university partners
Scholarships Programme
We wish to partner with universities by offering scholarship schemes for British Muslims wanting to pursue postgraduate study at the Masters level.
We are looking to partner with forward looking institutions that take the principle of widening participation seriously and are committed to creating an inclusive learning environment for British Muslim students.
Benefits to participating institutions include:
- Increased demand for university courses amongst British Muslim communities and a reduced fee burden on higher education providers
- Students gain access to scholarship awards
- Help in meeting commitments to the Widening Participation agenda and diversifying student cohorts at the postgraduate level
- Support in closing the degree awarding gap, utilising extensive knowledge on British Muslim communities
- Participation in our Partnerships Network, disseminating good practice and knowledge transfer in respect to the British Muslim learner
Which Universities have joined the Scheme?
- Aberystwyth University
- Aston University
- Birkbeck, University of London
- Birmingham City University
- Bournemouth University
- Brunel University London
- City, University of London
- Coventry University
- Eden Project Learning (Cornwall College Group)
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- Jesus College, University of Oxford
- Keele University
- King’s College London
- Kingston University London
- London South Bank University
- Markfield Institute of Higher Education
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge
- Northumbria University
- SOAS, University of London
- The University of Law
- University of Birmingham
- University of Bradford
- UCL – IOE, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society
- UCL – Faculty of Social and Historical Sciences
- University of Edinburgh
- University of Essex
- University of Exeter
- University of Greenwich
- University of Hertfordshire
- University of Liverpool
- University of Manchester, School of Arts, Languages & Cultures
- University of Salford Manchester
- University of Nottingham
- University of Sheffield
- University of St Andrews
- University of Stirling
- University of Sunderland
- University of Sussex
- University of Warwick
- University of Westminster
- University of Winchester
- University of York
- Wolfson College, University of Cambridge
Partnership Criteria
Our scholarships programme offers Masters scholarship awards (tuition fees only) to Muslims who qualify for home fees at UK universities. It has become clear to us that the number of awards offered does not meet the demand that is being generated by the programme, therefore the Foundation is looking at ways to extend its scholarships offer through seeking concessions from Higher Education Institutions.
The awards will be allocated to Preferred Partner institutions, which will be listed and applicants encouraged to apply to them. Applicants will have a wide application window within which to submit their applications. The Foundation will leverage its networks and engagement with Muslim civil society and representative communities to promote these scholarships.
Preferred Partner institutions:
- Share core values with us and actively promote Widening Participation at the postgraduate level
- Are aware of concerns of unconscious bias and address the degree awarding gap
- Provide specific cultural and social support to British Muslim students
- Are committed to tackling Islamophobia on campus
- Offer to cover the costs of a living stipend (maintenance) or financial discount on tuition fees (see Partnerships Brochure for details.
If your institution is interested in joining our Preferred Partner scheme, we would warmly welcome your interest. If you meet the conditions of being a Preferred Partner and would like to join the scheme please contact us on scholarships@azizfoundation.org.uk.
Universities system change framework
Through its Masters Scholarships Programme and beyond, the Foundation works closely with its university partners to co-develop an inclusive learning environment for British Muslim communities.
The Foundation's University Systems Change Framework (see schematic below) coalesces a number of EDI strands of work, including the Preferred Partner scheme and Muslim Friendly Universities programme. It gives an indication of the type and scale of impact the Foundation would like to make in the higher education sector, catalysing transformations in policy and learning cultures for British Muslim communities.
The key objectives of the systems change framework are to:
- Support in reducing equalities gaps for British Muslim students in higher education (i.e. degree awarding and progression gaps)
- Help in enhancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) interventions for British Muslim students
- Assist in curbing institutional and overt manifestations of Islamophobia in higher education
