Bursaries
The Crime Writers’ Association offers a range of bursaries for both CWA members and potential members. The bursaries are kindly provided by our members and other contributors to provide full or partial funding towards membership or certain events. The CWA does not offer cash bursaries.
Some bursaries are targeted at helping authors from specific groups. They are all awarded in strict confidence. Our online listing shows when a bursary has been awarded, but not its recipient.
Please note that to receive a bursary toward CWA membership, applicants must meet the criteria for membership. Read more about the different types of membership and their criteria at our membership page.
Restrictions
- Individuals will only be awarded one bursary per two-year period. Successful applicants must wait two years after receiving one bursary to apply for another.
- Applicants who have unsuccessfully applied for a bursary must wait twelve months before applying again.
How to apply
Applications for bursaries are made online.
Bursaries available
| Bursary | Sponsoring | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J.C. BRIGGS BURSARY | One year’s UK Full membership of the CWA, print or digital. | AWARDED |
| 2 | LINDA STRATMANN SENIOR MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s UK Full membership of the CWA, print or digital, for members aged 70 or over. | AWARDED |
| 3 | ANTONY JOHNSTON UK MEMBERSHIP BURSARY FOR YOUNG WRITERS | One year’s UK individual Full print membership of the CWA, for an individual under the age of 35. | AWARDED |
| 4 | THE PETER JAMES UK MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s UK individual Full print membership of the CWA. | AWARDED |
| 5 | BOOKOUTURE FULL OVERSEAS MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s Full Overseas digital membership of the CWA. Bookouture would love to see applications from writers from under-represented groups. | |
| 6 | FIFTY-SOMETHING UK MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s UK Full membership of the CWA, print or digital, for a member aged 50-59. | AWARDED |
| 7 | UK FULL DIGITAL MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s Full digital membership of the CWA. | AWARDED |
| 8 | FICTION FEEDBACK (DEA PARKIN) MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s Full membership of the CWA for an eligible self-published author, print or digital UK and digital overseas. | AWARDED |
| 9 | JARED CADE UK MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s digital membership for a Full member resident in the UK. | AWARDED |
| 10 | HUMPHREY HAWKSLEY FULL MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s UK Full membership of the CWA, printed or digital. | AWARDED |
| 11 | RAKE OZENNA SERIES FULL MEMBERSHIP BURSARY | One year’s UK Full membership of the CWA, printed or digital. | AWARDED |
| 12 | BLOODY SCOTLAND BURSARY | A £500 grant towards tickets, travel and accommodation to attend the Bloody Scotland International Crime Writing Festival 2026. This bursary is open to CWA full members, provisional members, and emerging author members. | AWARDED |
| 13 | THE GAIL B. MEYERS MEMORIAL BURSARIES | One year’s full membership of the CWA, print or digital, UK or Overseas. There are five one year bursaries available. |
Join the CWA
Become part of a thriving community of successful crime writers with invaluable support, expertise and marketing opportunities for all our members.
