Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme
- Application period opens
- Monday 3 November 2025
- Application period closes
- Monday 19 January 2026
The Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme at the University of St Andrews is dedicated to developing a new generation of leaders who combine strong research skills with a commitment to ethical leadership and data-driven decision-making. We invest in passionate undergraduate students, equipping them with the knowledge, skills and experiences to become active global citizens and leaders in their chosen fields.
Please make sure you read the "Other Requirements" section below, which provides explicit guidelines on the required content and format of your research proposal.
Value of award (per year)
A Scholar stipend (£6,000 total) and access to the Scholars Travel Fund (up to £2,000). This value is reflective of the total amount a scholar may receive over the entire duration of the programme and is not per year.
In addition, Scholars undergo a comprehensive leadership development training, receive an Ethical Leadership Certificate from the University of Oxford, join a global network of Laidlaw Scholars and alumni, and the Laidlaw Programme is listed on their University of St Andrews HEAR degree transcript.
Duration of award
The award will be paid out for the duration of the Laidlaw programme only.
Application restrictions
Study level
Available to students studying at:
Subjects
Available to students studying:
Domicile for fee status
Schools
Available to students in the following Schools and Departments:
Application assessment
Available to
Mode of study
Geographical criteria
Additional criteria
Available to students who meet the criteria, have at least two summers remaining at St Andrews at the time of application and can commit to the following schedule and assessments:
- Completing two six-week projects over two summers:
- In the first summer, Scholars complete a research project on a topic of their choosing under the direction of an academic supervisor (starting within a week before or after the first day of the summer semester)
- In the second summer, Scholars complete a Leadership-in-Action project (typically overseas, timing to be confirmed).
- Attending all Laidlaw events during term time and throughout the summer one research period (equivalent to six full days).
- Completing a six-month ethical leadership masterclass through the Oxford Character Project (1-3 hours per month during term time).
- Attending the annual Laidlaw Scholars Conference (one full weekend during term time).
- Creating:
- A research essay, poster, and blog post (summer 1).
- A leadership development essay (summer 2).
- A leadership-in-action video (summer 2).
- A leadership-in-action weekly learning log (summer 2).
- Being an active member of the Laidlaw community, with frequent engagement on the Laidlaw Scholars Network.
Please note that unless you are already an international student at St Andrews, all Laidlaw Scholars are expected to go overseas for a minimum of six weeks during the programme (typically during the summer 2 Leadership-in-Action project).
Study abroad students
Students who will be studying abroad or doing a work placement during the Laidlaw programme and/or are incoming study abroad students are not eligible to apply.
Other requirements
In support of your application, you will be asked to answer a series of competency and readiness-based questions and to upload the following supporting documents:
- An outline of your proposed research project. Your proposal should be understandable to a non-specialist audience and address each of the following questions [500 words max - reviewers will not consider any text above this limit]:
- Why did you pick this research question? Why is it of interest to you?
- What is the methodology you plan to use during your research?
- Would there be travel involved in your research? If so, where and why?
- What role will your research supervisor play in your research?
- What do you anticipate being the goal(s) and key achievement(s) of your research?
- What do you foresee being the impact(s) of this research?
- A letter of reference from your proposed research supervisor.
How to apply
This programme is available through the Laidlaw Scholars Leadership and Research Programme application form. You can access this application through the Scholarships and funding catalogue in the Scholarships and Funding section in MySaint.
Terms and conditions
Please read the University of St Andrews scholarships terms and conditions (opens in new tab).
Before starting your application, carefully read through the information on this webpage, as well as the main Laidlaw Programme Application page and make sure you fully understand and agree to all Laidlaw Programme components and requirements.
In the application form, you will be asked to agree to these terms and confirm that you have understood your responsibilities and commitments should you be awarded a place on the 2026 to 2027 Laidlaw Scholars Programme.
If you have any questions that are not answered on the website and accompanying application documentation or need further clarification, contact the Laidlaw team on laidlaw@st-andrews.ac.uk.