Pharmacists can apply for educational funding for their family

Community pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, their spouses or children could benefit from up to £5,000 in university educational grants and bursaries from a charity.

Independent education charity, Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust (LTCT), provides financial aid for those working in the pharmacy, convenience, grocery trades and is offering £3,000 a year for undergraduate and £5,000 a year for postgraduate UK university students in financial need.

Those who are a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician, work in community pharmacy or are a spouse or child of a person in those professions are eligible. Students with a household income of £50,000 and below will be prioritised but those with a household income above £90,000 are not eligible.

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The bursary can be put towards tuition fees, course materials, equipment or travel costs.

The charity says that as the cost of attending university mounts year on year, the bursary has been designed to help families who may be concerned about supporting a child, partner or even themselves through further higher education.

Professor Anna Vignoles CBE FBA, director of LCTC says: ‘The current climate makes it challenging for some families to consider further study, and these students should be able to enjoy the same opportunities as their counterparts from more advantaged backgrounds.’

'We are passionate about generating opportunities for further study. Our postgraduate bursaries are designed to be a valuable support for students keen to continue their studies. If our bursaries help diversify the students able to take a postgraduate degree, then we see that as a very positive step.’

The charity also launched ‘Back to school’ funding where pharmacy professionals could receive a one-off £150 per school-age child to ease financial pressures.

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The Pharmacy School Essentials Grant is in its second year and is designed to ease the pressure of back-to-school costs for families with school-age children.

The fund supports those currently working in community pharmacy by offering £150 per eligible child - for up to three children per household - helping to cover costs such as school uniforms, stationery and travel.

Eligible applicants must be working in a community pharmacy or be a registered pharmacist or pharmacy technician. They must also be in receipt of Universal Credit or Child Tax Credit for school-age children (aged 4-18 as of 31st August 2025) and have household savings under £4,000.

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The fund will remain open until 1st July or until the budget is fully allocated.

LTCT is an independent charity that seeks to support education and scholarship up to PhD level. It aims to provide a contribution to the costs of education for school children and vocational and university students in the UK, and specifically those in financial need who are in or whose parents are in the grocery and pharmacy trades. The trust has been providing support for disadvantaged families in the grocery and pharmacy trades for nearly 100 years.