Funding your maritime training
Funding your maritime training
A key objective of Marine Society is to encourage professional development and offer support to seafarers and maritime professionals who want to improve their skills and career prospects. One of the many ways we do this is through financial support.
We have a range of scholarships and bursaries to assist with cost of your maritime training and further career development. From time to time, we receive grants from organisations that support our vision to help seafarers and maritime professionals progress in their maritime career.
We offer four funds and each of them supports a different training or career development need, with its own set of criteria:
Nautilus Slater Fund helps experienced seafarers in the deck, engine and marine departments aspiring to their first CoC or progress onto the next level for their career growth. Maximum award up to £18,000.
Green Skills Bursary support seafarers who are looking to retrain or obtain professional certifications that will equip them to work in the offshore and renewable sector. Maximum award £750.00.
Worcester Scholarship aimed at the qualified mariner who wishes to gain a higher academic qualification in the maritime field – such as a BEng (Hons) or BSc (Hons) in Maritime Operations or Marine Engineering – which would lead on to a continued career in the maritime industry. It may also be awarded to a seafarer for a higher professional qualification beyond OOW unlimited, where there is no support from their employer/ship owner. Maximum award £1,500.00.
Hanway Scholarship is aimed at seafarers who need to take qualifications essential to work at sea or to support seafarers with their continuing professional development where there is no support from their employer/ship owner. Maximum award £1000.00.
Applicants who have received any Marine Society scholarships or bursaries must wait 24 months from the date of their most recent award before submitting a new application. In addition, applicants cannot reapply for any scholarship they have previously been awarded.
- Funding
- Who can apply for a scholarship or bursary?
You must be a British citizen and/or permanently resident in the UK for the past three years or more, aged 18 years or older
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- I need to revalidate my STCW basic safety certificates, can you help?
Yes, our Hanway scholarship offers a maximum of £1000.00 to help offset the cost of any MCA approved courses that are essential to your role, working at sea.
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- I want to do a degree; can you help with the cost?
Yes, our Worcester scholarship will offer up to £1500 towards the cost of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a maritime related subject.
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- I want to move into the offshore sector; can you help fund a course I need to have?
Yes, our Green Skills Bursary can assist with the cost of required GWO or OPITO courses. The Fund will only assist with courses on our approved list, visit the Green Skills page.
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- Can I take the course(s) in another country?
No, all courses must be taken at MCA approved training providers within the UK.
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- How do I apply for non-Slater funding?
Each scholarship/bursary has its own application form so you must first decide which fund you are applying for and check that you meet the criteria. Each application form is available on the respective webpage to download and complete. Submit this via email and include a copy of CV and passport. We may request further information or supporting document to ascertain your eligibility for the fund.
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- How long does it take to get a decision back on my application?
We normally aim to process application within 14 working days and you will be notified by email.
- I received a bursary previously that really helped me out, can I apply for further help?
No, you cannot apply for the same scholarship or bursary more than once. However, if you need support from one of our other scholarships or bursaries you must wait for at least 24 months before submitting an application. The outcome of your last award and subsequent progress will be considered in any new application.
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- I just booked and paid for a course, can I apply for funding?
No, it is not policy to award a scholarship or bursary retrospectively where a course has already been booked, paid for or undertaken.
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You must be a British Seafarer or maritime professional and permanently resident in the UK for the past three years or more, aged 18 years or older (21 years or older for the JW Slater scholarship).
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Yes, our Hanway scholarship offers a maximum of £500.00 to help offset the cost of any MCA approved courses that are essential to your role, working at sea.
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Yes, our Worcester scholarship will offer up to £1000 towards the cost of an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a maritime related subject.
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Yes, our Green Skills Bursary can assist with the cost of required GWO or OPITO courses. The Fund will only assist with courses on our approved list, visit the Green Skills page.
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Yes, we recommend that you look at our range of apprenticeships instead. They will fund all the training required for a specific role and help you gain valuable work experience at the same time.
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Our funds are limited and we want to help as many seafarers as possible, therefore, each scholarship can only help offset the cost one course even if it cost less than the maximum award, with the exception of the Slater Fund. You should be prepared to cover any difference in the course fee yourself.
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No, all courses must be taken at MCA approved training providers within the UK.
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Each scholarship/bursary has its own application form so you must first decide which fund you are applying for and check that you meet the criteria. The application form is available on the respective webpage to download and complete. You can submit it via email or post and must include a copy of CV and passport.
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Applications are normally assessed within 10 working days and you will be notified by email. The JW Slater Scholarship award is different and has two assessments period per year. Please check the webpage for details of dates.
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No, you cannot apply for the same scholarship or bursary more than once. However, if you need support from one of our other scholarships or bursaries you must wait for at least 24 months before submitting an application. The outcome of your last award and subsequent progress will be considered in any new application.
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No, it is not policy to award a scholarship or bursary retrospectively where a course has already been booked, paid for or undertaken.
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