Textbooks should not be a Luxury

Two in five undergraduates in England from lower-income households have had to cut back on textbooks because of financial pressures, while accumulating average debts of £44,000 and rising.  In comparison, many of us got a university education for free, often with significant grant support along the way. We believe this contrast is glaring…

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Let’s do something about it

...but importantly we believe we can do something about it.  The Reading List Foundation exists to inspire people - including older graduates - to help fund a younger student’s First Year textbooks, providing practical, financial and emotional help.

“I was able to purchase medical books that I would otherwise not have afforded, which has served me well in assignments and exam preparations. Equally as important, I entered university with a positivity I may not have had.”

“I felt amazing! To think I'd been recognised academically and rewarded for my hard work was a great feeling. Having access to free books is incredible! It’s invaluable.”

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£175 Billion

Approximate value of Tuition enjoyed for free by pre-tuition fee graduates in England. Source: Internal Reading List Foundation figures based on various external information sources. 2016 figure updated to 2026 present value.

0.0004%

Proportion of this it would take to offer a scholarship in every state-funded Year 13 in England. Source: combination of internal Reading List Foundation calculations and IFS figures for the number of state-funded post-16 schools and colleges in England.

Support a student’s future, today

We ask our donors to fund or co-fund £275 Scholarships for high-achieving students from lower-income households, to cover their Reading List in their first - and often second and third - year of university.  We encourage donors to make their contribution personal – for instance directing it to their old school or college.

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News

2000 Scholarships
21st Sept 2026

We're delighted to announce that this week we will issue our 2,000th Scholarship! Back in 2016 we issued our first 12 Scholarships, and this summer we will issue over 300. Thank you so much to all our donors and supporters who have made this possible.

Thank you Blackwell's
21st Sept 2026

We would like to extend a huge thank you to our Academic Bookseller partners Blackwell's, who provide the £275 book e-vouchers we award our Scholarship winners. They have worked with us each year since we started in 2016 - 10 years and counting! Here's to the next 10.