Masters Scholarship

Deadline for Applications: 17th May 2024

The Culham St Gabriel’s Masters Scholarship is a way to help teachers and others working in the field of religion and worldviews (RE) to take a relevant part-time Masters course in an affordable, manageable way. It is a unique programme based on a partnership between the participant, the university and Culham St Gabriel’s Trust. It offers participants an opportunity to undertake masters-level professional development at reduced cost, and to see the impact of it in their workplace e.g. in their teaching, advisory work. There are a very limited number of scholarship places allocated each year.

What is Culham St Gabriel’s offering?

Culham St Gabriel’s will pay up to £4000 towards your masters fees. In most cases you will be employed as a qualified teacher, teaching assistant or HLTA in a school in the UK. However, applications will also be considered from those working as advisers, educators or researchers in other settings. You will most likely be undertaking your studies part-time, but occasionally the Trust will consider those wishing to undertake a Masters full-time. The course you plan to take must relate to religion and worldviews, and align with the Culham St Gabriel’s vision, mission and current strategic objectives. You will become a member of the Culham St Gabriel’s Masters Scholarship virtual community of practice. This community will meet virtually together on a regular basis providing opportunities for you to discuss your research and disseminate your findings. The community of practice is led and organised by our Lead Consultant for Research, Dr Kevin O’Grady. Participants on the programme will also be encouraged to network more informally.

I am a serving teacher, what is expected of my school?

We are particularly keen to encourage teachers to undertake part-time Masters. We are aware that sometimes this can be challenging, so to support you in your studies your school is expected to contribute to the scholarship programme in kind. Your headteacher will asked to sign an undertaking declaring that they will release you for 3 days (or equivalent e.g. half days) during term time per annum to undertake Masters study. This could be one day per term, three days in one term or whatever works best in your school.

What is expected of participants?

You are asked to make up the university fee i.e. the difference between the bursary funding and tuition fee total required by the university. You may want to ask your school or workplace to contribute to this, and can seek grant funding elsewhere if you wish. You are expected to contribute to a virtual community of practice with your time. Sessions are usually held as twilights (e.g. 4-6pm). There will also be other opportunities to contribute to the religion and worldviews community such as writing a blogs, posters, case studies and so on for RE:ONLINE and/or sharing your research findings through an online seminar hosted by Culham St Gabriel’s. Participants are asked to ‘pay forward’ and give back to the religion and worldviews community.

Am I eligible for the Masters Scholarship? You need to be:

• Working in the field of religion and worldviews. This will usually be as a serving teacher, but we will also consider applications from others such as educators, adviser, researchers and so on. If you are not sure, please contact us enquires@cstg.org.uk
• intending to take a part-time Masters-level Certificate, Diploma or complete Masters programme, that relates directly to religion and worldviews in your workplace (usually a school or college) and aligns with Culham St Gabriel’s Strategic Objectives 
• intending your accredited study to directly lead to development, innovation and improvement in religion and worldviews in your school, workplace, local area or region and/or nationally;
• supported by your employing school (if you are a serving teacher) agreeing to release you for 3 days per annum during term time for the length of your course in order to undertake your studies.

Where can I study my Masters?
Our scholars choose to study at a range of universities. Current scholars have chosen Birmingham, Cambridge, Chester, Oxford, St Mary’s University Twickenham and Warwick. However, we welcome applications from all institutions which offer appropriate masters level study.

When can I apply?
Applications are open all year round. Applications are taken to our Grants, Programmes and Education Committee where decisions are made. These take place three times per year, usually in November, March and June. If places are allocated early on in the academic year, there is a possibility you may have to wait until the following year’s round of funding. We would therefore advise applying in the Autumn or Spring Terms and speaking to us before you submit an application to ensure there are still places available.

How do I apply?

1 Select a university and Masters course. Choose a university with the right course for you and the right mix of provision, i.e. twilight, school-based or weekends. Have a conversation with the relevant course leader. Make them aware of the scholarship programme.

2 Apply for a place on the relevant Masters programme.

3 If you are a serving teacher, talk to your Head or senior leader in charge of professional development. You need to ensure that they will agree to releasing you for three days per annum as part of the scholarship programme. Remember that Culham St Gabriel’s will only pay its share of the fees (up to £4000) if the school promises to release you for this amount of time. Your headteacher must complete and submit this agreement form before you apply to us. Your headteacher will send you an email when this has been done. If you are not a serving teacher you do not need to ask anyone to complete this form.

4 When a Masters place is offered, you should first seek two referees who will support your scholarship application. We suggest one of these is your university lecturer/tutor. Please ask them to complete and submit this reference form before you apply to us. Each referee will send you an email to let you know when they have done this.

5 Complete the scholarship application form. This application form asks you to state clearly how your course relates to religion and worldviews, as well as with the Trust vision, mission and strategic objectives. There are guidance notes accompanying the form which we encourage you to read.

The form asks you to tick a box to confirm your headteacher and your referees have submitted their forms. Your application will not be reviewed unless these have been submitted.

There are conditions of the funding which you must agree to in your application.

6 Once you have submitted your form, send documentary proof of your having accepted a place on a Masters programmes (i.e. an offer letter, details of the course and your acceptance) to the Culham St Gabriel’s Office enquiries@cstg.org.uk

7 All applications, supporting documents and references are then considered by the Trust in their next Grants, Programmes and Education Committee meeting.

8 You will normally be notified of the outcome of your application as soon as the committee have met.

9 When you are accepted on to the programme it is very important that you ask your university finance department to send two invoices, one to Culham St Gabriel’s and one to you. It is very important that you make clear to the university finance department exactly who they should send invoices to, and how much they should charge in each case.

10 Culham St Gabriel’s will send you a welcome pack explaining how to become part of the virtual community of practice and details of ongoing support and advice offered for scholars.

Apply here

Chat to us!!

If you are interested in our masters scholarship programme we encourage you to contact us for an informal conversation before submitting an application. To set this up, please email enquiries@cstg.org.uk