Global motorsport series Formula 1 has renewed its Engineering Scholarships to University of Strathclyde students until 2028.
Two places will be available to undergraduate Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering students from underrepresented backgrounds each year.
Since 2021, ten Strathclyde scholars have been supported by the initiative, which aims to increase diversity and inclusion across Formula 1, as part of a wider drive within the sport. Formula 1 has also committed to creating employment opportunities by offering internships for the scholars at one of the ten F1 teams during their second year of study.
Scholarship programme
Strathclyde is one of just five universities in the UK and Italy in the scholarship programme, which provides each student’s tuition, together with living expenses, for the full duration of their degree.
Professor Campbell Booth, Executive Dean of Strathclyde’s Faculty of Engineering, said: “These scholarships provide much more than financial support, and we are so grateful to Formula 1 for its generosity.
The scholarships give talented students from underrepresented backgrounds access to invaluable industry experience and career development opportunities alongside their studies.
“At Strathclyde, we are committed to widening access to Engineering and ensuring that talented students have the opportunity to fulfil their potential, regardless of their background. We are very proud of what our Formula 1 scholars have achieved since the programme began and look forward to seeing more Strathclyde students benefit from this partnership in the years ahead.”
Student support
Fourth-year Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering student Hiba has been supported by an F1 scholarship since 2023 and completed a two-week internship with the Haas F1 team in Banbury, Oxfordshire in 2025.
She said: “The support means I’m able to put all my focus into my studies and career goals without the added stress of financial hardship. This also includes being able to invest in better equipment for my studies, like a new laptop which has made such a meaningful difference in my academic performance. It also allows me to maintain a healthy work-life balance whilst at university.
This scholarship has given me much more than I expected and I will never take that for granted. It has inspired me to hopefully be in a position where I too can provide support to students who need it.
“I feel privileged to have experienced a two-week internship with the Haas F1 team last year, and working in such a prestigious environment gave me insight into Formula 1 that very few people get.
“One of my most memorable moments was being able to see what the inside of a Formula 1 car looks like, which was such a unique and once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Significant investment
This year’s cohort will be selected from students enrolled at Strathclyde, Imperial University, The University of Cambridge, University of Oxford and The Motor Valley University of Emilia-Romagna (MUNER), with a focus on underrepresented groups including females and people from minority ethnic groups.
Ellen Jones, Head of ESG at Formula 1, said: “Formula 1 is proud to extend the Formula 1 Engineering Scholarship for a further three academic years. This significant investment reinforces our commitment to making the sport more accessible to young people from all backgrounds, creating opportunities for the next generation of talent to build a career in motorsport.”