New Scholarships to support new entrants into wine industry

Two exciting new scholarship opportunities are now open to undergraduate degree students wishing to begin a career in the wine industry, with a clear mission: to open doors and break down barriers for underrepresented groups in wine education and production.

The scholarships are being announced after the seminal National Wine Careers Week, a new campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of the wide range of careers available in the wine sector both in the UK and globally.

Now taking place every year in May, National Wine Careers Week aims to demonstrate not just how many jobs the UK wine sector provides, but also their breadth and diversity; from viticulture to winemaking, quality control, import and export, logistics, investment, buying and selling, marketing, hospitality and tourism to name a few. Additionally, the sector offers many opportunities to build a successful career, grow in knowledge and gain lifelong qualifications.

The Cobham House Vineyard Scholarship Award 2025/26
Cobham House Vineyard, a new and proudly diverse, family-run estate in the heart of Kent, has launched the Cobham House Vineyard Scholarship Award, aimed at supporting students from the global majority. This initiative offers bursaries of up to £2,000 for eligible students enrolling in undergraduate wine degree programmes at Plumpton College in September 2025.

“At Cobham House, we are committed to shaping a wine industry that reflects the vibrant and multicultural society we live in,” said Pallab Sengupta, co-founder of Cobham House Vineyard. “This scholarship is about more than financial support—it’s about visibility, opportunity, and changing the face of English wine.”

The Cobham House Vineyard Scholarship is open to UK residents aged 18 and over from global majority background, including those from Asian, Black, Traveller, and other ethnic communities. It supports studies on the following undergraduate courses at Plumpton College:

• FdSc Wine Production
• FdA Wine Business
• BSc (Hons) Viticulture & Oenology

Plumpton College Wine Scholarship Programme
Alongside this initiative, Plumpton College—a Queen’s Anniversary Prize-winning institution and the UK's centre of excellence for wine education—continues to expand its support for new entrants into the wine industry through its own Wine Scholarship Programme.

These scholarships aim to remove financial barriers for passionate and talented individuals who wish to pursue careers in wine business, production, or science. The Plumpton Wine Scholarship covers 50% of tuition fee costs in year 1 and 2 of study and there are two scholarships available for academic year 2025/26.

Postgraduate Research Scholarships
Lastly, each academic year, a limited number of scholarships are available to support MSc Viticulture & Oenology students undertaking research—particularly projects aimed at enhancing the sustainability of UK vineyards and wineries. Scholarships include the NFU Mutual Scholarship and the Hazel Murphy Scholarship, each offering up to £5,000 (subject to change). Previous recipients have explored innovative solutions such as using UVC light to combat powdery mildew and bio-fumigation as an alternative to chemical pesticides. Additional financial support, including hardship funding, may be available to help with travel, accommodation, or essential course costs.

“We are delighted to announce both these opportunities as well as our research scholarship at such a critical time for the UK wine sector. There has never been a more important time to attract new entrants to study for a career in wine, as the sector is facing a significant skills gap with the growth in vineyards and the industry within the UK. Wine GB predicts that by 2040, the UK wine industry will annually produce over 40 million bottles of wine”. said Jeremy Kerswell, Principal of Plumpton College. “By offering these scholarships, we hope to empower a new generation of wine professionals from all backgrounds, ensuring the industry is as rich and diverse as the wines we produce.”

The scholarship programmes reflect a shared commitment to equity, accessibility, and the cultivation of a more inclusive and innovative wine sector in the UK and beyond.

If you wish to find out more about the wine university programmes at the UK Wine Centre of Excellence, validated by University of Greenwich, visit the wine division to read the full offer, terms & conditions.

Categories: College News, Wine Division