The Foundation makes two types of award:
Personal Awards and Corporate Awards.
Personal awards
The Trustees earmark a proportion of the Foundation’s annual income – that is, about £40,000 pa – in order to be able to make grants to individuals for studies and research in Theology and Religious education.
Personal awards are made to support individuals who are studying Theology or Religious Education; or who are undertaking research – leading to a Masters’ degree or PhD – in these fields. Personal awards are not made for study in any other subject areas.
Personal Awards are usually only made for studies and research at postgraduate level, which lead to the award of a university degree or credits.
Personal awards are normally only made to UK-based students studying at UK institutions. With few exceptions, Personal Awards are given to support serving clergy, ministers, church workers and teachers of RE who are undertaking postgraduate studies and research linked to their role. Support for full-time PhD students is very limited.
Privacy notice & the General Data Protection Regulation
Please note that applications for the Foundation’s awards are processed on computer systems. The Foundation’s Privacy Notice is available here; this explains how we process personal data relating to Personal awards. The Foundations General Privacy Policy is available here.
Corporate awards
Corporate Awards are made to departments of theology and RE in universities, colleges and other agencies operating at university level, to enhance their capacity to provide theological and religious education at this level. Corporate Awards are usually small and short-term. A benefit to the South-West is expected.
The Trustees do not predetermine the kinds of studies or initiatives that they are prepared to support. Rather, they review all applications which appear to be within the Object, in order that they may be aware of unmet needs, and respond to the quality of the application, and to the ways in which it seeks to advance further and higher education in these fields.
Priority is therefore given to pump-priming initiatives, and other such situations where, if the initiative proves itself – may enable the grant-holder to demonstrate success to bodies which engage in longer-term funding.
How to apply
Only one round of awards is made each academic year.
From January 1st annually
You can obtain an Application Pack and an Application Form to apply for an Award by e-mailing the [email protected], giving brief details about yourself and your plans. Please include your postal address. Please note that Application Packs are NOT sent out after April 10th.
1st May: is the closing date for the Director to receive your completed application.
30th June: is the date on which the successful applicants are notified of their Award.
1st September: – the traditional date for the beginning of the academic year in the UK – is the date from which a new Award is normally tenable.
News…
- St Luke’s Chapel project
The Foundation is responsible for the St Luke’s Chapel on the University of Exeter’s St Luke’s Campus.
On Friday 18th October 2024, the festival of St Luke, Evangelist and Physician, a service of dedication for the newly re-ordered St Luke’s Chapel on the St Luke’s Campus of the University of Exeter was held, with the Rt Revd James Grier, Bishop of Plymouth, officiating.
The chapel has undergone a significant re-ordering for the benefit and use of the whole campus community and has been generously funded by the University of Exeter and the St Luke’s College Foundation, which leases the chapel from the University and, with the Diocese of Exeter, sponsors the Anglican Chaplaincy at both the St Luke’s and Streatham campuses. Bishop James, quoting some words from Anton Bruckner which were sung by the University’s magnificent Chapel Choir during the service, described the chapel as ‘a priceless sacrament…it is without reproach.’
The Bishop dedicated each part of the chapel, including its refurbished altar, and spoke powerfully of his hope that the chapel would be a place of peace and healing for all who cross its threshold, and that it would stand as a witness to the whole community for generation after generation of the enduring love, welcome and faithfulness of God.
Revd Hannah Alderson, the Lazenby Chaplain at the University, led prayers of intercession, and especially for the Schools of Medicine, Education and Sports Science which are located on the St Luke’s Campus. The Chaplaincy Team laid symbols upon the altar which reflected these disciplines – a stethoscope for Medicine, a Children’s book for Education and a football for Sports Science.
Afterwards, the Chair of Trustees of the St Luke’s College Foundation, the Revd Professor Gina Radford, offered sincere thanks to all those involved in bringing the project to its glorious fruition, and to the University for its collaboration.
- St Luke’s/Farmington Scholarship
St Luke’s-Farmington Scholarships are awarded jointly by the St Luke’s College Foundation and the Farmington Institute. During the period of the Scholarship regular tutorials are held, either at the University of Exeter or with a locally appointed Farmington supervisor. The Scholarships are for teachers of Religious Education or associated subjects currently teaching in secondary schools, and primary school RE co-ordinators or other primary school teachers involved in teaching RE, who are located in the South-West region of England.
Further information about the scholarships, including the application process, can be found on the Farmington website. (https://farmington.ac.uk/re-teachers/)
- News about awards
Applications for awards
Application packs for 2025 awards, available until 10th April 2025, will be sent on request – see the Contacts page for details of how to contact the Foundation.
When requesting a pack please provide a brief outline of your proposed study and a postal address. Note: awards are only made to UK based students studying at UK institutions of Higher Education for a post-graduate qualification. The Foundation does not normally make awards to international students.
Please note that for the 2025 round of awards, Trustees wish to encourage applications for studies in Practical Theology and also for studies linked to the teaching of RE in school.
Completed applications for 2025 awards must be submitted by 1st May 2025. In view of the time taken to put an application together, Application Packs will not be sent out after 10th April 2025. Awards will be announced at the end of June 2025 and are tenable from September 2025.
PGCE Secondary RE
The Foundation will not be making awards to PGCE Secondary RE students in 2025.
- Old website now retired
The Foundation’s old website at www.st-lukes-foundation.org.uk has now been retired. Please use the new website here at StLukesCF.org.uk from now on.