IGEM Scholarships for Engineering Students: Complete 2026 Guide
Engineering is one of the most expensive routes into a professional career. By the time you factor in tuition, accommodation, travel to placements, and the equipment you need just to get started, the costs stack up quickly.
So when a professional body offers real, non-repayable funding to help students through their degree, it is worth understanding exactly what is available, whether you qualify, and what a competitive application actually looks like.
This guide covers everything you need to know about the IGEM Scholarships and Grants programme, run by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers.
Quick Facts: What IGEM Offers
| Scholarship | Who It Is For | Maximum Value |
|---|---|---|
| Prospective Undergraduate Scholarship | Students with a conditional or unconditional offer for an accredited engineering degree | Up to £9,000 |
| Current Undergraduate Scholarship | Students already in year one or two of an accredited degree, performing at 2:1 or above | Up to £6,000 |
| Postgraduate Masters Scholarship | Graduates with an accredited BEng (Hons) seeking an accredited masters place | Up to £6,500 |
| EngTech Development Grant | Engineering Technician members of IGEM pursuing professional development | Up to £1,500 |
All applications close at the end of May each year. Shortlisted interviews are held in July. Results are announced as soon as possible after interview, with funding offers sent shortly after. Applications open in mid-March.
Key Eligibility Requirements at a Glance
Before reading any further, check whether you meet the basics.
You must be enrolled on or holding an offer for an Engineering Council accredited course. This is a hard requirement, not a preference. You can check your specific course using the Engineering Council’s accredited course search tool.
You must be a member of IGEM at the time of applying, or join once your course begins. Membership is available to students and is a straightforward process via the IGEM website.
You must have an interest in the energy sector. IGEM is not a general engineering scholarship body. The programme is explicitly designed for people heading toward careers in gas, energy, and related disciplines.
IGEM employees are not eligible to apply for any of the awards.
The Four Awards Explained
Prospective Undergraduate Scholarship
Worth up to £9,000, paid at £3,000 per year for up to three years of full-time study (pro-rata for part-time). This one is open to students who hold a conditional or unconditional offer for an Engineering Council accredited undergraduate degree but have not yet started.
You must intend to commence your degree in the next academic session.
Renewal after the first year depends on satisfactory progress. This is the award to apply for if you are still in sixth form or have just received your university offer.
Current Undergraduate Scholarship
Worth up to £6,000, paid at £3,000 per year for up to two years. This is for students already registered in their first or second year of an accredited degree who are performing at 2:1 or above.
Students currently holding the Prospective Undergraduate Scholarship are not eligible to apply for this one as well.
The academic bar is clear: 2:1 standard or above. If your grades are close to that threshold, it is worth waiting until they are confirmed before applying.
Prospective Postgraduate Masters Scholarship
Worth up to £6,500 for one year of full-time study, or pro-rata across two years for part-time students.
Open to graduates who hold or expect to hold a first class or 2:1 accredited BEng (Hons) and who have received an offer of a place on an accredited masters course.
You must intend to start in the next academic session. If you have already begun your masters, you are not eligible.
This is designed for the transition point between undergraduate and postgraduate study, and it is worth a significant portion of a typical postgraduate fee.
Engineering Technician Development Grant
Worth up to £1,500. This one sits slightly apart from the others. It is open to any EngTech member of IGEM and is designed to support professional development rather than full-time study.
Eligible uses include technical workshops, distance learning, safety qualifications, attendance at sector events, and further education that supports your career in engineering.
If you are an EngTech member looking to build your skills or gain an additional qualification, this is the most accessible award in the programme.
Why IGEM Is Offering These Awards
Understanding the motivation behind a scholarship helps you write a better application. IGEM is not funding these awards purely out of generosity. There is a real workforce problem in the UK energy sector.
Around one fifth of the utilities sector’s 500,000-strong workforce is expected to retire within the next decade.
That is roughly 100,000 roles that need to be filled, concentrated in technical and engineering disciplines.
At the same time, the UK has a legal commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Getting there means decarbonising heating, developing hydrogen infrastructure, transitioning gas networks, and managing the balance between energy security, affordability, and sustainability. Engineers sit at the centre of all of that.
IGEM’s scholarship funding comes from donations made by past members who built their careers in the gas and energy sector. The programme is their way of investing in the people who will carry that work forward.
If you are genuinely interested in energy engineering and can show it, that alignment works strongly in your favour.
