FutureLearn launches first ever global scholarship initiative

28 October 2021, London, UK: Today, the UK’s leading social learning platform, FutureLearn, is announcing the launch of its inaugural FutureLearn Scholarship, to empower learners globally, whose career goal is to make the world a better place.

The FutureLearn Scholarship is open to applicants aged 16+, and aims to find 4 outstanding global learners with a passion to change the world within the Teaching, Sustainability, Technology & Coding, and Healthcare sectors. The 4 winners will receive: 

• £4,000 of free online learning from FutureLearn and The Open University
• £1,000 towards learning materials  
• 8 hours of world-class mentorship 

One hundred additional runners up will receive a free annual subscription to FutureLearn Unlimited, providing access to thousands of short courses, tests and digital certificates. The scholarship will be open for applications until 30th November 2021, with winners and runners-up announced on 7th February 2022. 

To apply for the scholarship, learners need to answer three short questions and attach a brief personal statement online. 

Learners who reach the final stage of the application process will be asked to submit a video-based interview that will be reviewed by judges from our expert panel. Judges include poet and mental health activist, Hussain Manawer; Climate Scientist and Presenter, Dr Ella Gilbert; and winner of the Global Teacher Award 2018, Andria Zafirakou, as well as leading figures in the Higher Education space, including The Open University’s Tim Plyming; The Institute of Coding’s Professor Rachid Hourizi; Monash University’s Professor Craig Hassed: and Rita F. D’Aoust: Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning, Johns Hopkins School of Nursing.

Liz Le Breton, Brand Director at FutureLearn, said:

“Our mission to transform access to education has always been about empowering learners to unlock their potential, change their lives and change the world around them for the better so this scholarship is a natural progression. In collaboration with our co-founder The Open University, this is a chance for anyone to change their story; get started, upskill, become an expert, retrain, discover a new side of yourself – whatever your goal, we know this amazing package of support will make all the difference at a difficult time for many.”

Tim Plyming, Managing Director, Paid Short Courses & Microcredentials at The Open University, said:

“I’m delighted to be a judge on the panel for the FutureLearn Scholarship.  This initiative aligns with the OU’s mission and provides the opportunity for individuals to benefit from life-changing learning that will help them achieve their full potential and enrich their contribution to society in a post-pandemic world.  The world has changed in the last 18 months and the pandemic has accelerated the requirement for innovative, accessible learning as people upskill or re-skill to meet new global challenges. The FutureLearn Scholarship is designed to support individuals to do just that and I’m proud to be a part of it.”

Poet and Mental Health Activist, Hussain Manawer, added:

“It’s great to be a part of the judging panel for FutureLearn’s Scholarship. It is so important for young people to know all the different options that are available to them, especially when it comes to decisions that will help shape their future. Working as a Mental Health ambassador and poet, I am vocal about my own personal struggles: one of them being the pressures that come with being young and figuring out your next steps. FutureLearn offers a variety of courses that allow for young people to tailor their learning and their thinking to what suits them best. I am looking forward to being on this journey with them and watching them explore subjects they are truly passionate about.”