The National Archives education bursary schemes
Our bursary schemes encourage even more students to take part in exciting onsite workshops. Bursaries are available to support visits to our headquarters in Kew and for visits to our North East partners at the Discovery Museum, Newcastle.
Support with visits to The National Archives in Kew
Eligible UK schools who are successful in applying to our bursary scheme will be given up to £1,000 to go towards the cost of the educational visit. This can include travel or other costs such as teacher cover.
Eligibility for a Kew visit bursary
To apply, your school will need to be a state-school and meet at least two out of three of the below criteria:
- Schools with a higher-than-average percentage of students eligible for free school meals. This is based on being above the national average as shared by the UK government.
- Schools based outside of the borough of Richmond.
- Schools that have not previously used The National Archives education service.
If you have successfully applied for and received a bursary from The National Archives, you will be eligible to re-apply to the programme 18 months after the date of your funded visit.
Applying for a Kew visit bursary
Applications are open for Spring 2027 bursary-funded visits to Kew.
- Applications close 17:00 Wednesday 30 September
- Applicants meeting the criteria will be picked by ballot
- Successful applicants will be notified by 17:00 Friday 2 October
The application form above asks schools to provide a rough breakdown of anticipated costs to ensure funding is allocated appropriately.
Note that there will be bursaries for future terms available, with this page updated as and when they become available.
If you have any questions regarding the bursary, please email: elspeth.mcgregor@nationalarchives.gov.uk.
The National Archives Education Bursary Scheme is supported by The National Archives Trust and made possible through the generosity of Francesca Barnes; the Bisset Trust; John Colenutt; Howard and Prudence Davies; Guy Dawson; the Dowley Charitable Trust; Epsom College History Department; Galleon Foundation; Nigel Grimshaw; the Headley Trust; Rosalind Hedley-Miller; Dr P. Kay and Ms A. Jackson Kay; Julia and Jamie Korner; the Lee and Bakirgian Family Trust; Simon Lough; Christopher and Clare McCann; Edward Nicholson; Anne Sebba; David Shaw; the Maurice & Vivien Thompson Charitable Trust; Kit and Anthony van Tulleken.
Support with visits at a North East Museums venue
The National Archives Education Service’s bursary scheme (North East) helps secondary school-aged students from across the North East of England to take part in exciting onsite archives workshops at a North East Museums venue.
Learners will have the opportunity to get ‘hands-on’ with history in a session at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle, facilitated by the National Archives Education team.
Eligible UK schools who are successful in applying to our bursary scheme will be given up to £500 to go towards the cost of the educational visit(s). This can include travel or other costs such as teacher cover. The workshops themselves are all free of charge.
Eligibility for a North East bursary
Applications are open to state schools in the North East of England who meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Schools with a higher-than-average percentage of students eligible for free school meals. This is based on being above the national average as shared by the UK government.
- Schools that have not previously taken part in an on-site education session delivered by The National Archives.
Applying for a North East bursary
Applications are open for North East visit bursaries for autumn term 2026 and spring term 2027.
Bursaries will be offered on a first-come-first served basis and will remain open until funding runs out.
If you have any questions regarding the bursary, please email: educationbookingsne@nationalarchives.gov.uk
The National Archives and North East Museums Partnership is supported by The National Archives Trust and is made possible through the generosity of Joanna and Graham Barker, the Barbour Foundation, Gregory Annenberg Weingarten, GRoW @ Annenberg, the Bisset Trust, the Schroder Charity Trust and the Hadrian Trust.