Starter Rewards - Terms & Conditions
The First Portfolio First Step Bursary is promoted by First Portfolio Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (company number 14941541). Registered office: 12 Melcombe Place, London, NW1 6JJ.
First Portfolio Limited (Firm Reference Number: 1028933) is an appointed representative of WealthKernel Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (Firm Reference Number: 723719).
The First Portfolio First Step Bursary (“the bursary”) is a monthly bursary programme for students and recent graduates.
Each month, First Portfolio intends to award three (3) eligible recipients a £100 starter investment towards a First Portfolio Stocks and Shares ISA.
The bursary is connected to a monthly email. Each month, applicants will receive an investment think piece from First Portfolio and will be invited to answer a question linked to the subject of
that article.
The bursary is intended to encourage young adults to see investing as a normal part of early adult life and to build the habit of investing over time.
The bursary is open to individuals who:
b. are resident in the United Kingdom;
c. are currently a student or recent graduate;
d. are eligible to open and subscribe to a Stocks and Shares ISA;
e. sign up to receive the First Portfolio First Step Bursary monthly email;
f. answer the monthly question during the relevant application window;
g. complete student or graduate verification where required; and
h. satisfy First Portfolio’s onboarding, identity, eligibility and compliance checks.
For the purposes of this bursary, a recent graduate means someone who completed a course of study within the last five (5) years.
First Portfolio may ask applicants to verify their student or graduate status through Student Beans or another verification provider approved by First Portfolio.
Employees, directors, contractors and immediate family members of First Portfolio, its group companies, partners, agents, service providers, or anyone professionally connected with the administration of the bursary are not eligible to apply.
4. Monthly Application Process
To apply for the bursary, applicants must sign up to receive the First Portfolio First Step Bursary monthly email.
Each month, First Portfolio will send a First Step Bursary email containing an investment think piece and a question linked to the subject of that topic.
Applicants must submit their answer by the closing date shown in the email, application page, or campaign materials.
Applications received after the relevant closing date will not be considered for that month.
The question may change from month to month.
5. Selection of Recipients
Each month, First Portfolio intends to select three (3) bursary recipients from eligible applications received during the relevant application window.
Recipients may be selected based on eligibility, the content of their answer, engagement with the subject of the monthly investment think piece, alignment with the purpose of the bursary, and any other reasonable criteria set by First Portfolio.
First Portfolio’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into regarding the outcome of an application.
Each selected recipient will receive a £100 starter investment towards a First Portfolio Stocks and Shares ISA.
Selected recipients must, within seven (7) calendar days of the recipient notification email:
● confirm their acceptance of the bursary; and
● provide First Portfolio with the unique verification code generated for First Portfolio in their Student Beans account.
If a selected recipient declines the bursary, does not respond within this timeframe, or does not provide a valid verification code, First Portfolio may withdraw the offer and select another eligible applicant.
Each selected recipient must open a First Portfolio account to receive the award. Once a selected recipient has confirmed acceptance of the bursary, they must create a First Portfolio account and complete all required onboarding steps within fourteen (14) calendar days, if they do not already have one.
First Portfolio will determine the payment method, which may be either:
● credited directly to the recipient’s First Portfolio ISA plan; or
● paid by bank transfer to the bank account registered during the First Portfolio account
opening process, subject to the recipient giving permission for those bank account details to be used for the purpose of paying the award.
Where the award cannot be credited to the recipient’s First Portfolio ISA plan, including where doing so would cause the recipient to exceed their applicable ISA allowance, First Portfolio may instead pay the award as a cash award by bank transfer.
The bursary will be credited within thirty (30) calendar days after the recipient has successfully completed all required onboarding, identity, ISA eligibility, and compliance checks.
6.6. Withdrawal, delays and general conditions
If a selected recipient does not complete onboarding, does not pass the required checks, is not eligible for a Stocks and Shares ISA, or cannot receive the bursary for any reason, First Portfolio reserves the right to withdraw the award and select another recipient.
The bursary is not transferable. No cash alternative will be offered unless First Portfolio decides otherwise at its sole discretion.
First Portfolio may delay payment or investment of the bursary where this is necessary due to operational, compliance, verification, funding, platform, or regulatory reasons.
7. Student and graduate verification
First Portfolio may use Student Beans or another approved verification provider to verify student or graduate status, where applicable.
Verification may take place through an academic portal, student email address, document upload, or any other method made available by the verification provider, and will be subject to the verification provider’s own terms and conditions.
First Portfolio does not guarantee that every institution, course, provider, qualification or graduate status will be supported by the verification provider.
First Portfolio reserves the right to reject any application where it cannot reasonably verify the applicant’s student or graduate status.
Standard subscription fees apply to the First Portfolio account (£1.50 per month or £15.00 per year if paid annually). This fee is payable by the customer and is not covered by the award.
First Portfolio may ask selected recipients whether they are willing to share their story, feedback, first name, university, course, graduate status, or other non sensitive information for marketing purposes.
Participation in publicity is optional and is not a condition of receiving the bursary.
First Portfolio will not publish a recipient’s personal information without their consent.
10. Email communications and data protection
To apply for the First Step Bursary, applicants must sign up to receive the First Portfolio First Step Bursary monthly email.
The First Step Bursary email communications will be used to administer the bursary programme and provide applicants with information directly related to the bursary process.
First Portfolio will stop sending First Step Bursary emails where an applicant is no longer eligible for the bursary, including where the applicant is no longer within the five year graduate eligibility period.
Applicants may unsubscribe from First Step Bursary emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in the monthly email. If an applicant unsubscribes, they may no longer receive the monthly investment think piece or bursary question and may not be able to apply for future bursary rounds unless they register again or otherwise resubscribe to receive First Step Bursary communications.
Consent to receive wider First Portfolio marketing is separate and is not required to apply for the bursary.
Personal information submitted as part of the bursary registration or application process will be used to administer the bursary, assess eligibility, contact applicants, conduct onboarding checks, process bursary payments and comply with legal and regulatory obligations.
Where verification is carried out through Student Beans or another approved verification provider, applicants may also be subject to that provider’s own privacy policy and terms.
First Portfolio will process personal data in accordance with its Privacy Policy.
11. Changes, suspension or cancellation
First Portfolio reserves the right to amend, suspend, withdraw or cancel the bursary at any time where it is reasonable to do so.
This may include operational, legal, regulatory, technical, compliance, verification or business reasons.
First Portfolio will not make changes that unfairly disadvantage applicants who have already been selected, unless required for legal, regulatory or compliance reasons.
Investing involves risk. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and recipients may get back less than the amount invested.
The bursary does not constitute financial advice, investment advice, tax advice or a personal recommendation.
Tax treatment depends on individual circumstances and may change.
Applicants should consider whether investing is right for them before opening a Stocks and Shares ISA.
First Portfolio will not be responsible for applications that are lost, delayed, incomplete, corrupted, misdirected, or not received for any reason
First Portfolio will not be responsible where an applicant cannot complete verification through Student Beans or another approved verification provider.
Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful to do so.
First Portfolio reserves the right to disqualify any applicant who provides false, inaccurate, incomplete or misleading information.
First Portfolio may also disqualify any applicant who attempts to manipulate the application, verification, onboarding or selection process.
The bursary is subject to availability and may be amended or withdrawn at any time.
These terms and conditions are governed by the laws of England and Wales.
Questions about the First Portfolio First Step Bursary can be sent to:
fsb@firstportfolio.© 2026 First Portfolio. All rights reserved.
