Worcester-Slater Scholarship

Available to UK officers embarking upon qualifications that will help prepare for a broader career in the maritime sector.

The Worcester-Slater Scholarship supports qualified mariners and maritime professionals pursuing higher academic or professional qualifications at Level 5 and above. Offering up to £1000 (or £1,500 for Chief Mates Unlimited), it offsets costs for undergraduate or postgraduate degrees, such as Marine Engineering or Maritime Operations, to facilitate long-term career progression within the industry. 

This scholarship takes it's name from the succession of training ships moored at Greenhithe named HMS Worcester which, together with ancillary college facilities, provided the focus for pre-sea training for the sea services from 1862 to 1968.

The estate, latterly owned by the Marine Society, was sold in 1989. Part of the funds from the sale of assets were used to provide Worcester Scholarships. From 2026, the Nautilus Slater Fund has generously agreed to support this scholarship, as both charitable funds share aligned objectives in advancing and enabling seafarer training.

"The help I received from the Marine Society through the Worcester Scholarship was invaluable to my preparation for my Chief Mates Unlimited Orals exam. For my Chief Mates course I had to take unpaid leave from work and fund the course myself so funds were quite short. I was worried about my orals as there was a 5 week gap between my orals date and the end of my college course and I still felt very underprepared for my orals. Money was tight and I was unsure how I was going to afford additional tuition with Whitehorse Maritime Academy.

The Worcester Scholarship enabled me to get this extra tuition which was perfect for the preparation for my exam. I am incredibly greatful to the Marine Society for gifting me this scholarship as it went a long way in my exam preparation."

Ben Lawrence (Worcester Scholarship recipient)

Eligibility: British seafarers, resident in the UK, 21 years old and over. Priority is given to candidates who have accumulated sea time beyond their OOW certificate and except in special circumstances, not awarded to freshly qualified HND/OOW candidates. This can be awarded to those who want to study for their Chief Mates Unlimited.

How to apply

You can download an application form and return it to us. Please include a narrative of your career to date, a CV and a reference to endorse your application. Contact us for more details.

Please return it to Marine Society, 200b Lambeth Road, London SE1 7JW or email learning@ms-sc.org.

Please note: It is not policy to grant scholarships or bursaries retrospectively, i.e. if the course has already started, been completed and/or been paid for.

Funded by: