Early Bird Scholarship

Over a three-year programme, our Early Bird Scholars receive 1:1 mentoring from a junior solicitor ('Scholar Buddy') for support and career guidance, tailored workshops and skills sessions, financial assistance of £7,500 paid in instalments over their time at university, as well a work experience in our London office.

Early Bird Scholars are automatically awarded a place on our Flying Start Programme and encouraged to complete the Virtual Experience Programme in first year, and then mentored on how to apply for our other early career opportunities, such as our training contract and vacation schemes. We hope that as their knowledge and understanding of the legal world and Bird & Bird develops, they'll choose to apply for a training contract with us.

If you want to pursue a successful career in law with mentoring, workshops, financial assistance, and work experience whilst at university, apply to our Early Bird Scholarship.

First year

• Complete the Virtual Experience Programme
• Attend the Flying Start Programme
• In-person work experience at our London office

Penultimate and final year

• Guidance on applying to training contracts and vacation schemes

Throughout university degree

• Mentoring with a Scholar Buddy
• Termly 1:1s with Early Careers
• Termly workshops and skill sessions
• Yearly financial assistance

Applications open: 6 April 2026

We operate rolling recruitment, which means we screen applications as they are received, rather than after our at 12:00 British Summer Time