The program will support 30 new scholars across five institutions, covering tuition and living costs while opening routes into motorsport careers
Formula 1’s renewed engineering scholarship program will support ten new students each year from 2026/27 to 2028/29. Photo: Formula 1
Formula 1 has committed more than £2.4 million to renew its Engineering Scholarship Programme for three academic years, supporting students from underrepresented backgrounds with the cost of university and access to industry experience.
Ten new scholars will join each year from 2026/27 to 2028/29. The program covers full tuition fees and living expenses for the duration of their degrees, alongside opportunities to undertake placements with F1 teams.
The renewal accompanies Formula 1’s first sport-wide Social Impact Report, which records that more than 500,000 young people across 71 countries accessed its education, science and career-focused programs in 2025.
Scholarships across five institutions
The scholarship program includes the University of Strathclyde, Imperial College London, the University of Cambridge, the University of Oxford and Italy’s Motor Valley University of Emilia-Romagna, known as MUNER.
Since its launch in 2021, the initiative has supported 48 students, including ten at Strathclyde.
The university outlined its renewed allocation on LinkedIn: “Two places per year will be available to Mechanical & Aerospace undergraduates from underrepresented backgrounds.”
Strathclyde scholars will be offered internships with F1 teams during their second year of study. The wider program also includes visits to Formula 1’s Media and Technology Centre and experiences behind the scenes at Grand Prix weekends.
Professor Campbell Booth, Executive Dean of Strathclyde’s Faculty of Engineering, says: “The scholarships give talented students from underrepresented backgrounds access to invaluable industry experience and career development opportunities alongside their studies.”
Reaching schools and future talent worldwide
Formula 1’s Social Impact Report brings together the contributions of the sport’s commercial organization, its governing body the FIA, the ten teams competing in 2025 and 24 race promoters.
Alongside the scholarships, it highlights more than 1,000 skills and talent development opportunities connected to motorsport and related industries.
The British Council’s Learning Sectors program has worked with more than 150,000 students across the UK, South Africa, India and Brazil, using motorsport to support learning in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, collectively known as STEM.
More than 700 schools across those countries participated in Learning Sectors. Separately, more than 29,000 schools compete annually in the global STEM Racing education initiative.
Formula 1 plans to expand programs including Learning Sectors and strengthen how it measures and reports the results of its social impact work.
Stefano Domenicali, President and CEO of Formula 1, says: “Formula 1 has an extraordinary power to inspire, and we want everyone to believe there is a place for them in our sport. We are turning our commitments into action, working across motorsport to break down barriers and widen access for future generations.”
From financial support to experience inside an F1 team
For Strathclyde student Hiba Elkhatim, the scholarship has supported both her studies and her understanding of engineering careers in motorsport.
The fourth-year Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering student has received support since 2023 and completed a two-week internship with the Haas F1 team in Banbury, Oxfordshire, in 2025.
She says: “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.”
Her placement also gave her access to the engineering environment behind the racing team, including the opportunity to see inside a Formula 1 car.
“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.”
ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 open for entries
The ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 are now open for entries, with 26 categories recognising companies, institutions, projects and individuals making a measurable impact across education technology. The global awards span AI in education, digital learning, higher education, skills and workforce, inclusion, education operations, evidence and impact, with entries managed through ETIH’s new online awards platform.
Entries are open worldwide, with the early-bird deadline on Friday 18 December 2026 and the final entry deadline on Friday 26 February 2027 at 23:59 UK time.
Explore the 2027 categories and judging criteria, read the How to Enter guide or start an entry through the ETIH Innovation Awards 2027 platform.
