Millennium Point Trust has opened applications for a 2026 scholarship, inviting ambitious West Midlands students to apply for a fully funded undergraduate degree at Birmingham City University.

Delivered through the Millennium Point Charitable Trust, the scholarship removes tuition fees for one successful applicant, enabling them to focus fully on their studies and future career without the burden of student debt.

Now in its 12th year, the programme reflects a sustained partnership between Millennium Point Trust and Birmingham City University, designed to support students whose ideas, drive, and potential can make a lasting difference to the West Midlands.

The scholarship has previously supported students across disciplines including computer science, real estate, and engineering, with recipients going on to apply their learning to some of the region’s most pressing challenges, from digital skills gaps to housing and regeneration.

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, said:

“Each year, the scholarship reminds us just how much talent exists across the West Midlands. Our role is to remove barriers where we can, so that potential is not limited by circumstance. This programme is about backing people early and giving them the space to develop skills that will shape the region’s future.”

All commercial activity at Millennium Point feeds directly back into its charitable work, helping to fund scholarships, education initiatives, and support for organisations across the region. Over the last decade, this approach has helped direct more than £45 million back into the West Midlands through financial support, discounted rents, and long-term investment in learning and opportunity.

Applications for the 2026 Millennium Point Trust Scholarship are now open. Full eligibility criteria and application details can be found at: www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

 

 

Birmingham‑born Atiyyah Zafar has been awarded the 2025 Millennium Point scholarship, giving her a fully funded place on Birmingham City University’s Computer Science with Artificial Intelligence course, positioning her to join the UK’s next wave of ethical AI talent.

Employers have been warning that Britain could be 150,000 digital specialists short by 2030, so judges felt Atiyyah’s commitment to building AI tech is a sound investment in the future, emphasising why investing in local talent matters now more than ever.

The former Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College student is the 11th winner of the scholarship and intends to focus on AI tools that help close the digital skills gap in the West Midlands — an area that, apparently, the area is falling behind in. She said: 

“Winning the scholarship made me feel really validated, and like all my efforts had been seen. It feels like this is the first time I’ve been able to actually voice my opinions about what’s going on in the West Midlands. A lack of digital skills has led to high unemployment, growing inequality, and increased online risks in the region. Many people struggle due to limited access to resources, fast-changing technology, and a lack of education.”

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point, added: “Atiyyah is evidence of our belief that it’s important to back bright minds early. You’re not just changing a life, you’re strengthening the region’s future workforce. And with the potential for a digital skills crisis in the near future, it is this exact sort of thing we need to be backing.”

Last year’s recipient Patrick Mezzano is now studying Real Estate at BCU after impressing judges with his affordable‑housing ideas, underlining how the scholarship channels talent into sectors crying out for fresh thinking.

Over the last 10 years, the Millennium Point trust has supported organisations in the region with more than £45 million — including discounted rents, donations, scholarships and other support.

This year’s scholarship applications are now open for applicants to embark on a new educational journey into the world of STEM. In partnership with Birmingham City University (BCU), each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at the Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment facility.

Our scholarship programme has over 20 courses to choose from. Applications are now open, with a deadline of Friday 7th March 2025 at 5pm, allowing you plenty of time to complete your application.

Meet Patrick, last year’s Scholarship winner

Patrick is the tenth local student to benefit from the Scholarship scheme, which is run in partnership with the university. He wowed judges with his vision for creating affordable housing for all, and now is closer to making his ideas a reality as he will go on to study Real Estate at BCU.

Patrick commented: “I am over the moon to have won the Millennium Point Scholarship! I am really excited about starting my degree in Real Estate, and hopefully using it to help other young people whose housing ambitions have been impacted by the current financial crisis.”

Applying is easy and simple

The competition is open to you if you are 18 by, and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2025 and live within the West Midlands Combined Authority.

Read the application form carefully and start to answer each question. Think about why you want to study your chosen degree and what you want to do in the future. Also discuss any personal attributes and skills that could help you be the next winner of the Scholarship.

The application has two-stages, with the final stage being an assessment day in May. Finalists will be invited to participate in developmental workshops that will focus on supporting our personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills.

We are here to help you every step of the way

We want everyone to have the best chance of success when applying for our scholarship scheme, so it is important to be confident when writing your application. That’s why we have created a helpful guide to aid throughout your application. Keep an eye out on our social media channels as well as our website for blogs, videos for additional resources to further assist you.

You can always contact our friendly Trust team for any other enquires you may have.

Apply today for a life-changing opportunity

Our applications are now open with the deadline on Friday 7th March 2025 at 5pm, so apply now and start your journey into the world of STEM.

Patrick Mezzano from Ward End has won a fully funded degree at Birmingham City University (BCU) after being named the winner of this year’s life-changing Millennium Point Charitable Trust Scholarship.

A record number of students applied for this year’s Millennium Point Scholarship, but Patrick stood out on the assessment day held in May and secured his Scholarship. 2024 Scholarship finalists, Joe Paddock, Jordan Badger, Benyamin Bansal and Shahzeb Khan, were also awarded laptops by the Trust to help with their further studies.

‘Patrick embodies everything that Millennium Point stands for’

Patrick is the tenth local student to benefit from the Scholarship scheme, which is run in partnership with the university. He wowed judges with his vision for creating affordable housing for all, and now is closer to making his ideas a reality as he will go on to study Real Estate at BCU.

Patrick commented: “I am over the moon to have won the Millennium Point Scholarship! I am really excited about starting my degree in Real Estate, and hopefully using it to help other young people whose housing ambitions have been impacted by the current financial crisis.”

Millennium Point CEO and Scholarship judge Abbie Vlahakis stated: “I am delighted that Patrick is this year’s winner and that we can support him in making his dream a reality. Patrick embodies everything that Millennium Point stands for with his passion for using his education to transform the lives of those around him. I can’t wait to see what Patrick achieves with his degree, and I’m thrilled that Millennium Point could enable an exciting academic future for him.”

10 years of Scholarship success

Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust funds tuition fees for an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. The faculty covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering, and the built environment.

This year marks 10 years of the Millennium Point Scholarship. Alongside Birmingham City University, the Millennium Point trust has been transforming the lives of students for a decade, empowering them to make their mark on the world. Patrick is the latest winner of the Scholarship and follows last year’s winner Safa Bibi, who is about to complete her first year studying for a degree in Computer Science.

The Scholarship is just one of the flagship initiatives of the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. £40 million from the landmark Millennium Point public building and multi-award-winning venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City Centre has been invested in projects, events, and initiatives which support the growth of STEM education and industry in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Thinking of studying at BCU? Why not start with a Millennium Point Trust Scholarship?

For those interested in the 2025 Scholarship programme, further information on how to apply or get involved can be found at www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship

Each year the Millennium Point Trust funds an undergraduate degree at BCU’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment.

2023’s winner Safa is the latest winner who impressed judges on the assessment day

Safa was studying Applied Science at South and City College, she developed an interest in the computing world in secondary school and was further inspired by speeches from women in STEM. Now at BCU we caught up with her to see how her first term went!

‘University life as a Computer Science student has become a transformative experience. Embracing a multitude of coding projects, from creating efficient algorithms to developing practical applications, and provided a hands-on understanding of the diverse aspects of the field’.

Continuing on her Scholarship Safa says ‘Overall, the Scholarship has not only paved the way for academic success but has also enriched my university experience by providing a progressive and collaborative environment. I’m excited to continue this journey, exploring new challenges and developing technologies in the field of Computer Science’.

Asima won in 2021 and is well into her STEM story

Asima was studying Social Science and Humanities before scoring top spot in the Scholarship finalists.

Asima remembers why applying for the Scholarship was so important to her. ‘The reason I applied for the Scholarship was because it was an opportunity that stood out. It’s your entire undergraduate degree that has been paid for. I was thinking how lucky I would have been if that was done for me. And I went for it because I had nothing to lose and an opportunity to gain’.

Continuing she wants to promote and help others get into STEM. ‘When I won the Scholarship, I felt so lucky, happy, and very overwhelmed that I was chosen. As well as having the degree paid for, I was also given a platform from the Millennium Point Trust which would help me reach out and try and help and guide others too as a STEM ambassador’.

