if there's an hourly rate, tell us how many hours of lessons you're planning
show evidence that you missed out on work because you can't drive, or that the jobs you're applying for need a full driving license.

We don't accept personal accounts of a time when you didn't get a job, you need to give evidence such as:

a note from the employer
screenshots of job adverts showing the job title
communication showing you missed out on work because you can't drive

4. Accommodation for training or short-term work (three months or less)

For accommodation in London, we fund up to £165 a night. Outside of London, we fund up to £135 a night.

As evidence for accommodation costs, you’ll need:

a description or link of the distance from your home to the training
a website link to your chosen accommodation and a breakdown of costs (quote for the room or apartment)
an explanation of why you need to stay away from home (for example, this could be because travelling home would be unsafe, or if it costs less to stay rather than travel back and forth)

5. Equipment

laptops, tablets, computers and camera equipment up to £1000 - we only fund up to 50% of laptop, tablet and computer costs
wet weather gear, up to £200
equipment hire

As evidence, your application must include a clear reason for your choice of device

Tell us the specification, make and model, and why you need it to develop in your role or career stage.

We encourage you to choose the most cost-effective choices

We don't fund the highest spec kit available. For example, if a second-hand computer can do what you need, we won't fund a new Mac.

We may consider funding more than 50% for computer equipment if you can both:

demonstrate good value for money (second-hand or refurbished)
clearly demonstrate why the equipment is essential for your role

If you need multiple pieces of equipment

6. Food costs per day (if not provided by your employer or training provider)

If you're less than 25 miles away and need support with food, you can explain your circumstances in your personal statement in section three.

7. Care costs

We fund care costs up to £75 a day (maximum £1,500 a year). As evidence you'll need to provide:

the name and contact details of your career
a DBS certificate or link to your carer's website
a breakdown of costs

8. Disability access support to help you take up work or attend training

Examples of disability support we've funded before include, but aren’t limited to:

assistive technology
BSL interpreters
equipment costs to help you work, where funding isn't available from your employer

If you'd like to speak to us about this before applying, please email us. As evidence of these costs, you'll need to show a:

description of the type of support you need and why (for example, a support worker or specific equipment)
breakdown of costs (for example, quote for support worker services or links to equipment prices)

What's not covered for ‘Early’ stage applicants

We don’t fund anything listed in ‘What we don't fund’.

3. Experienced: you're established and progressing your career

Maximum funding available: £3,000

If your total costs are £1,250 or less, we’ll cover up to 80% of the total
If your total costs are more than £1,250, we’ll cover:
- up to 80% of the first £1,250
- up to 50% of anything above that (up to £3,000)

This might be you if:

you're regularly working in your chosen role or department
you have several professional production credits in your current role, or are transferring with advanced skills from another area
you have your own budget and report to a more senior member of the production or company
you manage other entry and early-stage career people in your team or department

What's covered and how to evidence your costs

You can apply to fund multiple costs in one bursary application. Here’s what we fund for ‘Experienced’ stage applicants and what you’ll need to evidence your costs.

1. Training and coaching

Training courses up to 3 months full-time or six months part-time
Bespoke or executive coaching
Bespoke or executive training

In your application, tell us why you need this training or coaching for the career stage you're in, and how it'll help in your current, or a future, role.

As evidence for training course costs you'll need:

the name of the specific training course or courses you want to attend
a link to a copy of the course outline
the name and address of the training provider
the training dates and confirmation that the course is going ahead
confirmation of course costs and booking confirmation, or contact between you and the provider to show there are currently places available on your chosen dates

As evidence for bespoke or executive coaching or training you’ll need a:

written statement explaining the purpose, how you'll use it and why it'll help your career, and why funding isn't available by other means
company-headed letter or email from the training provider outlining the training or coaching plan
quote from the provider for the cost

2. Travel costs for training or short-term work (three months or less)

We expect you to use public transport where possible

As evidence for travel costs, you’ll need:

For journeys more than 25 miles

a description or link showing the journey from your home to the training site
a breakdown of costs (for example, ticket quotes or mileage receipts)

For journeys less than 25 miles

we don't usually support this, but (you can explain in your personal statement in section three) any exceptional circumstances (for example, mobility issues) which mean you need travel support
a breakdown of costs (for example, ticket quotes or mileage receipts)

3. Driving lessons

We fund the cost of driving lessons up to £1,262 (in line with the UK's average cost to pass your test). As evidence you’ll need to:

show you have provisional confirmation of lessons from your chosen instructor
give a breakdown of costs – for example, if there's an hourly rate, tell us how many hours of lessons you're planning
show evidence that you missed out on work because you can't drive, or that the jobs you're applying for need a full driving license.

