RTPI Trust Undergraduate Bursaries

The Trust welcomes applications from undergraduate students who meet the following eligibility criteria:

1.      Are a student member of the RTPI

2.      Are enrolled on an accredited undergraduate course at an RTPI  accredited Planning School in the UK (outside of Greater London*) or in Ireland

3.      Are eligible to work in the UK or Ireland after graduation

and

4. Meet one or more of the following conditions:

• Students who are disabled
• Students from a low socio-economic background
• Students from an African, Caribbean and Asian background
• Care experienced students
• Students from a Gypsy or Romany background

*students studying at planning schools within Greater London may be eligible to apply for a Michael Welbank Bursary.

Applications for the 2026 bursaries are now closed. 

Applications for the 2027 bursaries will open in December 2026. Please revisit this webpage at that time.

If you believe you meet the eligibility criteria set out above, please:

1. Write a personal statement of 300-500 words (maximum 500) that tells the Trustees, in your own words, why you have chosen to study planning and how a bursary from the RTPI Trust would help you to complete your studies and further your career as a Chartered Town Planner.
2. Complete the online application form, including your personal statement within it and submit the form by application deadline.

Please note:

·       Incomplete application forms may result in exclusion from the selection process.

·       The use of AI in completing the form is discouraged; any assistance given in making the application (whether by AI or by other help) should be disclosed.

·       Bursaries are awarded at the discretion of the Trustees and the decision of the Trustees is final.

Application forms will be reviewed by RTPI officers to ensure the applicant meets the eligibility criteria.

Personal statements will be assessed by the Trustees on how clearly the applicant has articulated how the award of the bursary will help them progress towards becoming a Chartered Town Planner.

The RTPI reserves the right to apply additional selection criteria if there is a high volume of submissions.

This year the Trust received nearly 50 applications from students across 14 universities and selected the following five students to receive a RTPI Trust undergraduate bursary for 2026:

• Caoimhe Campbell, 2nd year Spatial Planning & Environmental Management at Technological University Dublin
• Muskaan Wasim, 3rd year in Human Geography and Planning at Leeds Beckett University
• Qasim Razzaq, 2nd year Planning and Real Estate at the University of Manchester.
• Karen Olphert, 1st year in Planning, Environment and Development at Queen's University Belfast
• Yonas Haile, 2nd year Planning and Real Estate at the University of Manchester.

Each student received £2,000 from the RTPI Trust to support them in their continuing studies in planning.