Laura’s ‘dream come true’ when she secured her Scholarship in 2019

Laura who went on to study Film Production Technology beat over 100 applicants in the record breaking year. Looking back Laura realised by spending a little time on her application, it started her on the path to winning the Scholarship.

‘Sparing a little of my time to fill in the application in return for what could be a big opportunity was an obvious choice that I knew I couldn’t let pass by. The Scholarship is open to everyone, and that really inspired me to apply because there were no expectations other than having a passion for the course I had already applied for’.

‘I  think the Scholarship is a brilliant scheme that extends beyond the funding – I was supported to build so much confidence during the process and it was great that at that age a very shy person such as myself was given a chance to share my love for my subject and demonstrate it’s importance. I’m sure all the other candidates feel the same way’.

 

 

In light of our recent scholarship launch, we understand that finding the motivation to apply can be challenging. However, let these stories of these talented professionals serve as inspiration for you to embark into the world of STEM and push yourself to achieve new heights.

Annie Easley – The Human Computer

At the time, Easley was looking for a job after relocating when she discovered an article about two sisters who were “human computers” at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. Two weeks later, after the reading the article, Easley began her career that spanned across 34 years, contributing to numerous programs as a computer scientist.

Easley’s career involved analysing problems and solving complexed mathematical calculations by hand, awarding her with the title of human computer. Easley would go on to break barriers for women and people of colour, inspiring them to pursue STEM opportunities.

Gitanjali Rao – American’s Top Youngest Scientist 2017

Inspired by the Flint Michigan water crisis, Rao invented a life-changing device that can detect lead in water at the age of 11. Rao’s dedication to her work earned her a place in the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30. In recent years, Rao has been taking part in the research of cell biology at the University of Colorado, using the latest genetic engineering to find a solution to prescription opioid addiction epidemic.

Rao is an active STEM ambassador, inspiring young people by promoting STEM-based activities in schools and the community. Rao continues to affect students globally by sharing her knowledge, tools, and encouragement.

Morris Mbetsa – Africa’s First Flying Taxi

Morris, a self-taught engineer, created an innovative solution to Africa’s traffic and poor road infrastructure issues. At the age of 28, Morris manufactured Africa’s first flying taxi. This drone transports passengers for around 25 minutes, and at speeds of up to 120km an hour. The young entrepreneur uses his talents to generate easy-to-use, inexpensive technological solutions that are accessible to his community.

At the young age of 6, Morris discovered his passion for technology, as he has stated on The Kenyan network K24, “Technology is my life. I never watched football while growing up. My room was full of electronics and wires.”

Ronjon Nag – Smartphone Pioneer

Shortly after becoming a newly graduate, Nag invented breakthrough technology for smart devices such as handwriting recognition, predictive text, application of speech recognition and touch screens for mobile devices. He later went on to become the founder of R42 institute, a US and UK-based company that invents and invests in AI and Biotech.

Nag has gone to work with big names such as Apple, BlackBerry, and Motorola after becoming a technological pioneer. As well as becoming a ground-breaking entrepreneur, Nag was also a professor in Genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine, committed to providing inclusive and accessible education.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell – Beyond the Stars

Whilst studying at the University of Glasgow, Burnell discovered pulsars, the cosmic sources of peculiar radio pulses. After graduating, she frequently worked in gamma ray, X-ray, infrared and millimetre wavelength astronomy. In 2015, Burnell was awarded a Royal Medal by the Royal Society and became the first female President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

After winning a breakthrough prize, Burnell donated all the proceedings to the institute of Physics to set up scholarships for graduates and those in under-represented communities to have access to study physics.

Are you Interested in a Career in STEM?

We hope these stories have truly inspired you and encourage you to achieve greatness. If you have any questions about our Scholarship scheme, you can contact our friendly Trust team.

Scholarships are a great way to offer people the opportunity to study a university degree that may not have the financial needs to do so. Unfortunately, nearly ¼ of students in the UK can’t afford to go to university, making scholarships an excellent way to get people into further education and advance their careers. 

So how are we at Millennium Point supporting students in the West Midlands with our STEM Scholarship funding? 

What is a Scholarship?

