About The Snowdon Award Scheme

To date, the Snowdon Award Scheme has made awards totalling over £2 million to physically disabled and sensory impaired students in further and higher education.

Our grants help to cover additional disability-related study costs. We pay for such vital support as translators for deaf students, computers with specialist software, Braille notetakers, wheelchairs or special accommodation and equipment, where statutory awards do not adequately fund these costs.

Donations enable the charity to fund a student’s extra needs for one or two years. This can literally be a life changing opportunity for many physically impaired young people.

Further details and students' own stories can be found in the 'About us' section of our website at www.snowdonawardscheme.org.uk

Our history

The Snowdon Award Scheme was set up by the Earl of Snowdon GCVO in 1981, the International Year of Disabled People.

By using fees he received from photographs of the royal family while married to HRH Princess Margaret, it was his aim to make awards to physically disabled students to assist them in pursing some academic, scientific or practical achievement which would otherwise be beyond their financial or physical means.

In the first year the Award Scheme helped just six students with a total of £6,100. Since then, the Scheme has made awards totalling more than £2 million.