The Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT) has urged retailers to help staff unlock up to £5,000 a year for their family members embarking on postgraduate study.
LTCT provides financial aid for the families of those working in the convenience, grocery, and pharmacy trades and is opening postgraduate bursary applications from 1 June to 1 September 2026. This funding is made available to help cover tuition fees, or other expenses such as study materials, equipment, travel and accommodation.
The bursaries are in place to support students whose parent or spouse has worked in the convenience, grocery or pharmacy industries for at least five years.
Professor Anna Vignoles CBE FBA, Director of the Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust, said:
“Retailers and pharmacists are at the heart of their communities, and many have close, long-standing relationships with their teams. By simply sharing information about our postgraduate bursaries, they can help open doors for families who may otherwise think further study is out of reach.
“Many eligible students and families do not apply because they assume they will not qualify for financial support, or because they feel uncomfortable asking for help. This is not about asking employers to fund, assess or administer applications. It is about helping to pass on an opportunity that could make a real difference to someone’s future.”
The Trust recognises that postgraduate study rarely happens in isolation. Many students are balancing education with shift work, family responsibilities, caring commitments and the increasing financial pressures facing households across the UK. LTCT’s bursaries are intended to ease that strain, helping students focus on learning and progress in their chosen careers without unnecessary financial pressure.
Visit www.leverhulme-trade.org.uk for more information
