The Eira Francis Davies Scholarship

The Eira Francis Davies Scholarship is a full tuition fee scholarship ordinarily awarded to one outstanding female student per academic year. The student must be a national of and resident in an eligible developing country, who pursues a postgraduate taught Master’s programme within the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science.

Applications for the Eira Francis Davies Scholarship for September 2023 are now closed. You can explore other scholarship opportunities on our International Scholarships Page.

Meet our Eira Francis Davies Scholarship Holders

Previous Eira Francis Davies Scholarship recipients have come from a range of different academic backgrounds and have travelled from many different countries. Find more about our previous Eira Francis Davies Scholarship awardees.

Who was Eira Francis Davies?

Eira Francis Davies was born on 17^th March 1925 to parents Annie and David Davies in Glynneath, South Wales.

Eira left Wales in her early adult life to work for The Society for The Overseas Settlement of British Women (S.O.S.B.W) in London as a Child Welfare Officer. The S.O.S.B.W was created in 1919 as part of the British government’s post-war adjustments to the economy to facilitate the migration of female workers to former white settler colonies. She travelled to Canada in Sept 1955 and upon her return to Britain in 1956, settled once more in her hometown of Glynneath as Assistant Director of Social Services for West Glamorgan.

Eira understood the value and transformative power of education; especially to women from countries whose economic, social and cultural background might present challenges and barriers to the realisation of their potential. As a woman of independent means, in 2012 Eira endowed a significant fund to Swansea University for the establishment of a Scholarship in her name. Her purpose was to help such women realise their potential, and in doing so lift both their community and home country.

Eira took a keen interest in the women that her scholarship sponsored. She followed their progress and their stories and enjoyed meeting them at the annual Scholarship Winners Dinner – although preferring to keep her identity hidden, she never revealed herself as their benefactor.

Eira Francis Davies passed away on 9^th September 2020 aged 95. Swansea University proudly continues to support the Eira Francis Davies Scholarship as a testament to Eira’s legacy and extraordinary vision.