We don't accept personal accounts of a time when you didn't get a job, you need to give evidence such as:

a note from the employer
screenshots of job adverts showing the job title
communication showing you missed out on work because you can't drive

4. Accommodation for training or short-term work (three months or less)

For accommodation in London, we fund up to £165 a night. Outside of London, we fund up to £135 a night.

As evidence for accommodation costs, you’ll need:

a description or link of the distance from your home to the training
a website link to your chosen accommodation and a breakdown of costs (quote for the room or apartment)
an explanation of why you need to stay away from home (for example, this could be because travelling home would be unsafe, or if it costs less to stay rather than travel back and forth)

5. Equipment

laptops, tablets, computers and camera equipment up to £1000 - we only fund up to 50% of laptop, tablet and computer costs
wet weather gear, up to £200
equipment hire

As evidence, your application must include a clear reason for your choice of device

Tell us the specification, make and model, and why you need it to develop in your role or career stage.

We encourage you to choose the most cost-effective choices

We don't fund the highest spec kit available. For example, if a second-hand computer can do what you need, we won't fund a new Mac.

In exceptional cases, where you can show equipment is essential for your role and demonstrates good value for money (like second-hand or refurbished options) we might consider funding more than 50% of the total equipment cost.

If you need multiple pieces of equipment

6. Food costs per day (if not provided by your employer or training provider)

If you're less than 25 miles away and need support with food, you can explain your circumstances in your personal statement in section three.

7. Care costs

We fund care costs up to £75 a day (maximum £1,500 a year). As evidence you'll need to provide:

the name and contact details of your career
a DBS certificate or link to your carer's website
a breakdown of costs

8. Disability access support to help you take up work or attend training

Examples of disability support we've funded before include, but aren’t limited to:

assistive technology
BSL interpreters
equipment costs to help you work, where funding isn't available from your employer

If you'd like to speak to us about this before applying, please email us. As evidence of these costs, you'll need to show a:

description of the type of support you need and why (for example, a support worker or specific equipment)
breakdown of costs (for example, quote for support worker services or links to equipment prices)

What's not covered for ‘Experienced’ stage applicants

We don’t fund anything listed in ‘What we don't fund’.

4. Expert: you're highly regarded in your field

Maximum funding available: £3,000

If your total costs are £1,250 or less, we’ll cover 80% of the total
If your total costs are more than £1,250, we’ll cover:
- 80% of the first £1,250
- 50% of anything above that (up to £3,000)

This might be you if:

you're regularly working in your chosen role or department
you have a number of professional production credits in your current role, or are transferring with advanced skills from another area
you have your own budget and report to a more senior member of the production or company
you manage other entry and early-stage career people in your team or department

What's covered and how to evidence your costs

You can apply to fund multiple costs in one bursary application. We offer Expert stage applicants the same funding opportunities as Experienced stage applicants. Check the ‘Experienced’ section for full information on what we fund and what you’ll need to evidence your costs.

What's not covered for ‘Expert’ stage applicants

We don’t fund anything listed in ‘What we don't fund’.

What we don't fund

These are costs we don’t fund across any of the career stages.

1. Industries, roles and projects

We don't fund costs for:

actors, voice-over artists, presenters and performers
professionals in the video and music industries
project development, like buying equipment to make your own films
film production, including graduation films
distribution or licensing

2. Generic or speculative equipment requests

We only fund requests for specific equipment makes and models when you give a clear reason why you need it for your role or career stage.

3. Training and studying

We don't fund costs for:

any training courses which start more than 3 months away, or within a week of submitting your application
theoretical and academic courses
training that ScreenSkills has already subsidised or funded
full-time or part-time undergraduate or postgraduate courses
tickets to industry conferences or festivals without a formal training element

4. Other

We don't fund costs for:

debts or general living expenses
things your employer should cover, like accommodation and travel to training they provide
things you've already paid for such as accommodation, care, food or training

3. Get ready to apply

Prepare the information and documents you'll need to apply, and understand the assessment criteria we use to review your application.

Whatever career stage you're in, you'll need:

1. A CV

Please include any relevant screen credits, if you have them.

2. A 500-word personal statement

Please explain how the funding will help your career and how you meet the assessment criteria listed below.

