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Access Scholarship

ACTAPS is determined to address the concerning lack of diversity of (a) our members, and (b) those that we see specialising in contentious trusts and probate work.

We seek to take active steps to play our part in promoting better diversity of ethnicity of those who undertake this specialist area of work and those who reach high levels of success in their careers in this practice area.

This scholarship is designed to promote better access to solicitors who would like to practice and specialise in contentious trusts and probate work in the UK, together with helping them to make contacts and form networks with other solicitors specialising in this area of work.

Our aim is that it will gradually encourage better diversity at more junior levels, but that it will also provide support for those individuals to have better prospects of thriving in their careers.

The scholarship is designed to encourage solicitors to undertake the ACTAPS course who would not ordinarily have had access to it, by virtue of a lack of specialisation in their current firms in this practice area, or a lack of funding available to put junior lawyers at the firm through the course. Preference will be given to applicants who the assessing panel feel meet these aims and guidance for the marking of applications (which will be made available to applicants) will be weighted towards applicants from firms who do not have a market presence in this area of work, or would not ordinarily fund placements on the course.

The scholarship is being run for the 2026 intake to the ACTAPS course, in a trial format, which may be subject to change in future years.

What are we offering?

Two Places

We plan to offer 2 fully fee paid scholarships to the ACTAPS course each year. In the first instance this would be for enrolment in September 2026.

Fees Paid

The Scholarship will cover the full course fees (currently £7,380), whether the course is completed within 2 years or 3 years.

ACTAPS Mentor

ACTAPS will match you with a current member of ACTAPS to act as a mentor. Your mentor will not be able to assist/discuss any ongoing caseload with you, but will do their best to answer questions about the course, general questions about the law in this area, and to attend ACTAPS events with you as a friendly face and to introduce you to other practitioners.

What will we ask from the successful applicant?

A commitment to engaging in the course and working to the best of your ability.

Attending the course lectures and handing in coursework on time.

Completion of the course within the anticipated time frame, unless some special dispensation is agreed for special circumstances.

That you will try to attend at least two ACTAPs events per year during each year that you are undertaking the course.

That you will actively seek to practice in contentious trusts and probate work following completion of the course.

That you will apply for full membership of ACTAPS once eligible.

Eligible Applicants
Any solicitor, barrister or legal executive from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background, in the UK, who is currently practicing and employed by a law firm.

Any completed application form will be taken as a positive representation that the applicant considers themselves to fall within the eligibility criteria.

If you aren’t sure if you are eligible, please just contact us.
Where there is competition for places preference will be given to:

(i) applicants from firms who are not market leaders in contentious trusts and probate work and who would not normally fund places on the ACTAPS course, or any other similar/equivalent course covering trust and estates in practice,

(ii) applicants who, in the view of those assessing, have the best potential to thrive in a career specialising in this emotionally, technically and legally complex work.

How to Apply
Eligible applicants can apply by completing our Application Form (which can be downloaded from our website) and sending that, together with a CV (of no more than 2 pages), to scholarship@actaps.com

A copy of the guidance for those assessing applications can be found on the website. We recommend that you read this before finalising your application and consider amending your CV to cover the areas that you will be scored against. Please give clear details of your previous career and academic achievements and performance (including grades/attainment levels and evidence of academic excellence).

NB. There is space to explain any grades or marks (within the last question) that were lower than you feel reflects your ability, or any career gaps etc, if there were extenuating circumstances.

Applications for 2026 will close on 22 May 2026 and be considered within 6 weeks of that date, with successful applicants to be announced no later than the end of July. Any application received after the closing date for the 2026 scheme will be deemed to be an application for the 2027 scheme and will be considered at that time.

Alternatively you can apply online by using the application form below:

Downloadable Resources

ACTAPS Access Scholarship - Application Form.docx

ACTAPS Access Scholarship Scoring Sheet and Guidance

Access Scholarship – Application Form (2026)

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

PLEASE ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS and return this form to us with a copy of your CV (maximum two A4 pages, to include academic qualifications and grades):

(i) Size of firm and number of partners, (ii) Approximate annual turnover, (iii) Whether the firm or any individuals are recognised in the legal directories for (a) contentions trusts and probate work? (b) other areas of work? (iv) Details of the ethnic diversity of your firm, including the number (if any/if known) of partners who do not identify as white, (v) Whether the firm has ever paid for anyone to undertake the ACTAPS course, or done so in the last 5 years? If not, do you know why this is?
(Please include here any extenuating circumstances relating to your academic qualifications/CV if appropriate)
Please upload your CV here. Maximum two A4 pages, to include academic qualifications and grades.
Max. file size: 20 MB.