Individual Grant applications are now open!

Each year, the Portal Trust awards direct grants to young people from inner London who are embarking on an accredited university course or vocational qualification.

We want to ensure financial concerns don’t stand in the way of young people achieving their goals. As young Londoners prepare for their next steps, we know the transition to university or vocational training can feel both exciting and daunting, especially when thinking about the costs of equipment, travel or day-to-day living.

Our individual grants offer support for those aged 18–25 who live in of the 14 inner London Borough where we work. They’re awarded for up to 5 years, and typically provide funding of £1,000 - £2,000 per year.

While we open our applications each year on A-level day, you don’t need A-levels to apply, and you don’t need to be planning on taking a university degree course.

Our grants are for young people who want to get qualified for a career in all sectors of the economy, from bricklaying or carpentry to accountancy or teaching.

We do receive a lot of applications each year, and we can’t award funding to everyone who applies. To be successful, you’ll need to be facing financial hardship, and be able to show us how you’re overcoming additional disadvantages to access education. We know everyone’s journey is different, so we encourage applicants to share the challenges they’ve navigated along the way.

Applications are now open until 15 October 2026. We’ll let applicants know if they’ve been successful early in 2027.

If you’re interested in applying or know a young person who might be, please check out our eligibility quiz. Alternatively, you can reach out to the Grants Team at hello@portaltrust.org.