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Geospatial Student Accelerator 2025

Geospatial Student Accelerator was established in 2024 and marked a groundbreaking initiative, offering annual awards to students from diverse backgrounds who may not have previously considered a career in the geospatial industry. This initiative is proudly run in partnership with Esri UK, a global leader in geographic information system (GIS) software. Akama Fund, a non-profit dedicated to widening access to higher education scholarships, takes immense pride in unveiling this transformative student accelerator program.

Accelerator Benefits

  • Multiple accelerators will be run each year covering initiatives such as fieldwork, IT equipment and conference travel bursaries.
  • All eligible applicants will receive access to mentorship programs, personal development workshops and networking opportunities.
 

Additional Opportunities
Students from all backgrounds who use Esri’s ArcGIS System can also apply to win an all expenses paid trip of a lifetime from the UK to the 2025 Esri User Conference in San Diego, United States. Find out more here.

Geospatial Fieldwork accelerator

This award helps students meet the costly demands of participating in fieldwork.  We will offer:

  • £350 vouchers to spend on outdoor clothing and equipment such as waterproofs, walking boots and rucksacks.
  • Up to £500 for other costs such as:
    • Travel and accommodation
    • Fieldwork consumables

Eligibility

To be eligible for the Accelerator, applicants must meet the following criteria:

  • Currently studying in the UK in an undergraduate or postgraduate program in Geography, Landscape Architecture, Biology, Archaeology, and Earth & Environmental Studies related fields.
  • From a Black & Mixed Black background
  • Have a household income below £50,000 evidenced by a means-tested assessment as part of your application for a student loan.
  • Join the Akama Fund waitlist if you are not eligible for any of the awards.

 

Students may apply for all awards they are eligible for and reapply in consequent years.

Application Process

  • Complete the short online application by April 4th, 2025.
  • All eligible applicants will be contacted.
  • Shortlisted candidates for the financial award will be notified by mid-April 2025 and invited to a brief interview process.

 

Email contact@akamafund.org with any questions on the accelerator or for further information.

NB: Guidance notes on use of AI:

We recognise that applicants may want to use AI tools to help answer pre-interview questions.

AI can be a valuable tool, but it is important to use it as a supplement to your own knowledge and skills. We recommend that you:

  • Avoid generic auto generated answers;
  • Make sure you check answers carefully for accuracy;
  • Personalise your responses to showcase your unique experiences, skills, and achievements.

 

You're Amazing

About Esri UK

Founded in 1969, Esri is the global market leader in GIS (Geographic Information System) software and today has 4,000 staff in 73 countries. Esri UK has over 450 employees with offices in Aylesbury, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Belfast. Customers include the Department for Education, Met Office, Vodafone and the National Trust. Esri UK’s Education programme provides free access to its ArcGIS software, teaching resources and training for all UK schools and heavily discounted rates for universities, making teaching with GIS easy and accessible. Currently used by over 3,500 schools and 135 universities across the UK, Esri’s software and teaching tools help students learn about geography and gain new skills. Website: https://www.esriuk.com/en-gb/industries/education/overview

About Akama Fund: Akama Fund is a registered charity (1198572) in the UK, supporting students and making it easier for organisations to fund higher education scholarships. Akama Fund believes in students’ potential to make a positive impact on the world, but financial barriers often hinder their success. 

Our transparent platform simplifies the process of providing financial support to students, eliminating complicated requirements. At the core of our mission is making the finding and applying for scholarships easy and stress-free. 

We’re here to connect students and organisations through scholarships and opportunities. Visit us at akamafund.org.

Akama, a charitable incorporated organisation, registered charity number 1198572. The Village Behind You is a registered trademark  of Akama. 

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