How scholarships work
Championships, teams, manufacturers and sponsors all run scholarships to find new talent. They usually follow the same pattern:
Apply
An online form with your driver's racing CV: results, classes, championships and a bit about them. Some ask for a video or a personal statement.
Shortlist
The best applicants are invited to an assessment day.
Assessment
Usually on-track driving in the series car, plus interviews, fitness tests, media tasks or engineering debriefs.
Final & award
A final shortlist, sometimes a second test, then the winner is announced.
What's usually covered
This varies a lot, and "scholarship" can mean very different things. Some cover a full season. Many are a part-funded season, a discount, or a set of test days. Always find out exactly what's included:
- Is it a fully funded season, or a contribution towards the cost?
- Which costs are still yours: entries, tyres, testing, travel, damage?
- Is there a fee to apply or to attend the assessment?
- Is the winner tied to a particular team or a multi-year deal?
- What's expected in return: media days, sponsor events, social media?
What assessors look for
Speed matters, but it's rarely the only thing. From what we've seen, assessors also look at:
- How quickly you learn. Improvement across the day often counts for more than one fast lap.
- Feedback. Can your driver explain what the car is doing, clearly, to an engineer?
- Attitude. How they treat staff, other drivers, and a bad session.
- Media. Can they talk confidently on camera and represent a sponsor?
- Fitness and preparation. Turning up ready, having studied the circuit and the car.
Tips for applying
- Keep a simple one-page racing CV up to date, with results, photos and links to video.
- Apply early. Many scholarships close months before the season starts.
- Get some car seat time first, like a track day or ARDS course, so the assessment isn't your first time in a car.
- Practise talking to camera. A short vlog or social posts help, and show you can promote a sponsor.
- Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Apply to several.
Scholarships open now
Scholarships currently open to drivers moving up from karting.
Example listing: this is how your scholarship will appear
Your Scholarship Name
Run by Your Championship or Team
- Series
- The championship the winner will race in
- Ages
- Who can apply
- Prize
- What the winner gets: full season, part-funded, test days
- Assessment
- Where and when
- Closes
- Application deadline
A short description of your scholarship, who it's aimed at, and what makes it a great first step for drivers coming from karting.
Apply now →Running a scholarship?
This is the place to put it in front of karting families at the exact moment they're planning the move to cars. See how to list yours.