A scholarship is a form of financial aid provided by independent third parties or universities to support students through their education.

What does our STEM Scholarship involve?

At Millennium Point our STEM Scholarship gives one student a year the opportunity to study a STEM degree at Birmingham City University, with students being able to study courses relating to:

We have over 20 courses you can choose from that you can explore on our scholarships page.

To be successful within your application, you’ll need to undergo two stages.These are your initial application and an assessment day.

If you make it to the final, you’ll be invited to get involved in developmental workshops that will support your personal development and professionalism within interviews and presentation skills. 

Eligibility 

To be eligible for our STEM Scholarship you’ll need to meet the following criteria:

How to apply 

The online application form will be accessible in January 2024 and will include questions about who you are and why you think you should win a free degree at Birmingham City University. 

You can sign up for notifications at the bottom of the page or check back in January to see when the form goes live.   

Meet our latest Scholarship winner, Safa

Our latest winner Safa Bibi from Small Heath has started studying computer science at Birmingham City University as of September 2024. Safa became interested in the computing industry while at Secondary school and further developed it through watching speeches made by women in STEM. 

As a result of our scholarship, Safa is able to further pursue her passion for computing and she hopes to be an inspiration for others and encourage them to follow their passion regardless of their religion or race.   

Millennium Point’s 2024 Scholarship application is now open. For more information on how to apply or get involved in the Scholarship program please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.

 

 

Safa Bibi from Small Heath has won a fully funded degree at Birmingham City University (BCU) after being named the winner of this year’s life-changing Millennium Point Charitable Trust Scholarship.

Safa was studying Applied Science at South and City College, Birmingham and will now study for a degree in Computer Science at BCU from September. She developed an interest in the computing world in secondary school and was further inspired by speeches from women in STEM. Thanks to the support from Millennium Point, Safa has the opportunity to study a subject she is deeply passionate about. She hopes to be an inspiration to others to follow their passion regardless of their religion or race.

Promoting STEM education in the West Midlands

Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust funds tuition fees for an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. The faculty covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering, and the built environment.

This makes Safa the ninth winner of the renowned scholarship following a rigorous assessment process. The Millennium Point Trust Scholarship has already funded eight inspiring young people from the region through their degrees, including last year’s winner Hatem Kesseir from Yardley who is also studying Computer Science at BCU.

To choose the winners, the judging panel consisted of Abbie Vlahakis (CEO of Millennium Point), Hanifa Shah (Pro-Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean of Birmingham City University), Asima Adnan (previous winner of the scholarship), and Mike Ridler (ElevationX).

Finalists didn’t leave empty handed, with Abigail Guest, Henrikas Varanauskas, Ryjhorn Weekes, and winner Safa Bibi receiving a laptop to further help them in their studies.

‘Safa embodies everything we want to achieve at Millennium Point’

Safa said, “Winning the scholarship has made me feel seen and heard by more than just my community of family and friends, so I feel like I can do more and achieve more. I hope that me winning the scholarship empowers other women and ethnic minorities to start applying for scholarships and these roles in STEM.”

Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point and head judge, added, “Safa embodies everything we want to achieve at Millennium Point. We want more young people to be inspired to go into STEM, and we could see from Safa that she immediately wanted to change the world. She wanted to change people’s views and get more young people to follow in her footsteps. To see her so overwhelmed with happiness made us elated.

STEM is incredibly important, not only to our region but to the UK economy. We are currently in a digital age where STEM skills are required across every sector, and so we are keen to get more young people into these roles so they can go on and have truly rewarding careers.”

The scholarship competition is one of the flagship initiatives of the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. Last year, £4.3m in commercial profits from the landmark Millennium Point public building and multi-award-winning venue in the Eastside of Birmingham city centre was invested into projects, events, and initiatives which support the growth of STEM education and industry in Birmingham and the wider West Midlands.

Apply for the 2024 Scholarship

Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust jointly funds an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, which covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering and the built environment. We’re helping people across the region unlock their future in STEM.

Millennium Point’s 2024 Scholarship application is now open. For more information on how to apply or get involved in the Scholarship program please visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.

