Evaluation of The Robertson Trust Scholarship

About the Robertson Scholarship

In March 2023, the Scottish Centre for Social Research (ScotCen) was commissioned by The Robertson Trust to evaluate The Robertson Scholarship. Established in 1992, the Scholarship aims to support young people aged 16-25 from a range of under-represented groups to overcome socioeconomic barriers to accessing, participating in and benefiting from a university education in Scotland. At the time of the research, the Scholarship provided Robertson Scholars with a bursary of up to £4,250 per annum, which does not impact on any other funding the student might be eligible for. Additionally, Scholars could access a 4-year self-development training programme, personal and leadership development, networking and mentoring opportunities, internships and mental health support.

Findings

Overall, the Robertson Scholarship and the Journey to Success programme were very well received and highly valued, both by current and former Scholars, and by school and university staff. Scholars spoke of their pride at being awarded a Scholarship and felt a strong sense of being part of a ‘family’.

The bursary was key to the perceived success of the Scholarship. It helped to expand Scholars’ university choices, allowing them to consider institutions further away from home, and enabled financial independence from their families. Once at university, the bursary helped reduce the financial burden and worries associated with attending university which allowed some Scholars to reduce their hours of paid work, improve their mental health and participate more in student life.

The support provided through The Robertson Scholarship to young people from backgrounds under-represented in university was found to go a considerable way in addressing the Trust’s aims to reduce the impacts of poverty and trauma. The evaluation found the Scholarship helped to level the playing field for students who may not be able to access the social and financial support that some of their peers can draw upon.

However, that support did not appear to be reaching all the Scholars who needed it. To completely level the playing field for students from under-represented backgrounds, better awareness of, signposting and access to support available through the Scholarship (e.g., mental health counselling, mentoring, internships etc.) and via universities and other organisations were recommended.

Methodology

The evaluation aimed to understand what impact, if any, The Robertson Scholarship had on Scholars, how the Scholarship was perceived externally and consider how it might help the Trust meet its aim of reducing the impact of poverty and trauma. The research consisted of several in-depth qualitative strands of research, including:

• A policy and bursary review to explore the changing context in which The Robertson Scholarship and Journey to Success programme operate.
• Focus groups and paired interviews with 18 current and former Scholars to explore the impact of the Scholarship on individuals.
• A focus group with eight university staff from seven universities, plus a teacher interview, to explore external perceptions of the programme.

At the heart of the evaluation was participatory research undertaken with six current and former Scholars. These Scholar Research Consultants drew on their lived experiences to inform the research design, interpret findings and advise on how best to disseminate the research findings.