To mark the 60th anniversary of the Department of War Studies and set a path for the future, we are launching the War Studies Futures Scholarship Programme in 2022, which will support our commitment to admitting students with the greatest potential, regardless of background.

We know that financial support is crucial to ensuring the best outcomes for students from low-income families. Studying in London is expensive, and the level of debt young people must take on to study with us can be intimidating, especially for those who are the first in their families to attend university.

Without the government grant scheme, which was removed in 2016, this debt burden falls disproportionately on low-income students. Students from low-income backgrounds often need to undertake paid employment alongside their studies, preventing them from fully participating in the university experience and everything King's has to offer. Through the War Studies Futures Scholarship Programme, our ambition is to provide scholarships for six students from
low-income, widening participation backgrounds each year for the next 10 years, so 60 overall, to celebrate our 60th anniversary. Successful students will receive the scholarship of £12,000 to help with the cost of living in London and to contribute to their annual tuition fees.

How your gift will help a student 

The Department has invested in developing an enhanced package of pastoral and academic support for all our students, with an additional programme tailored for students from widening participation backgrounds, including ongoing mentoring and peer support already provided by the Department of War Studies. With your support, we can also alleviate the financial strain of going to university for these students. All donations to the programme will go directly to the students to support their studies.  

Highlighting our commitment to improving accessibility to War Studies at King’s, the Faculty of Social Science and Public Policy at King’s College London has committed to match-funding at a rate of 25% of all donations. This will enable us to add a £3000 contribution towards tuition fees for each student on the War Studies Futures Scholarship Programme, in addition to their £12,000 award. We know that the requirement to take on debt to service high costs of living and tuition fees is a significant deterrent for students from low-income backgrounds in choosing to undertake an undergraduate degree. £4000 per year covers the additional cost of living in London, and together with a reduction of fees by £1000 per year, your donation will significantly reduce the debt burden that each student will need to take on. 

Our fundraising target is £720,000, which would enable us to support the War Studies Futures Scholarship Programme for the next 10 years. Your gift will help us to continue to offer a first-class education to students from all backgrounds, on an equitable basis, with all the opportunities that it brings. 

• Your gift of £1000 with a Faculty matched contribution at 25% would contribute £1250 toward a scholarship for one student.
• Your gift of £4000 with a Faculty matched contribution at 25% would provide £5000 to support one student for one whole year of study. 
• Your gift of £12,000 with a Faculty matched contribution at 25% would mean £15,000 to support one student for all three years of their degree. 

Together, we can change the lives of the next generation of War Studies students, now and for years to come. Thank you! 

If you would like to find out more about the scheme as well as information about making a gift please contact warstudiesfutures@kcl.ac.uk