04th Nov 2025

Lily receives esteemed Royal Television Society Scholarship

An Animation student has been awarded a prestigious Royal Television Society (RTS) Scholarship, becoming the second student at UCEN Manchester to receive the honour in two consecutive years.

Lily Curbishley, who is in the second year of her Animation course, is one of 10 scholars to be selected under the Digital Innovation category. The highly competitive national scheme supports the next generation of television and digital professionals, providing funding, mentoring, and access to exclusive RTS industry events.

Under the Bursary Scheme, Lily will be provided with:

£1,500 per academic year

Free access to all RTS events, screenings and lectures

A personal industry mentor

Free RTS Membership.

“I thought it was a scam at first!”

Recalling the moment she received the news, Lily laughed:

“I’d just got off the bus and saw a missed call and voicemail from the Royal Television Society asking me to ring back. I genuinely thought it might be a scam! When I called them and they told me I’d actually won, I was completely lost for words.”

After the initial shock came pride and excitement.

“I didn’t believe it at first, then I just felt overwhelmed and proud. The first thing I did was call my mum and my sibling - I wanted to tell them straight away. Nothing like this has ever happened in my family before. Many of my family have disabilities and can't work, so it’s a massive deal for all of us”

Since the first RTS Bursary Scheme was launched in 2013, it has supported 413 students from lower-income backgrounds, with 82% of graduates securing employment within TV and related industries.

Winning the RTS Scholarship represents both professional and personal opportunities.

“It’s huge. Around 80% of scholars go on to find work or internships, which is vital in such a competitive field. The financial support also makes a real difference since I live at home and can’t move away for university.”

Katy Rushton, Programme Leader for Animation and Lily’s personal tutor, added:

“We are really proud of Lily being selected as an RTS Bursary Scholar. She works so hard and being chosen for such a prestigious scheme will open up so many opportunities that she will take full advantage of. Well done Lily!”

Looking to the future

Reflecting on her journey, Lily Curbishley hopes others will take inspiration from her story.

“I almost didn’t apply because I doubted myself, but with encouragement from Katy, I did. There are more kind people in the world than you think -and taking a chance really pays off.”

She added a final message for other aspiring creatives:

“It doesn’t matter what financial background you come from - everyone deserves a chance to pursue creative careers. Opportunities like the RTS can open doors for anyone.”