Prospective postgraduate agriculture students have until the end of April to apply for bursaries which pay up to 75% of course fees.
NFU Mutual’s 2023 Centenary Award is offered to selected students who are undertaking a postgraduate course in agriculture (Masters or PhD) within the UK.
The award was created by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust in 2010 to celebrate NFU Mutual’s 100th birthday, with the objective of creating a legacy for the future.
To date, 49 agricultural students have received bursaries to help further their studies.
It is open to individuals who have gained, or are expected to gain, a 2:1 or above in agriculture or a related degree.
They must have been accepted or provisionally accepted on a Masters or PhD course in agriculture in the UK, in autumn 2023.
To select the students, the judging panel will be looking for applicants who are "not only excellent academic performers, but also have a real passion for agriculture and demonstrate potential to become a future industry leader".
Talking about the scheme, Jim McLaren MBE, NFU Mutual Chairman, said: “At NFU Mutual we are passionate about protecting rural lives and livelihoods.
"Our Centenary Award aims to champion research and innovation for UK agriculture, whilst also supporting outstanding individuals who have a drive to make a difference to the industry in their future careers.”
Frances Thomas from Powys, was one of three postgraduate agricultural students to receive the Centenary Award bursary in 2022, helping fund her MSc Agrifood Innovation at Aberystwyth University.
Frances explained how the award has helped her achieve her ambitions: “I relish the opportunity to enhance my knowledge and advance my career position with the support of this prestigious award.
“My master’s course will provide me with knowledge and expertise of measuring environmental impacts and effective waste management strategies within food supply chains.
"If you’re interested in undertaking postgraduate studies in agriculture, I would encourage you to consider this scheme. The bursary I have received will make a huge difference.”
Am I eligible?
The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust has identified four topics of interest for students to be eligible for the award:
• The application of science and innovative technologies to enhance productivity, efficiency, and profitability for UK farming businesses
• Building resilience and safeguarding the physical and mental wellbeing of those living and working in the UK agricultural industry
• Tackling the risks of climate change, whilst maintaining food security, to improve the sustainability of UK agriculture
• Identifying opportunities for supporting nature and biodiversity in the development of farming and land management practices in the UK.
Prospective students who think they may be eligible to apply for the award in 2023 should contact centenary_award@nfumutual.co.uk.
The closing date for the 2023 Centenary Award is 30 April.
