Current student scholarships
Edinburgh Law School offers a range of different funding opportunities and awards to help current students with career development, further study and hardship circumstances.
These awards and scholarships are part of Edinburgh Law School’s commitment to enhancing opportunities for its students to reach their potential in whatever career they wish to pursue.
About the scholarships
Thanks to generous gifts and legacies from alumni, we are able offer scholarships to assist current Edinburgh Law School students on their path to achieving their career goals, and the scholarships have been supported by alumni for this purpose.
Eligibility and important information
Edinburgh Law School LLB, Graduate LLB, LLM, MSc, Diploma and PhD students are eligible to apply.
Career Development Scholarships will provide a bursary of up to a maximum amount of £2000 to each successful applicant in support of the costs of pursuing a career development opportunity such as an internship, work placement, or fellowship within an organisation*. Conference attendance and similar kinds of activities will not be funded.
Awardees will be required to submit a report on their experience and a profile picture that can be shared with donors and the wider law school community.
*Internships, placements or fellowships
Any structured activity provided by an organisation that can be linked to your professional or personal development goals will be considered. This may include, for example, an internship at a UK or International Law Firm, conducting voluntary work for an aid organisation or global NGO, or other forms of placements that allow for reflective learning and development.
Application details
Only complete applications will be considered and must contain:
- A letter of motivation explaining the nature of the internship, placement or fellowship and the organisation in which it will be undertaken; the relationship between the applicant’s career ambitions and the internship, placement or fellowship, and the applicant’s motivation for undertaking it; the extent to which the applicant has undertaken courses and other forms of training relevant to the internship, placement or fellowship.
- Evidence of acceptance of the applicant for the internship, placement or fellowship, such as a letter or email of acceptance. Where a decision is pending, evidence of the application for the internship can be accepted on the understanding that any award of the Career Development Scholarship will be conditional upon a confirmed acceptance of the applicant by the organisation.
- A budget setting out estimates of:
- the income from undertaking the internship, placement or fellowship;
- the costs of undertaking the internship, placement or fellowship;
- the expected funding shortfall taking into account any support provided by the organisation at which the placement takes place; and
- any personal access to other resources to make up for such shortfall. Please note that having the ability to make up the shortfall does not preclude the applicant from obtaining a Career Development Scholarship, but is one of the factors that will be taken into account.
- Academic transcripts for all courses undertaken so far at Edinburgh.
- One letter of reference from an academic staff member at Edinburgh Law School.
- Proof of travel insurance for all activities outside of Edinburgh.
If you are interested in applying it is your responsibility to apply for and obtain the internship, placement or fellowship. The internship, placement or fellowship must take place in the calendar year of your application. Career Development Scholarships will not be awarded retrospectively.
Submit applications to Law.Alumni@ed.ac.uk. Only complete applications will be considered.
Applications for Academic Year 2025/26 are now open - closing Friday, 6 March. Applications will be considered in March 2026.
About the donors
Jack and Jean Wasserson Industry Support Scholarships
Established by the estate of the late Rodney Bernard Wasserson, alumnus of the school, in honour of Rodney’s parents, Jack and Jean Wasserson to support the success of students studying law.
The Gill Hollis Tercentenary Awards
The awards were established as a gift from Gill Hollis, alumna, in 2007 to mark 300 years of law at the University. The awards provide support for students to enrich their studies by accessing professional and cultural experiences through travel.
The Gilchrist Career Development Scholarships
These scholarships were established by Marlene Gilchrist, alumna, to assist current Edinburgh Law School students on their path to achieving their career goals, enhancing opportunities for its students to reach their potential in whatever career they wish to pursue.
The White and Case Career Development Scholarship
These scholarships were established by international law firm White & Case to allow students to pursue personal or professional development opportunities. White & Case work closely with Edinburgh Law School and take a keen interest in providing further opportunities for students wherever possible.
Recent awardees
About the scholarship
The Dalgety Scholarship awards £1,000 to incoming students (whether full-time or part-time) enrolling on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (the Diploma) at the University of Edinburgh Law School. This award is open to incoming students, as well as School of Law graduates. One award will be made per academic year.
Eligibility
The Dalgety Scholarship is for students enrolling on the Diploma at the University of Edinburgh Law School. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Must have completed a qualifying Scots Law LLB or Graduate LLB within the 3 years prior to undertaking the Diploma;
• Must have met at least one of your university’s widening access criteria while undertaking an undergraduate degree or the Graduate LLB.