We want to support individuals from underrepresented groups in the screen industries. If you’ve faced barriers to progressing your career in the screen sector, including if you’re from an underrepresented group, you can tell us in your application.

Our assessment team will only make decisions based on the information you share in your application – we do not have access to your diversity profile.

3. Evidence of the costs you want us to fund

You can apply for several different costs together as part of one application, like training, travel and accommodation. Please itemise the costs and include the evidence needed for each, depending on your career stage.

4. Your income tax band

We'll ask for it as part of the application process. If you’re not sure, find out your income tax band.

Depending on your career stage, you'll also need:

Entry: two letters of recommendation

Your referees don't need to work in the screen industries

It’s great if they do. But if they work outside the industry, they can use their reference to highlight your transferable skills instead.

Please ask your referees to explain why:

they think you're committed to the screen industries
you'd be an asset to the screen industries
you need a bursary to help you succeed

At least one of the letters must:

be from a professional or academic (for example, a colleague or former teacher)
written on headed paper
have an email address from the company or college, so we can verify it

Early: proof of working in the industry

Include one of the following:

A link to your IMDb page
A link to your LinkedIn profile
Two professional references

If you're including professional references, they must:

be from a professional or academic (for example, a colleague or former teacher)
written on headed paper
have an email address from the company or college, so we can verify it

Please ask your referees to explain:

how you've shown you're committed to the screen industries
how you've developed in your skills or career since they first met you
why they believe you should receive a bursary

Experienced: proof of working in the industry for three to seven years

Include one of the following:

A link to your IMDb page
A link to your LinkedIn profile

Expert: proof of working in the industry for over seven years

Include one of the following:

A link to your IMDb page
A link to your LinkedIn profile

How we assess your application

The ScreenSkills bursary team will review your application using the eligibility criteria and funding guidelines for your specific career stage.

In your 500-word personal statement, we’re looking for you to show:

1. Why you need financial support, including:

which industry you work in, or what you're doing to move into the industry
clear reasons why you need financial support
how the bursary will remove financial obstacles to your career development
why you need funding now

2. Any barriers you face, or might face, in your career, including:

any barriers to accessing or being included in your specific role, career stage, or the industry in general. For example, because of where you live or if you're part of an under-represented group.
if you've been affected by the cost-of-living crisis. Tell us how this impacted your ability to invest in your own training and development – like if you've had to use money which you set aside for personal development to support your living costs instead. Please give specific examples with as much detail as possible.

3. How funding might benefit you, and the industry, in the future, including:

the long-term value you can bring to the screen industries, particularly if you're filling, or are likely to fill, a skills gap or priority area.
what your next steps would be if you were successful, so we can see how the funding fits into your broader career development plan.

4. Apply for a bursary

Once you've read the assessment criteria and have your documents and evidence ready, complete the application form.

Apply now

Please check your application before submitting because we can't review applications which:

are incomplete
contain misleading information
don't meet these bursary guidelines

After you submit, we'll contact you with the outcome within four weeks and let you know if we need any more information.

5. What happens after you apply

We'll email you with the outcome either way, within four weeks

At busy times it might take us a little longer to get back to you, but we'll let you know if anything changes. We might need to ask for more information about your application – in this case, our decision time will depend on how long it takes you to get back to us.

Please check your junk, spam and other email folders regularly for updates and mark us as a safe sender. To make sure opportunities are equal, we can't speed up applications for any individual cases. And we can't accept responsibility for any money you spend before hearing back from us.

What happens next: if your application is successful

1. We'll email you a bursary offer letter (called a ‘Funding Agreement’)

This covers the details of your bursary, your payment schedule, and our terms and conditions. You need to accept this within two weeks, otherwise we'll withdraw the offer. If we offer you funding and you don't want to accept it, please let us know.

Knowing where your funding's come from

Your offer letter will detail the source of funding specific to your award. ScreenSkills bursaries are supported by the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery, and by the screen industries contributions to the Film, High-end TV, Children’s TV, and Unscripted TV Skills Funds.

2. Before we can award your funding, you'll need to:

send us some information (like proof of a UK bank account and a copy of your formal ID) – we use anti-fraud systems to verify your identity
sign and return the offer letter to us (this is your 'Funding Agreement' with ScreenSkills)

3. We'll pay your first installment

This will take up to 15 working days (or 3 weeks) from when you formally accept our offer.

4. You use your funding as agreed in your application

You must spend the money as agreed and keep all receipts. We’ll include more specific payment terms in your offer letter. If you buy any equipment, please insure items wherever possible. We're not responsible for any loss, theft or damage for items you buy using bursary funding.

