GIS Launches Brand-New Scholarships for Sports Industry’s Next Generation 

As the sports industry grows, so too do the opportunities within it, and for Lily Allison-Edwards, a GIS scholarship has been one of them. 

A Foundation Phase coach at Notts County, Lily is one of many GIS students reaping the benefits of our scholarship programmes, and we are pleased to share that we have launched multiple new scholarship opportunities for the next generation of sports industry professionals. 

For Lily, she began her scholarship studies in January 2026 to support her aspirations as a football coach, saying: “I’ve played football for as long as I can remember, so when I left school, I couldn’t think of anything else I wanted to work in.” 

Having now coached in both the US and England, Lily’s long-term aspirations lie in the professional game. To help her there, she has completed her UEFA B License and has now joined GIS’ MSc International Sports Management programme. 

 
As part of her scholarship, Lily received a complimentary ticket to a GIS Global Sports Summit of her choosing, which she labelled the highlight of the opportunity so far.  

Opting to head to Miami, Lily was part of a trip that had access to exclusive guest speaker and networking sessions, behind-the-scenes access to world class venues, and of course, live professional sport. 

Another of Lily’s highlights is the access to expert mentorship, with GIS President Sharona Friedman as her scholarship advisor. Lily explained that she has received valuable career advice which has supported her involvement with The Powerhouse Project. 

An initiative aimed at growing female involvement in football, the GIS partner recently co-hosted an event at St George’s Park with Nike, which Lily worked on. She also discussed the access to The Powerhouse Project’s wide network of women in sport, allowing her to connect with countless professionals.  

As well as the Women in Soccer scholarship, GIS is also proud to launch other versions including, but not limited to: 

• Academic High Achievers 

• Star Content Creators 

• Sports Industry Leader Mentorship Scholarship 

• Elite Athlete Scholarship 

• Elite Coaches & Performance Staff Scholarship 

To prospective students deciding whether a career in the football industry is right for them, Lily said: “Just go for it whatever opportunities you can. Even if you think it’s a minor one, take it, because you never know what you’ll gain from it. 

“Stay in contact with people within the career you want to progress into,” she added, “and just focus on yourself and what you want to do. It’s easy to get demotivated within football at times, but you just have to stick at it.” 

The deadline to apply for scholarships is Friday 17th July for degrees that begin in September 2026, or Friday 20th November for degrees that begin in January 2027. 

For more information and how to apply, explore our scholarships page.