Funding rules and application windows change quickly. This page was fact-checked on 23 July 2026. It distinguishes closed rounds from routes that schools could still investigate at that date. Always confirm the live scheme rules before committing expenditure or submitting an application.
EngineeringUK 2026/27 bursary: applications closed
Applications for EngineeringUK’s £700 bursaries for the 2026/27 academic year closed at 5pm on 20 July 2026. Schools should not prepare or submit an application for that round unless EngineeringUK announces a new window.
The closed round was for secondary and special schools with pupils aged 11 and over that met EngineeringUK’s priority-school criteria. All-through schools could apply only for their secondary phase.
The closed round could fund eligible Neon experiences, transport, staff cover or kit. EngineeringUK states that applicants who passed a basic quality check were selected randomly. This describes the closed 2026/27 round and is not an invitation to apply now.
STEM workshop funding your school can apply for directly
The following schemes allowed a school to apply in its own name when this page was checked. Eligibility, permitted spending and opening status can change, so verify each scheme directly before relying on it.
Edina Trust Science Grant Scheme
For 2026/27, the Edina Trust lists £1,000 for eligible primary and special schools, £500 for infant and junior schools, and £700 for eligible maintained nurseries. The scheme is non-competitive for schools in its current named local-authority areas, subject to the scheme terms. Check the live eligible-area list before relying on the grant.
BlueSpark Foundation
BlueSpark makes rolling small grants, usually under £5,000, to organisations in England supporting children and young people aged 5 to 22. A school can apply directly for a defined project, such as a STEM club. It suits a discrete enrichment project rather than a routine in-curriculum booking.
IOP, IET and STFC School Grants Scheme
This scheme offers up to £600 for a new physics or engineering project, open to schools across the UK and Ireland. There are three deadlines a year, and the next is 1 November 2026. A bought-in workshop is allowed, and the bid is stronger when the workshop sits inside a wider pupil project. The school must apply, not the provider.
Money you may already hold: Pupil Premium and the Pupil Development Grant
Two of the most flexible routes are budgets many schools already receive. Both can fund a STEM workshop where you can justify the impact on disadvantaged pupils.
Pupil Premium in England is set for 2026/27 at £1,550 per eligible primary pupil, £1,100 per secondary pupil, £2,690 Pupil Premium Plus for looked-after and previously looked-after children, and £360 Service Premium. Enrichment sits in the "wider strategies" tier of the DfE menu of approaches, so a workshop is fundable where you can evidence that it lifts attainment or removes a barrier. Spending is reviewed, so keep the rationale in your strategy statement, due by 31 December 2026.
In Wales, the Pupil Development Grant is confirmed for 2026/27 at £1,150 per eligible learner, held at the same level as last year. It works on the same conditional basis, with Welsh-language guidance on llyw.cymru. For the fuller picture, read our guide to funding STEM enrichment.
One to watch: the Every Child Can programme
In June 2026 the government announced Every Child Can, a £132.5m enrichment programme funded through the Dormant Assets Scheme, and it names STEM among its categories. It is not yet open. The government has not published how schools will access it, so no school can spend it on a workshop today. We will update this page when the application route lands.
What usually does not work, and why
Plenty of grants look like a fit and are not, usually because of who must apply or a community-benefit rule. The National Lottery Awards for All programme excludes the school day, the curriculum and after-school clubs, so it only suits a genuine out-of-hours community event run by a PTA or community group. The Co-op Local Community Fund is between rounds, with the next expected in spring 2027, and needs a PTA to apply. The Ogden Trust's physics education grants have been withdrawn. Being upfront about these saves you chasing money you cannot use.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Pupil Premium pay for a STEM workshop?
Yes, where you can evidence that it benefits disadvantaged pupils. STEM enrichment sits in the "wider strategies" tier of the DfE menu of approaches, so a workshop is fundable if it lifts attainment or removes a barrier, and the reasoning is recorded in your strategy statement.
Which STEM funding can a school apply for directly?
At the 23 July 2026 review, the Edina Trust, BlueSpark Foundation and IOP, IET and STFC scheme were routes for schools to investigate directly. The EngineeringUK 2026/27 application round had already closed. Confirm current status and eligibility on each funder’s website.
Is the EngineeringUK 2026/27 bursary still open?
No. EngineeringUK states that applications for the 2026/27 academic year closed at 5pm on 20 July 2026. Check EngineeringUK directly for any later round.
Can a grant pay an external provider like Hyett?
Some can and some cannot. The closed EngineeringUK round permitted eligible Neon experiences, and Edina Trust lists science visits into school as eligible spending. Equipment-only and community-benefit funds may exclude bought-in provision, so always check the current scheme rules before applying.
Turning funding into a booking
Whichever route fits, our workshops are priced per booking and cover year groups from EYFS to Key Stage 5, with topics including robotics, AI and cybersecurity. Funded places may sometimes be available, but availability changes and a place is not guaranteed. Use the Instant Quote for the current price or contact the team to register your interest in funded availability.
