V&A Foundation Awards - MA History of Design Programme

The V&A Museum/Royal College of Art’s History of Design Programme (MA, MPhil and PhD) is internationally recognised as a leading centre for postgraduate study in the history of design and material culture. We aim to widen participation and help students of limited means to study at the College and the Museum. 

We are pleased to announce two V&A Foundation Awards which will fully cover the fees of talented students who would not otherwise be able to join the MA Programme.   

Duration of funding:  

12 months. V&A Foundation Awards are fees-only awards for full-time study.  

Value of awards and eligibility criteria:  

£17,000 – Tuition Fees for a UK (home status) student for full-time study.  

Applying for a place on the MA History of Design Programme 

Visit our application portal via the 'Apply' button above to make your application. Once submitted, your application will be reviewed by our academic staff. You will then receive notification of the outcome of your application.  

Applying for the bursary awards 

Once you have received an offer to study on the MA History of Design Programme, you can apply to the bursaries. To do this, please visit the V&A website’s History of Design page and download the application form. Your application must be submitted by midday on 9 April 2025. A shortlist of eligible candidates may be invited for an online interview in April. 

The two bursaries will be awarded based on the academic and/or professional strength and potential of the applicant, as demonstrated in their MA and bursary applications. 

To be eligible to apply for a bursary award, you need to be a UK resident who self-identifies as one of the current under-represented groups on the V&A/RCA MA History of Design: 

• Those with African, Caribbean, Asian, Mixed or Multiple ethnic backgrounds;
• Persons who have been granted refugee status in the UK;
• Care-leavers;
• People with a disability;
• Those in socio-economically deprived groups or from low-income households  

If you have any questions, please email hod@rca.ac.uk.