Millennium Point wins Most Versatile Venue (Up to 1,000 theatre style) at the Conference & Events 2023 awards. This is the first national award to be won by Millennium Point and we’re absolutely ecstatic of what we have achieved.

On Friday 30th June the awards were held in the stunning Old Billingsgate building in London. The day consisted of an array of venues and events being recognised for their excellence in the industry.

Nominated alongside outstanding venues

Organisations nominated for most versatile venue (up to 1,000 theatre style) were –

It was an honour to be nominated amongst other amazing venues around the UK.

From hosting COVID vaccination centres to international sports teams, major art installations to charity events, we are proud of what’s been achieved

Over the past couple of years we have reinvested into our building to expand our venue spaces that align with our client demands. Driven by our passionate and highly skilled team we continue with out of the box ideas that make events truly stand out.

The versatility of our venue and flexibility of our team and services means that a client can host a breakfast talk in the morning, a conference in the afternoon and a formal dinner in the evening all in one place.

In the last 12 months alone, we have hosted the likes of Gaia by Luke Jerram, Kenya House during the Commonwealth Games, IFS Connect and VSFighting to name a few.

We have also launched our own MP Presents events to utilise our 354-seater Auditorium screen when not in use by our clients and to show off the capabilities of one of the biggest screens in Birmingham.

Rebecca Delmore, Commercial Director said ‘We are thrilled to have won the Most Versatile Venue Award. This award reflects all of the hard work the team have put into adapting our building to serve a wider variety of events. We strive to provide the best experience for our clients and it is fantastic to be recognised for this.’

Comments from the judges at the Conference & Events Awards 2023 included statements such as ‘Impressive, versatile space’ & ‘Exceptional flexibility and strong client feedback makes this entry very strong’.

Keep up to date with Millennium Point

With the rest of 2023 to go, we’re excited to see what happens next! Keep up to date with the latest through our blogs and what’s on.

Scholarship funds are a great way to help support students throughout their university journey by offering financial help. 

If you’re interested in creating your own scholarship fund, then look no further as we delve into how to create a scholarship in these 4 simple steps.

What is a scholarship fund? 

Scholarship funds are a charitable grant that helps students cover the costs of their education. Those who receive scholarships tend to use them to cover the costs of textbooks and tuition fees. 

Step 1: How are you going to fund your scholarship?

One of the first steps you’ll need to take when creating a scholarship fund is deciding how much money you want to contribute and whether you will solely fund it or if you want to accept donations. 

If you create a scholarship fund on your own, it’s likely that you’ll incur extra costs on top of paying the scholarship money to the winner. 

Other costs could include:

If you decide to go down the route of accepting funding from donors then using an online platform is an easy way to get people to donate. Having an online platform will help create an authoritative and trustworthy figure for your fund, allowing donors to find out information and make donations in the same place.

Money can also be raised through fundraising activities like:

Step 2: Decide who you want to help

When creating a scholarship fund, it’s important to identify the audience you are trying to help. You may want to help as many people as possible, but you need to be realistic about who you can help most and how far the money in your fund can go.

When creating your audience you need to ensure it’s broad enough to not be discriminatory and to attract as many people as possible to the scholarship you’re offering. 

Your audience could include:

Step 3: How do you plan to advertise your scholarship?

It’s extremely important to advertise your scholarship as it will allow it to reach as many people as possible, while helping you gain applications from people that meet your criteria. 

Creating a website to showcase your scholarship, as well as allowing people to donate to your fund or apply to the scholarship is a great way to advertise it. You could also use social media to advertise the run up to applications opening or closing dates. This is a great way to advertise, as you’re more likely to reach your intended audience, as younger people, typically students, are using social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to look for things.

Step 4: Decide how you will review applications

Once you’ve completed the previous steps, it’s time to wait for the deadline to pass and start reviewing applications. 

If you gained a small amount of applications, you may be able to go through them all yourself, however if you received a large sum of applications you may need to hire people to help you sift through them.

How can Millennium Point help those looking for a scholarship?

Here at Millennium Point, our Charitable Trust has created a STEM scholarship for those looking to study courses in Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.

To be eligible for the scholarship you will need to:

Keep up to date on our Scholarship page to see when applications open!