The Lemn Sissay Law Bursaries for students of Black heritage
The Lemn Sissay Law Bursaries are available to Black African, Black Caribbean and Black-mixed heritage students starting one of our undergraduate Law programmes.
University education should be open to all, regardless of race, gender, or social class. The University of Manchester is proud to offer the Lemn Sissay Law Bursaries, formerly the Black Lawyers Matter initiative, which helps address financial challenges when starting university.
Founded in 2017 and named after our former chancellor, the bursaries aim to address the low numbers of Black and Black-mixed heritage people in legal and criminal justice professions.
They are particularly focused on supporting those from socio-economically underrepresented backgrounds, particularly in the Greater Manchester area.
Inspire and be Inspired - a poem by Lemn Sissay
Receiving this award makes me feel more empowered and supported; and despite the challenges I may face, I am reminded that the beautiful, capable, and strong nature my Black-African heritage is recognised and appreciated.
Osakpawan Ohenhen / Scholarship recipient
Eligibility
You do not need to apply to be considered for a Lemn Sissay Law Bursary. Any new undergraduate students who meet the below criteria are automatically considered for a bursary:
- Identify as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups:
- Black or Black British – Caribbean;
- Black or Black British – African;
- Mixed - White and Black Caribbean;
- Mixed - White and Black African;
- Other Black background.
- Have accepted and enrolled in the 1st year of either the LLB Law, LLB Law with Criminology or the LLB Law with Politics degree programme;
- Have been assessed for fee status as a 'home' student;
- This is your first degree; you must not already hold a degree or equivalent higher-level qualification.
Priority will be given to those who:
- Live in Greater Manchester, or studied at an institution in Greater Manchester;
- Have had experience of being in local authority care;
- Live in a so-called 'disadvantaged' neighbourhood. This is defined by the applicants' home postcode using the University's contextual data eligibility checker;
- Have been assessed for financial support through your regional funding authority with a verified household income of less than £25,000 per annum. The funding authorities are Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance NI and the Student Awards Agency for Scotland.
The bursary may be held in conjunction with other bursaries. See the Student Finance for undergraduate students guidance for more information on financial support.
Hear from scholarship recipients
How has the bursary supported you during your studies so far?
"Yes - the bursary has had a significant impact on my education.
I got to try out societies I would not have initially thought of joining because of the financial safety. For example, I tried out silks, yoga, salsa and Bachata Society, MULS (Manchester University Law Society), Female Lawyers Society. I obtained a gym membership and attended taster sessions.
Outside of societies, I applied for opportunities such as Mishcon de Reya work experience placement for a week during summer 2025 - the scholarship helped me afford expenses for the experience.
During the second year I wanted to improve my grades and so I chose to get tutoring for a module. This significantly pushed my grade, and I am so satisfied with the outcome, despite it being costly, it was worth it. I would not have been able to afford this help without the support of the bursary."
Has receiving the bursary influenced your academic experience or helped you focus more fully on your studies? If so, how?
"The bursary has influenced my academic experience in a way where I do not need to sacrifice part of my university period due to financial pressures. Instead, I can be more integrated into university life and focus on my studies because of the financial support."
What are your goals and aspirations for the remainder of your degree?
"I will continue improving my grades. I will take part in more experiences that will benefit my career in the future but also take part in activities that I may not be able to have a chance to do again."
In one sentence, how would you describe the impact the Lemn Sissay Bursary has had on your university experience so far?
"The impact of the Lemn Sissay Bursary has been significant and, made outstanding changes to my university life."
“As a black African student at The University of Manchester, I’m proud to be part of an exceptional community which values ethnic pride and I’m beyond grateful to have been selected as an individual entitled to the Lemn Sissay Law bursary which will help me to tackle the financial or economic worries which may arise during my study at the University of Manchester.
As an individual with black ethnic background within the legal field, it can often be clear that there’s a particular lack of black, especially male, professionals in the legal and criminal justice field; and as recognised by the University of Manchester -this is ‘keenly felt in the Greater Manchester area’.
Therefore, receiving this bursary for the duration of my law degree programme, strongly reminds me of the extraordinary quote by Lemn Sissay in his poem titled ‘Inspire and be inspired’ in which he recalls of the ‘strength of unassailable us’ – and hearing this stood out to me as an encouragement to myself and surely to the countless of other individuals with a black or ethnic minority background that the resilience and collective power within our diverse communities and more importantly ourselves can enable us to reach our full potential; and ultimately we do belong within the legal field or any other area of interest.
Therefore, receiving this award makes me feel more empowered and supported; and despite the challenges I may face, I am reminded that the beautiful, capable, and strong nature my Black-African heritage is recognised and appreciated.”
“As a student from a lower socio-economic background, I was beyond grateful when I learnt I would receive this bursary. My main concerns with attending university were how I’d manage my finances but thanks to the university’s commitment to uplifting marginalised groups, I am very confident that I can now do my best in my study of law.”
What inspired you to study Law at The University of Manchester?
"I am originally from Manchester and come from a working-class background. As the daughter of parents who left Ghana to create better opportunities for their family, education has always represented something incredibly important to me.
I was drawn to studying Law because I enjoy understanding how the law shapes people's lives and society, while also being attracted to the variety of career opportunities a law degree can provide.
Choosing the University of Manchester felt like a natural decision: I wanted to study at a respected university while remaining connected to the city that has shaped me."
What did receiving the Lemn Sissay Law Bursary mean to you?
"Receiving the University of Manchester's Lemn Sissay Law Bursary was deeply meaningful to me, not only as a source of financial support but as an affirmation of my place in academia.
Coming from a socio-economically underrepresented background, there were times when a legal career felt like a distant aspiration rather than an achievable goal.
The bursary gave me confidence and reassurance that my ambitions are both recognised and valued."
How has your first year at university been?
"My university experience so far has been both challenging and rewarding. Studying Law has pushed me to become more independent, confident and resilient, while also allowing me to meet people from many different backgrounds.
Beyond my studies, I have tried to make the most of the opportunities available to me, including gaining legal work experience and exploring my future career options."
How has the bursary supported you?
"The financial support has helped to ease some of the pressures that can come with university and has allowed me to focus more fully on my studies and personal development.
Beyond the financial support, receiving the bursary has also made me feel recognised and encouraged in my ambitions.
It has reminded me that my background does not have to limit what I can achieve."
What are your future ambitions?
"This year, I am particularly looking forward to continuing into the next stage of my Law degree, developing my legal knowledge and gaining further work experience.
I hope to continue building my confidence, exploring opportunities within the legal profession and working towards a successful future as a commercial lawyer."
"Receiving the Lemn Sissay Law Bursary has helped remove the financial and practical barriers of going into the legal profession as a Black African woman. This bursary will support me in my Law studies and further encourage my ambition of becoming a barrister while contributing to greater diversity within the legal sector."
For more information on the Lemn Sissay Law Bursaries, please contact the team at LSLB@manchester.ac.uk.