The Turlogh O'Brien scholarship programme
The L&Q Foundation supports ambitious students who study for a degree at university and strive for a better future. Here, you’ll find information on how to apply for a scholarship into higher education as well as stories of young residents who have benefitted from this.
Overview
When someone starts at a disadvantage, their opportunity for hope can be narrow. There is little space for inspiration, creativity or dreams – the very things that we believe are fundamental to being young.
At L&Q, we believe everyone deserves the same access to opportunities in life, no matter their background or where they live. That’s why we launched our Turlogh O’Brien scholarships in 2017, to give young people living in financially excluded households an accessible route into higher education.
Named after L&Q’s previous Chairman, a passionate advocate for higher and further education, the Turlogh O’Brien programme is being funded by the L&Q Foundation, consisting of three annual £6,000 contributions towards each student’s tuition fees.
We are currently running the latest iteration of the programme with our supply chain partners who work with us to deliver our Major Works investment programme. This has the added benefit of providing valuable, bespoke mentoring support tailored to each student's needs. By leveraging our relationships with contractors, we can make sure the programme fosters the students’ overall development.
To learn more about the programme, please email our Foundation team.
Who can apply?
It doesn’t matter if your child has already applied for university or is only just considering it. If fees or living costs have been a barrier, it is not too late to explore their options.
Most universities accept UCAS applications until late January, and many courses stay open until March and beyond depending on places available, so there is still time to apply.
What we’re looking for
The Turlogh O’Brien Scholarship is not just for the academically gifted. We have supported high achievers as well as students who simply met their entry requirements, but demonstrated determination, passion and commitment to their chosen subject.
To date, we have supported 29 resident scholarships through the programme.
If your child is motivated and ready to take the next step, this could be a brilliant opportunity for them.
Registering your interest for 2026
We’re excited to announce the launch of the fourth edition of our programme for students starting university in September 2026.
If you’d like to be considered, simply complete the interest form.
Previous scholarship stories
Adam's story
My name is Adam, and I am 21 years old. I am doing a degree in Photography. It’s going well so far; I am working hard to develop my practice and to get my visual work to a point I am happy with.
I live away from home in a privately rented student house and hope to stay in this area after my course finishes.
I hope to get into the advertising and marketing industry with my photography, working with brands to create promotional materials to support their campaigns.
Going to university has helped me grow as a person. Before coming here my confidence was minimal and so was my independence. Now I feel more grown up and able to do certain things myself.
I see myself staying in Norwich after university if I can afford to. I aim to work freelance to grow my practice in advertising and marketing. Being able to work in social media marketing is my ultimate end goal.
Che's story
My name is Che, I’m 26 years old, and currently studying Business Management at Roehampton University. My second year went really well, and I finished with exam marks that were much higher than I anticipated.
What I’m looking forward to the most in my third and final year of the degree is the marketing modules – a special interest of mine. I’ve covered all the business fundamentals, which I found to be harder, and now I hope to excel in the marketing side of things – an area I enjoy learning about.
I think I’ve definitely matured since starting my university course. I’ve seen a lot of change in how I approach work and my attitude towards it. Especially in terms of how much time I spend on each assignment. Before I would only give myself a couple of weeks to get it done, now I make sure I start to prepare months in advance.
The scholarship from L&Q has meant I have one less financial strain to worry about, and it’s how much I would have paid had I been able to go to university after finishing school. Being fortunate enough to have lower fees has given me the headspace to focus on my career – and for that, I’m very grateful.
Yvanah's story
My name is Yvanah and I am studying Games Design at Bournemouth University. I live with my friends in a house near my campus, which is very convenient.
At the moment, I am interested in either data analysis or becoming a community manager/'public figure' within the games industry.
Going to University has helped me learn a lot about who I am - as cliché as that sounds- and what I want from life. I really appreciate having access to all these learning resources.
In the future, my main goal is to work in the games industry, and hopefully work in a job and live a life that is fulfilling, enjoyable and true to me.