Applicants will not be eligible for the Dalgety Scholarship if:
• The candidate has already been awarded, another full or partial scholarship to support their Diploma studies;
• The candidate is due to receive full or partial fee sponsorship from an employer.
Award Criteria
The award will be made on the basis of financial need and academic merit. This will be assessed via consideration of your application for the Diploma and your scholarship application.
Through your scholarship application, please tell us how the scholarship will assist you in making the most of your studies and the wider experiences available at Edinburgh Law School.
Candidates’ applications will be carefully reviewed by an awarding committee. The final decision is at the discretion of the committee.
How to Apply
You must submit your Diploma application before you apply for this scholarship. Please reference on your application (within the ‘Personal Statement’ section of the application form) that you are applying for the Dalgety Scholarship.
Once you have applied for admission, complete the Dalgety Scholarship application form and email it to law.diploma@ed.ac.uk
Download scholarship application form [Word doc]
Download scholarship application form [PDF]
You will only be considered for the scholarship after you have received and accepted an offer for a place on the Diploma (conditional or unconditional).
You will not receive any further communications until all the applications have been assessed and the award has been made. Applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of August at the latest.
Application Timeline
The deadline for applications to the Diploma and for the Dalgety Scholarship is 12 noon on Friday 8 May 2026. Key dates can be found on How to apply to the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.
Provisional award notification – late-August preceding your course start date
Scholarship award confirmation – September/October following matriculation to the Diploma.
Candidates must ensure their full tuition fee is paid and are encouraged to apply for postgraduate funding from SAAS. Any subsequent scholarship award is designed to contribute to the outstanding costs of postgraduate study.
Terms of application process and award
If, after applying, a candidate receives another scholarship award or confirmation of future employer sponsorship, they are required to contact law.diploma@ed.ac.uk to instruct us to withdraw their application. Such candidates will not be eligible for an award, as set out above (see Eligibility).
Part-time students are eligible to apply for the scholarship. However, it will be at the discretion of the panel to decide if the award should be split across the two years of study.
Feedback
Due to the volume of applications we expect to receive, we regret that we will be unable to provide feedback on individual applications.
About the scholarships
Ewen Cameron Travel and Summer School Scholarships (The Ewen Cameron Scholarships), endowed by a generous gift from an alumnus, is to support Edinburgh Law School students to undertake travel projects intended to further their personal or academic development, which may include participation in conferences or summer school participation.
Eligibility and important information
Edinburgh Law School LLB (Hons), Graduate LLB, MSc, LLM and Diploma students are eligible to apply.
The scholarships will provide a bursary of up to a maximum amount of £1000 to up to 10 successful applicants in support of the costs of:
(a) travel to an academic or professional conference which will enhance the research or professional profile of the student.
(b) participation in a taught summer school (online or in person), which makes a demonstrable contribution to a student’s educational, research or professional development.
(c) participation in other travel projects where a student can demonstrate benefit to their academic or professional goals.
Awardees will be required to submit a 1000 word report on their experience and profile picture that can be shared with donors and the wider law school community.
Application details
The process for applying for an Ewen Cameron Scholarship is competitive, and applications will be reviewed by a panel of Edinburgh Law School faculty.
Applicants must submit the following:
- Evidence of acceptance to attend, participate in and or present at an academic, professional or similar conference/activity OR Evidence of acceptance to attend and participate in a summer school relevant to your research or professional development.
- If you have applied for a conference or summer school, but have not secured an acceptance at the time of application for the Ewen Cameron Scholarships, you are eligible to apply. If selected, you may be conditionally approved, but will need to provide evidence you have been accepted before the disbursement of any funds.
- Letter of Motivation explaining your motivation, including why you wish to undertake conference travel or summer school, and how it relates to the development of your research or professional profile and/or career progression.
- Academic Transcript. Academic performance and excellence, where appropriate to the application. Please note that academic performance is not the sole criteria and the selection panel will consider academic results as only one dimension of the decision process.
- Budget to demonstrate financial need.
- One letter of reference from an academic staff member at Edinburgh Law School.
- Proof of travel insurance for all activities outside of Edinburgh.
If you are interested in applying it is your responsibility to apply for and obtain acceptance to a conference or summer school. The conference or summer school must take place in the calendar year of your application. Ewen Cameron Scholarships will not be awarded retrospectively.