If you return any items, or cancel your planned activities, you're legally required to return all your bursary funding to ScreenSkills.

5. We'll follow up with you if we need to

This is to check that you're using your funding as agreed, to find out how the bursary has supported your career progression and to help us celebrate your wins with you.

Wherever possible, please credit and publicly acknowledge that you've been supported by the BFI National Lottery funding as part of ScreenSkills, and thank National Lottery players. This helps us spread the word about the value and benefits of this funding in increasing access to, and helping people progress in, the screen industries.

What happens next: if your application is unsuccessful

We’ll email you explaining why you didn’t get funding. We've also covered some of the most common reasons for unsuccessful applications below. Thank you so much for applying to ScreenSkills – you're welcome to apply again at any time.

Common reasons for unsuccessful applications

Your application might be unsuccessful because:

you didn't meet the bursary eligibility criteria or funding guidelines
you didn't show an ambition to work in the screen industries
you wanted to use the bursary to work on your own projects instead of paid work
you're not planning to work in a priority role or area where we need to prioritise funding (for example, where there are currently skills gaps or shortages in the screen industries)
you didn't show a compelling need for financial support when compared to other applicants. For example, you might be on a continuous contract with a more stable income than others, or you didn’t show how the cost-of-living crisis directly impacted your ability to invest in your own training and development.
your equipment or training request didn't show value for money compared to other applications we received for similar items

6. More information

Why ScreenSkills bursaries exist

ScreenSkills is a delegate partner of the British Film Institute, a charity which gets funding for bursaries from The National Lottery. Bursaries are also supported by the screen industries contributions to the film, high-end TV, children’s TV, and unscripted TV skills funds.

We want people from under-represented groups across the UK to get the support they need to develop their career and skills, and to support the growth and longevity of the screen industries.

We measure the success of bursaries using the British Film Institute's inclusion targets for National Lottery Funds, and industry inclusions targets for the Skills Funds.

Managing bursary funding

We have a limited amount of bursary funds to invest in supporting people in the screen industries. To make sure funding is available throughout the year, we might not be able to offer you the maximum amount you asked for.

If we fund a larger amount of bursaries than budgeted during one part of the year, we might close applications for a period to make sure we're fairly distributing bursaries during each financial year.

We can adjust our application approvals at any time to make sure we're balancing how we use our funds. For example, if a certain role, skill, demographic, piece of equipment or type of training gets a disproportionate amount of bursary funding, we may focus more on funding other areas of need.

Data, privacy and fraud prevention

We want to make sure that bursary funds reach the right people and are used in the right way. When you apply, you agree that we can share the personal information you give with fraud prevention agencies, who use it to verify your identity, and prevent fraud and money-laundering.

If fraud is detected, we'll automatically decline your bursary application. Fraud prevention agencies will keep a record of any fraud or money laundering risk, which might result in other companies declining services, finance or employment to you.

Find out more about your data protection rights and how ScreenSkills, and fraud prevention agencies, use your information.

Diversity and inclusion

We aim to be an inclusive organisation, committed to meeting the aims of our diversity and equal opportunities policy in line with the Equality Act 2010. We also support the screen industries’ aim for their workforces to reflect the UK’s diversity.

Our bursaries support talented people, and especially people from underrepresented groups, to access, or progress in, the screen industries. This is particularly important in circumstances where people feel that the screen industries are not open to them, whatever their career experience and stage.

When you apply for a bursary, you may choose to tell us about any barriers you’ve faced in progressing your career in the screen industries, including if you’re from an underrepresented group. We won't use any information you give in your diversity profile on equality monitoring forms as part of the assessment process.

We use information about diversity to help us monitor bursary applications, take-up and benefit. Find out more in our guide to diversity and inclusion monitoring.

How to appeal

If you believe ScreenSkills didn't follow the application review process correctly, and this affected the outcome of your application unfairly, you can make a formal appeal.

If you want to make an appeal on the above grounds, email bursaries@screenskills.com with “Bursary Decision Appeal” in the subject line. We don't accept appeals if you submitted an incomplete application and want to add more information after you've been unsuccessful.

We last updated these guidelines in August 2025 and can amend them at any time. If you have any questions, email bursaries@screenskills.com.

How to make a complaint

We aim to provide a fair and positive experience to everyone. If you don't feel satisfied with the service you've experienced, find out more about our complaints process.