The Amos Bursary is a London-based charity founded in 2009 by Colleen Amos OBE to promote social mobility for young people of African and Caribbean heritage. Born out of her personal experiences overcoming racial and socio-economic barriers, the programme identifies academically high-achieving Year 12 students facing disadvantage and supports them via a five-year personal & professional development journey.
What sets Amos apart is its deeply holistic, evidence-informed model: students receive tuition bursaries, tailored mentorship (both peer and professional), careers coaching, cultural enrichment, paid internships, and leadership training. Many participants go on to attend top universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, Imperial, and secure roles in STEM, finance, medicine, law, and social enterprise.
Over 143 scholars have already progressed through the programme, with growing capacity: nearly 500 applicants bid annually for just 40 places, demonstrating the initiative’s prestige and demand. Significant recent milestones include expanding into the West Midlands with Jaguar Land Rover, which pledged £60,000 across two years and provided 10 mentors and paid internships.
Through its integrated support—from financial aid to mentorship to university access—Amos not only transforms individual lives, but builds a pipeline of diverse leaders equipped to shape future professions. Its impact is further underpinned by collaborations with institutions like Imperial College, which fund independent evaluations and co-host flagship residential conferences, reinforcing the charity’s credibility and evidence-based approach. The Amos Bursary stands out as a social mobility powerhouse, combining lived experience, sustained support, academic rigour, and strategic partnerships to propel underrepresented talent into sectors where they’ve historically been excluded.