Only complete applications will be considered.
Applications for Academic Year 2025/26 will open in April 2026 and the deadline is Sunday, 17 May 2026.
About Ewen Cameron
Ewen Cameron graduated with an LLB in 1956, and also holds a Master of Arts from the University of Edinburgh, which he graduated from in 1954.
Recent awardees
Margaret Malloch Award for Academic Excellence
About the award
An award of £1,500 will be given to the student who has the best academic record in the subjects they have taken during their first year of the Graduate LLB.
Eligibility and important information
This award is available for any first year student on the Graduate LLB degree programme at Edinburgh Law School proceeding into their second year of study.
Recipients will be asked to submit a short update on how the award has benefited them, which may be shared with donors or used for Edinburgh Law School promotion.
Margaret Malloch Award for Hardship
About the scholarship
Three scholarships of £1,000 may be awarded based on financial need.
Eligibility and important information
These awards are available for any first year student on the Graduate LLB degree programme at Edinburgh Law School, going into their second year of study.
Applicants must have passed all their first year subjects.
Application details
Application forms will be available from the Edinburgh Law School when applications open.
Only complete applications will be considered.
Recipients of the Margaret Malloch Scholarship may be asked to submit a short update on how the scholarship has benefited them, which may be shared with donors or used for Edinburgh Law School promotion.
Applications dates for Academic Year 2025/26 will be announced in 2026.
About the scholarship
The Vans Dunlop Diploma Scholarship awards £1,000 to incoming students (whether full-time or part-time) enrolling on the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (the Diploma) at the University of Edinburgh Law School. The scholarship is open to continuing and returning Edinburgh graduates. One award will be made per academic year.
Eligibility
The Vans Dunlop Diploma Scholarship is for students enrolling on the Diploma at the University of Edinburgh Law School. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Must have completed a qualifying Scots Law LLB or Graduate LLB within the 3 years prior to undertaking the Diploma;
- Must have met at least one of the University of Edinburgh’s widening access criteria an undergraduate degree or the Graduate LLB. More information on the University of Edinburgh's widening access criteria.
Applicants will not be eligible for the Vans Dunlop Diploma Scholarship if:
- The candidate has already been awarded, another full or partial scholarship to support their Diploma studies;
- The candidate is due to receive full or partial fee sponsorship from an employer.
Award Criteria
The award will be made on the basis of financial need and academic merit. This will be assessed via consideration of your application for the Diploma and your scholarship application.
Through your scholarship application, please tell us how the scholarship will assist you in making the most of your studies and the wider experiences available at Edinburgh Law School.
Candidates’ applications will be carefully reviewed by an awarding committee. The final decision is at the discretion of the committee.
How to Apply
You must submit your Diploma application before you apply for this scholarship. Please reference on your application (within the ‘Personal Statement’ section of the application form) that you are applying for the Vans Dunlop Diploma Scholarship.
Once you have applied for admission, complete the Vans Dunlop Diploma Scholarship application form and email it to law.diploma@ed.ac.uk.
Download scholarship application form [Word doc]
Download scholarship application form [PDF]
You will only be considered for the scholarship after you have received and accepted an offer for a place on the Diploma (conditional or unconditional).
You will not receive any further communications until all the applications have been assessed and the award has been made.Applicants will be notified of the outcome by the end of August at the latest.
Application Timeline
The deadline for applications to the Diploma and for the Vans Dunlop Diploma Scholarship is 12 noon on Friday 8 May 2026. Key dates can be found on How to apply to the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice.
Provisional award notification – late-August preceding your course start date
Scholarship award confirmation – September/October following matriculation to the Diploma.
Candidates must ensure their full tuition fee is paid and are encouraged to apply for postgraduate funding from SAAS. Any subsequent scholarship award is designed to contribute to the outstanding costs of postgraduate study.
Terms of application process and award
If, after applying, a candidate receives another scholarship award or confirmation of future employer sponsorship, they are required to contact law.diploma@ed.ac.uk to instruct us to withdraw their application. Such candidates will not be eligible for an award, as set out above (see Eligibility).
Part-time students are eligible to apply for the scholarship. However, it will be at the discretion of the panel to decide if the award should be split across the two years of study.
Feedback
Due to the volume of applications we expect to receive, we regret that we will be unable to provide feedback on individual applications.
