Spotcap Announces Fintech Fellowship for Aspiring Graduate Students

Initiative highlights need for talent and encourages the industry to raise awareness of career opportunities in fintech

At a time of increasing need for graduates with fintech expertise, the Spotcap Fintech Fellowship programme affords young talent with the opportunity to pursue studies in a fintech related field. Launching on 10th April, the Fellowship will provide one student per academic year with a £8K stipend towards their studies.

The fintech sector is one of the UK’s fastest growing sectors, adding more than £6.6 billion into the economy and attracting more than £500 million of investment. Its continued success is closely connected to access to talent, in the short- as well as long-term.

A recent survey by recruitment website Indeed revealed that 20 percent of top fintech job vacancies are left unfilled after 60 days. The data highlights an immediate need for managers, analysts and developers with financial and technical expertise.

The triggering of Article 50 brings further long-term uncertainty, compounding the issue of fintech’s access to talent. As negotiations start, more questions on how to secure a healthy talent pipeline are likely to be raised. Despite the agreements put in place between the UK and other European markets regarding movement of talent, it is certainly the case that the UK needs a robust base of skilled labour.

“The rising cost of graduate studies, combined with the UK’s impending exit from the European Union, could create real challenges when it comes to ensuring a strong and healthy talent pipeline,” said Niels Turfboer, managing director of Spotcap. “We created the Spotcap Fellowship to raise awareness of these issues and encourage the UK fintech industry to get involved in attracting and supporting the development of talent.”

Devie Mohan, co-founder and CEO of Burnmark, a fintech research institute, joins the Fellowship’s judging panel. She continues:

“The UK government recognises the need for fintech related skills and initiatives. Indeed, supporting the development of these skills was announced in the Spring Budget and Digital Strategy. As an industry, we should also step up and contribute. For the message to resonate, aspiring graduate students need to hear ‘we want you’ directly from fintech businesses as well.”

For more details on the fellowship, visit our dedicated site: Spotcap Fintech Fellowship.

Award Details

Deadline: 31st July 2017

Amount: £8,000 towards the cost of tuition of a master’s degree or MBA

Course start: September/October 2017

Host institution: Accredited UK universities

Field of study: Fintech related fields (e.g. business management, engineering, finance, economics, product design)

How to Apply

Alongside a CV and cover letter, applicants are asked to submit an answer to the question: What sparked your interest in fintech? They may submit a written response (500 word limit) or upload a short video (3 minutes). The submission deadline is 12 pm BST, 31st July 2017.

Applicant Criteria

Applicants must be UK citizens and have achieved or are expected to achieve a 2.1 or above in their undergraduate degree. They must hold an offer of admission to a master’s or MBA programme at an accredited British university starting in autumn 2017.