NFU Mutual’s 2022 Centenary Award is now open for applications. The annual award scheme provides bursaries to pay up to 75% of course fees for selected students who are undertaking a postgraduate course in agriculture (Masters or PhD) within the UK.   

The Centenary Award was created by the NFU Mutual Charitable Trust in 2010 to celebrate NFU Mutual’s 100th anniversary, with the objective of creating a legacy for the future. To date, 46 agricultural students have received bursaries to help further their studies.

The 2022 award is open to individuals who have gained, or are expected to gain, a 2:1 or above in agriculture or a related degree, and have been accepted or provisionally accepted on a Masters or PhD course in agriculture in the UK, in autumn 2022.

The NFU Mutual Charitable Trust has also identified three topics of interest for eligible students. At least one of these areas must form part of the applicant’s postgraduate course: sustainable agriculture and climate change; international agricultural development; the application of science and innovative technology to the agricultural industry.

To select the students, the judging panel will be looking for applicants who are not only excellent academic performers, but also have a real passion for UK agriculture and demonstrate potential to become a future industry leader.

Talking about the scheme, Jim McLaren, NFU Mutual Chairman, said: “Our aim for the Centenary Award is to create a long-standing legacy whereby we can champion research and innovation for UK agriculture. Alongside this, the award gives outstanding agricultural students the opportunity to continue their studies and supports their aspirations to make a difference to the industry.”

Megan Powell from Powys, was one of three postgraduate agricultural students to receive the Centenary Award bursary in 2021, helping fund her MSc Sustainable Food and Agriculture at the University of Reading. Megan explained how the award will help her to achieve her ambitions: “It is a real honour to have NFU Mutual supporting my postgraduate studies. Through the course, I hope to gain the ability to understand strategic decision making, opinion forming and operational management for the development of sustainable agriculture and food supply systems. I want to act as an advocate for the industry in the UK and help lead it to a positive and prosperous future.”

Prospective postgraduate students who think they may be eligible to apply for the Centenary Award in 2022 should contact centenary_award@nfumutual.co.uk to request further details and an application form. 

The closing date for the 2022 award is 30th April. Information about the scheme, along with an application form, can be found on the NFU Mutual website: www.nfumutual.co.uk