50 Best Bars Scholarship
Creating opportunities for aspiring bartenders
The 50 Best Bars Scholarship debuted in 2022, open to any aspiring bartenders offering a once-in-a-lifetime, all-expenses paid opportunity to train at world-leading bars.
In 2026, the programme returns to give any bartender over the age of 21 with less than three full years of experience in the industry the opportunity to enter for consideration.
This year's lucky winner will get to experience one stage at Line in Athens – No.8 in The World's 50 Best Bars 2025 – and at Tres Monos in Argentina (No.10), both with all accommodation and travel covered, plus £1,000 per stage.
Applications will close for entries on 27 May at 12:00 BST.
What is needed for the application?
-Your general details
-What you think the 5 skills for a modern bartender are (5 keywords)
-A short written statement on what you think are the most important issues faced by the modern bar world (up to 250 words)
-A short written statement on who you believe to be the most inspirational figure in the bar world (up to 100 words)
-A short video introducing yourself and why you are excited to take part in the 50 Best bars Scholarship 2026 (under 60 seconds)
-A few photos of yourself behind the bar or making cocktails without any branded bottles in hand or visible in shot (3 to 5)
The selection process
The scholarship recipient was selected via a three-stage judging process:
Round One: Introduce yourself and share the inspirations and motivations that have shaped your career so far through a selection of written answers and a short video.
Round Two: If selected for the 25-strong shortlist, you will be required to create and submit a cocktail that reflects your identity. You will be required to provide evidence of the research, development and creative process.
These submissions will then be judged by an international panel of experts. Together, they decided on a five-strong list of candidates to advance to the final interview stage.
Round Three: Selected candidates were invited for an interview with representatives from 50 Best and upcoming stage hosts Tres Monos and Line.
Read about the other previous winners, Drew Fleming, Apoorva Kohli and Calliope Draper here.
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