UofG partners with Martingale Foundation for new scholarship programme in mathematics
Published: 18 June 2026
Lower-income postgraduate students will receive scholarships to study at the University of Glasgow’s School of Mathematics and Statistics thanks to a new partnership agreement.
Lower-income postgraduate students will receive scholarships to study at the University of Glasgow’s School of Mathematics and Statistics thanks to a new partnership agreement.
The University has partnered with Martingale Foundation to provide fully-funded masters and PhD scholarships specifically to talented students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds.
The University is one of three leading UK universities announced to be partnering with the Martingale Foundation today, thanks to the support of founding donor XTX Markets. The University of Warwick and the University of York are also joining the partnership, taking the total of UK universities working with Martingale to thirteen.
The School of Mathematics and Statistics has a world-leading reputation for maths research, ranking first in Scotland and fifth in the UK during the 2021 Research Excellence Framework exercise, according to Times Higher Education. The School also ranks regularly in the top 15 for teaching excellence across the UK.
Working together with its partners, Martingale is on a mission to break down the financial and social barriers that are preventing many talented students from pursuing postgraduate research. According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds are up to eight times less likely to pursue masters degrees and fifteen times less likely to pursue a PhD.
(l-r) Cassie Hugill, Martingale's Chief Executive, Professor Nigel Mottram of the School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Kathryn Hess Bellwald, Chair of Martingale's Advisory Board.
Professor Nigel Mottram, Head of the University of Glasgow’s School of Mathematics and Statistics, said: “We’re pleased and proud to be partnering with Martingale Foundation to create new postgraduate opportunities for students, from an even wider range of backgrounds, in the years to come.
“The University has a longstanding commitment to expanding access to higher education and enabling talented students from all walks of life to reach their full potential. This new partnership will empower more students to access our highly ranked mathematics MSc and PhD programmes, and to help us achieve our goal of transforming lives through ideas and action, grounded in world-leading research, teaching and innovation."
Cassandra Hugill, Martingale Foundation Chief Executive, said: "We are excited to be launching this partnership with the University of Glasgow and expanding our reach in Scotland. The university's School of Mathematics and Statistics is truly impressive, ranked 5th in the UK and home to world-leading mathematics research, led by globally recognised experts. Through this partnership, we will be able to offer more postgraduate scholarships to talented students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds and significantly grow our reach of talented students across the UK.
“I hope this new partnership encourages talented students from across Scotland and beyond, who may have thought that postgraduate research was out of reach for them, to think again and consider applying for a Martingale Scholarship this summer. Applications open in August - good luck!"
Martingale Scholarships provide postgraduate students with:
• A fully-funded scholarship to pursue a masters or PhD
• Funding that covers all tuition fees and research expenses, including a tax-free stipend set according to the Living Wage Foundation.
• Tailored university application support that covers the application process for each university.
• A comprehensive professional development programme that includes leadership training and connections with top academic and industry professionals.
• Membership of a prestigious research community.
In August, Martingale, working together with all its university partners, will launch a nationwide recruitment campaign for its next cohort of masters and PhD scholars.
Applications will open on 12 August for Martingale PhD and Masters Scholarships in maths and AI for courses starting at Martingale’s partner universities in 2027. Applications are open to all talented STEM students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with a passion for research.
More details about this year’s scholar recruitment campaign and Martingale Scholarships, can be found on the Martingale website.
For more information on the University of Glasgow’s ongoing commitment to expanding access to higher education, visit the Widening Participation pages.
First published: 18 June 2026