University College Birmingham (UCB) has announced two significant measures aimed at widening participation and supporting the West Midlands skills economy.
The launch of eight fully funded Employers’ Scholarships targeted at students facing financial and personal barriers to higher education, and a rise in its Cost of Living Allowance to £6,000 for new undergraduates starting in 2026.
Employer partnerships are driving opportunity
Each one of the new suite of Employers’ Scholarships covers full tuition, accommodation and a substantial bursary. Backed by organisations including Siemens, Hobart, Red Carnation Hotels, Miss Macaroon and the City of Birmingham Rockets Basketball Club, the programme provides mentoring, industry experience and a direct route into sectors experiencing skills shortages. The initiative forms a core part of UCB’s Widening Access and Participation Plan and is designed to support motivated students from areas of economic hardship in Birmingham.
A bold financial commitment
The Cost of Living Allowance is non-repayable, non-means tested and simple to access, and positions UCB as a sector outlier at a time when national policy offers little relief for students. Students who have already received instalments of the allowance this year have seen the difference it makes. They recognise and value the guaranteed support the allowance offers. As one first-year business enterprise student put it: “This allowance has helped in many ways but mostly, I was able to reduce my working hours and focus more on my studies.
“This had a huge positive impact on my education and work-life balance. I am able to focus and prioritise my education, make more time for studying and limit my weekly working hours.”
A regional model with wider implications
With around 70% of its home students coming from the West Midlands and over 1,000 employer partners, UCB is aligning financial support with regional workforce needs. The combined measures signal a strategic approach to building a diverse, work-ready talent pipeline and are a distinct move away from temporary ’emergency’ or ‘hardship’ support models.
“As long as the cost of living for students remains challenging, the pressures facing young people will not go away,” said Professor Michael Harkin, Vice-Chancellor and Principal. “At University College Birmingham, we see this reality every day; students are working harder than ever simply to stay afloat and, in many cases, opting out of higher education altogether.
“Raising our Cost of Living Allowance to £6,000 is a deliberate choice to stand with them. Combined, these two initiatives cement our ongoing dedication to widening participation, removing barriers and ensuring that talent, not background, shapes our students’ future.”
