Devilling scholarships for 2027 open for applications

CANDIDATES looking to pursue a career at the Scottish Bar are invited to apply for scholarships to help ease financial tensions during their training.

“The Faculty of Advocates is committed to ensuring that membership of Faculty is open to all with the skill, aptitude and motivation to practise as Advocates,” said Ruth Crawford KC, Treasurer at the Faculty of Advocates and chair of its Scholarship Committee. “Our justice system is at its strongest when everyone with the talent and ambition to serve can do so. We are delighted to be in a position to once again facilitate access to financial support during devilling,” she added.

Prospective members of Faculty are required to complete a nine-month training period known as devilling. This training is provided free of charge to all those who meet the admission criteria. The scholarships administered by Faculty assist prospective devils who may require support with living expenses during the devilling period.

In the last six years, over 80 scholarships have been awarded, with over £750,000 worth of support provided to devils.

The Lord Reid Scholarship is awarded in honour of the late Lord Reid of Drem from a bequest provided by him. One Lord Reid Scholarship is awarded annually to the most outstanding candidate. In recent years, the Lord Reid Scholarship award has been in the region of £15,000. 

One or more Faculty Scholarships may also be awarded to candidates of particular merit. In recent years, Faculty Scholarship awards have been in the region of £10,000 per successful applicant. 

The SCLR Scholarship is generously funded by the Scottish Council of Law Reporting and is administered by the Faculty’s Scholarship Committee. It is for a fixed sum (currently £6,000) and is awarded to one applicant. Its criteria are similar to those of the Lord Hope fund.

The Lord Hope fund is contributed to by existing members of Faculty. The principal focus of the Lord Hope fund is to assist candidates who may be prevented from devilling if they do not have access to financial support. Awards from the Lord Hope funds may be given by themselves or in conjunction with one of the scholarships outlined above, where a candidate demonstrates particular merit and particular need.

The size and number of Lord Hope awards will depend on the need and number of eligible applicants but, often, around eight to 10 awards have been made for amounts ranging from £5,000 to £10,000.

Applicants must demonstrate sufficient ability to merit receiving assistance from the Lord Hope fund, but greater weighting is given to those in financial need and/or to those from groups currently under-represented at the Scottish Bar.

The deadline for applications for those intending to commence devilling in 2027 is Friday 8 May 2026. More information on how to apply can be found here.

A webinar will be hosted by the Faculty Scholarships Committee at 8pm on Wednesday 29 April 2026 to give prospective applicants more information about life at the Bar and the financial assistance available during devilling. Attendance is anonymous and is treated in strict confidence. To register for the webinar, please email the Admissions Coordinator, Gillian Myers, at gillian.myers@advocates.org.uk