At ESA our mission is to “inspire, unite and grow a welcoming and diverse sponsorship industry” and with this in mind, we have created the ESA Diploma Scholarship, to help grow the diversity of the sponsorship industry by offering one applicant based in Europe a place on the course each year. We believe that together we can create an industry-wide movement that promotes an inclusive approach to dialogue and thought leadership, welcoming diverse perspectives and allowing each of us to be ourselves, while shaping the future of international sponsorship.
The ESA Diploma is the only official post-graduate qualification in sponsorship. Until 2022, all participants were fee paying. We now offer a full scholarship to one Europe-based applicant, annually.
Ashley Arthingal
2023 ESA Diploma scholar
“Applying for the ESA Diploma Scholarship was the perfect call for me and the whole experience has given me such a boost. I would recommend the Diploma to anyone but the honour of being a Scholarship recipient made me even more motivated, not only to study the course but to navigate the transition into sponsorship as an industry.
“Accessibility and diversity are vital in any industry – not only in terms of ethnicity and mixed cultural backgrounds but also people coming together from different fields of work. The industry benefits from having people with different perspectives.
“Before starting the course, I had no theoretical knowledge about sponsorship – only the practical application of speaking to brand partners and potential partners in my role as Project Coordinator of the World Ice Skating Day, a global initiative by the International Skating Union (ISU) to develop and grow ice skating across the world. It was great to learn right from the basics and discover how to form objectives and strategies, before going on to look at activation and evaluation. Now I find that I’m talking to sponsors in a very different tone and with a set strategy.
“I’ve never encountered such an interesting course and one that’s written in a way that is easy to understand. It can be hard to juggle the course work when you are working full-time, but it’s definitely manageable if you stick to the recommended timings for each module. It was nice to be broken into study groups and I travelled to London to meet up with my group. we still have an active WhatsApp chat and it’s great to have made friends and connections through the course.”
Read more: Meet the 2023 ESA Diploma Scholar
Nobandile Mutseyekwa
2022 ESA Diploma scholar
Nobandile has already stepped up a rung on her career ladder by joining MSL UK as Junior Account Executive while studying for the 2022 ESA Diploma.
“I’ve really enjoyed the course so far. As a newcomer to the industry, the biggest thing I’ve gained – apart from knowledge – is the confidence boost it gives you.
“Having access to expert seminars and resources is really insightful and helpful, and it feels as if the Diploma is like a door into the sponsorship industry. The support of the ESA team has been great too.
“As a recent graduate looking for job opportunities, I wouldn’t have been able to do the course without the Scholarship, so it has removed a lot of that stress. I’m proud to be the first recipient and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to anyone starting out in the industry.”
The deadline for 2024 applications has now closed – thank you to all those who have applied, we will be in touch in the new year.