David Bucknall Scholarship
Are you considering a career in property and construction? This is your chance to seize a life-changing opportunity.
Applications are now open until 30 March 2021
Apply for the David Bucknall Scholarship today and you could benefit from £11,500 towards the cost of studying for a BSc/BEng in a property or construction-related course at the School of Engineering and the Built Environment at Birmingham City University.
You’ll also have the chance to get work experience, placements and guidance from Rider Levett Bucknall, one of the leading property and construction practices in the world.
If you're a local school or college-leaver who can demonstrate your talent, ambition and commitment to gaining the qualifications you will need to be successful in your chosen career, this opportunity is available for you.
What’s on offer?
If successful, you will receive the following financial and professional assistance:
A reduction in your tuition fees from Birmingham City University worth £3,500 over three years.
A cash maintenance grant from the Scholarship Fund to help with your living costs worth £8,000 over three years.
Guaranteed work experience, placements and guidance from Rider Levett Bucknall.
The award is worth a total of £11,500 over the course of three years’ study.
Who can apply?
The award is only available to applicants from a small number of carefully-selected schools and colleges in the Birmingham area – so you’ve got a very good chance of being successful.
You must be planning to study one of the following BSc/BEng degree courses at Birmingham City University starting in September 2021:
- Building Surveying
- Quantity Surveying
- Construction Management

Who was David Bucknall?
David Bucknall OBE FRICS was one of Birmingham’s best known businessmen. Born in Wolverhampton, he qualified as a quantity surveyor in 1961 and went on to become a leading figure in the profession, before founding global property and construction practice Rider Levett Bucknall.
He project managed the construction of Birmingham's Symphony Hall, International Convention Centre and National Indoor Arena and set up the Birmingham Community Foundation charity which distributes grants to local grass roots projects.
David was well known for helping young people achieve their potential, which is why this Scholarship has been set up in his memory.
Want to help shape the environment?
A career in property and construction offers you the chance to do just that. A degree from Birmingham City University in a Built Environment subject area can equip you to tackle complex issues such as:
- How to accommodate the changing lifestyles and needs of a global population of almost 9 billion people
- How to help people whose homes have been affected by natural disasters like flooding and erosion, or
- How to build a major sporting arena, plus many more fascinating real-world challenges.
More information about a career in property and construction.
More about our courses and RLB

Our Built Environment courses
We offer a wide range of accredited courses ranging from Architectural Technology to Quantity Surveying and Real Estate.

Rider Levett Bucknall
An independent, global property and construction practice with over 3,600 people in more than 120 offices across the world.
What do I have to do?
Here's one we filmed earlier
If you need some inspiration for your video, see this example from one of RLB's current graduates.
Simply produce a short video (one to three minutes long) about something in the built environment.
‘The built environment’ means things that have been built and the components that go into their construction – for example a house, a motorway bridge or the way that buildings are lit or heated. The choice is yours!
You’ll need to include your subject matter in the film and we would like to see you on camera too.
We want to know:
Why did you choose it?
What’s good or bad about it?
If someone was going to build something similar, what lessons could they learn from it?
And anything else that you find interesting about it.
The deadline for submitting your video is midnight on the 30 March 2021.
Have you got what it takes?
You will not only need to impress the judges with your video submission to win this award. You will also need to commit to hard work throughout the course of your degree studies so that you pass all of your assessments.
Iman Farah Mohamed
Iman Farah Mohamed from Moseley School and Sixth Form was awarded the David Bucknall Scholarship in 2016 and is studying a three year BSc in Quantity Surveying.
Ann Bentley, global chair of Rider Levett Bucknall, said: "Iman’s video submission caught our attention immediately. She was so passionate in her presentation of the two buildings at Moseley School and obviously has a keen idea for detail and enthusiasm for the built environment. We look forward to helping her to pursue a successful career.”
Monique Hall-Smith
Monique Hall-Smith from Birmingham Metropolitan College was awarded the David Bucknall Scholarship in 2017 and chose to study a three year BSc in Real Estate.
Adam Ellis-Morgan, RLB managing partner, said: “We were impressed by all of the students who applied for the scheme this year but Monique stood out for the strength of her focus on a career in property. She has a clear vision of what she would like to achieve which David Bucknall would have applauded and we look forward to working with and supporting her as she progresses through her degree course.”
More information about a career in property and construction.