How to Apply
The process is the same across all three main scholarship awards.
Download the relevant application form from the IGEM Scholarships and Grants page, complete it, and send it with the required supporting documentation to funding@igem.org.uk before the end of May.
For the Current Undergraduate Scholarship you will need an academic reference form as well as a personal reference form.
For the Prospective Undergraduate and Postgraduate awards, you need a personal reference only. The EngTech Development Grant has its own separate application form and personal reference form.
Shortlisted candidates are invited to interview in July, where they discuss their application with the Scholarships, Grants and Awards Panel.
Results are communicated as soon as possible after that, and successful candidates receive a formal funding offer shortly after. If you have questions before applying, you can contact IGEM’s membership services team at +44 (0)1509 678 150.
What a Good Application Looks Like
The most common reason strong candidates are not shortlisted is a generic application that could have been written for any engineering scholarship anywhere.
IGEM is specifically interested in the energy sector. That means your application needs to show genuine engagement with energy, not just engineering in general.
Think about what drew you to this area. Have you followed the debate around hydrogen networks and heat pumps? Do you understand what the energy trilemma means in practice?
Have you done any work experience, shadowing, or reading in the sector? Whatever it is, be specific about it. Broad claims about wanting to work in clean energy carry little weight compared to a specific example that shows you have already started engaging with the subject.
Your supporting references matter too. An academic who knows your work and can speak to your capability, and a personal referee who can speak to your character and commitment, together give the panel a more complete picture than the application form alone.
On the financial side, be realistic. A budget that shows you have actually worked out what your degree will cost, including accommodation, transport, equipment, and any placement-related expenses, signals that you are a serious applicant rather than someone filling in forms speculatively.
Application Timeline
Applications typically open mid-March each year and have historically closed at the end of May, but applicants should confirm the current deadline on the official IGEM website.
Shortlisted candidates are contacted and invited to interview in July. Successful candidates are notified as soon as possible after interview and receive their funding offer shortly after.
That means if you are planning to apply for the next cycle, the preparation you do now matters.
Securing your references early, checking your course accreditation, and drafting your personal statement before March puts you in a much stronger position than starting from scratch in April.
Other Engineering Scholarships Worth Knowing About
IGEM is not the only source of engineering scholarship funding in the UK. If you want to increase your chances by applying to more than one programme, the following are worth exploring alongside your IGEM application.
The Engineering Development Trust runs programmes supporting young people interested in engineering and technology, including placements and awards for students at various stages of their education.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology offers its own range of scholarships and awards for undergraduate and postgraduate students across a wide range of engineering disciplines.
Both are reputable organisations and a well-tailored application to each, submitted at the same time as your IGEM application, is a sensible approach to improving your overall chances of receiving funding.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can international students apply? IGEM’s published eligibility criteria focus on accredited course enrolment and IGEM membership rather than nationality explicitly.
However, the programme is primarily aimed at students studying in the UK on Engineering Council accredited courses. It is worth contacting IGEM directly at +44 (0)1509 678 150 to confirm your eligibility before applying.
Can I apply before I receive my final results? Yes, for the Prospective Undergraduate Scholarship. Students with a conditional offer are explicitly eligible.
For the Current Undergraduate award, the 2:1 standard is a requirement, so you would need to have results that confirm or strongly indicate that level of performance.
Can I combine an IGEM scholarship with other sources of funding? Generally yes. IGEM’s scholarship conditions do not explicitly prohibit combining their awards with other scholarships, bursaries, or student loans.
What engineering disciplines are eligible? Any discipline that leads to an Engineering Council accredited undergraduate or postgraduate degree is eligible. That includes civil, mechanical, electrical, chemical, and energy engineering, among others.
The key requirement is that your specific course appears on the Engineering Council accredited course search. The programme particularly suits students with an interest in gas, energy, and the net zero transition, and applications that reflect this tend to be more competitive.
Do I need to be an IGEM member before I apply? For the Prospective Undergraduate Scholarship, you must be a member at the time of applying or join once your course begins.
For the other awards, membership is required at the point of application.
What happens if my application is not successful? You can apply again in a future cycle provided you still meet the eligibility criteria. Each application round is independent, and the experience of going through the process once generally makes the next application stronger.
Official Sources
All information in this article is drawn from the following official sources. Always check these directly before applying, as deadlines and eligibility criteria can change from year to year.
Engineering Council Accredited Course Search
Institution of Engineering and Technology Scholarships and Awards