Royal Television Society presents 2024 undergraduate bursaries

The Royal Television Society (RTS), Britain’s leading forum for television and related media, has awarded the recipients of its 2024 bursaries. This year marks 10 years since the bursary schemes were launched, which aim to widen participation in, and access to, the media industry by supporting talented students from low-income backgrounds who are pursuing careers in television, film or related media industries.

For 2024, a total of 41 bursaries have been awarded to students from 30 different institutions. 30 recipients were selected for the TV Production and Journalism Bursary (TVPJ) and 11 for the Digital Innovation Bursary (DI). Two TVPJ recipients were also awarded the prestigious named scholarships: Danyaal Hussain, receiving the Steve Hewlett Scholarship, and Olivia Ritchie the Beryl Vertue Scholarship, introduced by the RTS in 2022 for a talented and committed television production scholar.

All3Media, Apple TV+, the Steve Hewlett Memorial Fund, Hartswood Films and STV are all continuing their generous support from previous years, with STV selecting four TVPJ and one DI bursary recipient for 2024, who will receive financial support, an STV mentor and work experience.  

The successful scholars attend 30 universities and institutions across the UK and will each receive financial support to assist with their expenses and living costs alongside events access and a free RTS membership while studying, with an additional year after they graduate. The RTS will also set up mentoring opportunities, matching each awardee with an industry professional. The recipients will also be given the opportunity to access the recently-launched RTS Mini MBA, a pioneering industry-led online course which provides a comprehensive business understanding of the television and streaming media sector, upon their graduation. 

Theresa Wise, CEO of the Royal Television Society, said: “This year we are celebrating a decade of our Bursary Schemes with an impressive and inspiring cohort of scholars who are forging their careers within the television and streaming industries. One of our core pillars at the RTS is  widening access to our industries, and we’re very proud to be awarding this year’s bursary recipients who exemplify the talent and drive evident in the next generation of students.” 

Harry New, a 2024 bursary recipient studying Digital Film Production at the University of Sunderland, said: “I’ve sometimes struggled to take myself seriously as a creative. Being awarded this bursary makes me feel like I’m allowed to exist in this space. I look forward to attending events and masterclasses, working with my industry mentor, and meeting the other scholars who all now know that there’s a place in television for them.” 

To date, the RTS has invested over £1million in the scheme, and supported 373 bursary scholars throughout their education and beyond, with British television presenter AJ Odudu boarding as an Ambassador for the scheme in 2024. The schemes attract widespread industry backing in the form of donations to fund bursaries and in-kind support, such as mentoring, hosting networking events, and offering internships and work experience. Donations have enabled the scheme to grow and flourish.  

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Full List of Television Production and Broadcast Journalism Bursary Scholars:  

Steve Hewlett Scholarship:  

Danyaal Hussain, Journalism BA (Hons), City, University of London 

RTS Television Production and Journalism Scholars: 

Aisha Azam, Media and Communications, Goldsmiths College 

Apollo Tobin, Film and Television Production, University of Hertfordshire 

Caleb Pagett, Filmmaking BA Hons, University of Plymouth 

Calla Cox, Film Production, University of Salford 

Classic De Gale, BA (Hons) Practical Filmmaking, Met Film School 

Daisy Bayliss, Film Production, University of Salford 

Elaysha-Amaiyah Coley-Thompson-Smith, Journalism, Roehampton University 

Ellie O’Brien Hayes, Film Production, University for the Creative Arts 

Evan McMenamin, Filmmaking, Manchester Metropolitan University 

Francesca Lyon, Filmmaking, University of the West of England, Bristol 

Ganat Omar, Television Production, Leeds Trinity University 

Harry New, Digital Film Production, University of Sunderland 

Ishbel Ewing, English, University of Bristol 

Joshua Roys, Film and Television Production, University of Hertfordshire 

Kaden Ingleby, Television and Radio Production, University of Salford 

Kevin Hassani, Digital Film Production, University of Sunderland 

Lauren Russell, Film Production, University of Salford 

Lilian Grace, Film and Television Studies, Aberystwyth University 

Lola Boulden, Filmmaking, University of the West of England 

Lucy Matthews, Architectural Engineering, Loughborough University 

Nina Chauhan, Film and Television Production, University of Hertfordshire 

Paige Kynoch, Film and Visual Culture, University of Aberdeen 

Shane Marshall, BA (Hons) Filmmaking, Screen and Film School Manchester 

Trinity Lyons, Content, Media and Film Production, Met Film School Leeds 

STV Scholars (TVPJ): 

Eilidh Gow, BA Filmmaking, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland 

Eoghan Mullan, Broadcast Production, Queen’s University Belfast 

Faith Taiwo, Film and Television Production, University of Greenwich 

Joe Lang, Film, Edinburgh Napier University 

Digital Innovation Scholars: 

Anisah Bello, Computer Science, University of Sussex 

Cem Aslan, Computer Science with Foundation Year BSc (Hons), University of Surrey 

Ellie Claridge, 2D Animation, University of Hertfordshire 

Ifaz Uddin, Mathematics and Computer Science, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine 

Luke Edwards, Computer Science and Electronics, University of Bristol 

Mohammed Maruf Miah, Mechanical and Design Engineering, City University of London 

Stuart Warren, Broadcast Production Television & Radio, University of the West of Scotland 

Sumeya Mohamed, Systems Engineering, University of Warwick 

Zeno Petrou, 3D Game & VFX, UCEN Manchester  

Lucky Muse, Computer Science with Business, Aston University 

STV Scholars (DI): 

Mohamed Elhabib Ali, Computing Science, University of Glasgow