Royal Navy salute

Learn about our work with military service children and their families

Portsmouth is a naval city, and we have always maintained strong ties with military service families in our community.

If you have served, or are currently serving in a branch of the British Armed Forces, you and your family are likely to be eligible for additional support while studying.

Current partnership and support activities include:

  • British Army soldiers studying leadership and management degree apprenticeships
  • Tri-service officer cadets studying technical degrees, including instructing other students' military leadership skills through a series of exercises
  • The £3,000 a year Greenwich Hospital Bursary for children of serving or retired Royal Navy or Royal Marine personnel, or for those who are a retired members of the Naval Service
  • Offering courses which are popular with local armed forces personnel, who can use their Enhanced Learning Credits (ELC) to cover all or part of the tuition fees
  • Sharing local veterans’ personal experiences through drama and performance via the Veterans Project

For more information about armed forces partnerships, please contact partnerships@port.ac.uk.

Armed Forces Covenant

The Armed Forces Covenant is a national scheme to encourage organisations to publicly pledge their support for current and former armed forces personnel in the community. Our commitment includes supporting the employment of veterans and their families, and allowing appropriate flexibility for those who serve in the Reserve Forces.

You can view our Armed Forces Covenant on the gov.uk site.

Service Children’s Progression Alliance

The Service Children’s Progression (SCiP) Alliance is a partnership of organisations focused on improving outcomes for children from military families. Our Recruitment and Outreach team host the south hub of this alliance alongside the University of Winchester. Through research and sharing of good practice, our hub is open to all professionals supporting the education outcomes of Service children in the south.

The Service Children’s Progression (SCiP) Alliance is a partnership of organisations focused on improving outcomes for children from military families.

Creative Forces Day

Our Recruitment and Outreach team work closely with the children of military service families, inviting them onto campus each year as part of our Creative Forces Day. Guests are shown around and given an overview of the additional academic, pastoral and financial support available to them as the children of former or serving military personnel.

If you work with military service children who are 16 or under, visit our recruitment and outreach pages to find out how to get them involved.

Further Forces programme

If you’re leaving the military – or you've left within the past five years – and want to train as a Further Education (FE) teacher, our Further Forces programme is the perfect opportunity. This fully-funded initiative will see you earning a Certificate in Education or PGCE while learning on the job in a FE institution.

Visit our Further Forces page for more information and to start your application.

Courses for military personnel

Looking to further your military career or retrain for a new career after you've left? Our range of courses for serving and former military personnel include degree apprenticeships, postgraduate degrees, professional doctorates and short courses. You can use the MOD’s ELCAS (Enhanced Learning Credits Administration Service) funding to pay for your studies on eligible courses.

Visit our courses for serving and former military personnel page to find out more.