Scholarships

There are two main categories of scholarships available at YABS: those administered by YABS and those conducted through partner organizations.

The scholarships are easy to apply for and provide a great opportunity to attend the course for free or at a significantly reduced cost

Applications can be made to one or more of the scholarships listed below. Those applying for multiple scholarships must specify their order of preference (this will remain undisclosed).

Please note the terms and criteria of individual scholarships and be aware that some cover the full cost of tuition and accommodation whilst others cover tuition only.

We would like to say a big thank you to the scholarship providers both past and present for their generosity and support.

Good luck with your applications!

Scholarships Administered by External Organisations

Abebooks [Opens 01.04.26]

Please note that entries for the AbeBooks Scholarship are not yet open.

Are you thinking of becoming a rare bookseller? Or have you just started to sell collectable books? The York Antiquarian Book Seminar is an educational event held over three days in York for booksellers, librarians and collectors that offers expert discussion about rare books.

This is your opportunity to enter for a chance to win admission to attend the event. There will be two lucky winners of a prize package worth £750. Accommodation and transportation to and from the event are not included.

Launched in 1996, AbeBooks is the online marketplace where you can buy new, used, rare and out-of-print books, as well as textbooks. It connects buyers with thousands of professional booksellers around the world and millions of books are listed for sale.

Bibliopolis

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

Bibliopolis is pleased to offer a scholarship to cover full cost of registration as well as the room and board fee for the York Antiquarian Book Seminar in 2026.

Bibliopolis provides complete e-commerce website design development, technical support and hosting as well as database services for the used, out-of-print and antiquarian bookseller. We are devoted to connecting discerning buyers to professional booksellers online without middlemen crashing the party.

International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) [Opens 01.04.26]

Applications for the ILAB Scholarship for the York Antiquarian Book Seminar will open soon.

ILAB is pleased to announce a new opportunity for emerging and early-career booksellers to take part in one of the most respected training programmes in the rare book world. The York Antiquarian Book Seminar (YABS), organised by the Antiquarian Booksellers' Association(ABA), will take place again in 2026 - and applications for an ILAB scholarship will open on 1st April 2026.

YABS offers a unique chance to learn directly from experienced booksellers and librarians through an intensive and engaging programme. Covering the second-hand, antiquarian, and rare book markets, the seminar combines lectures, discussions, and practical workshops. Participants gain hands-on experience in key areas such as cataloguing, pricing, and the day-to-day practice of bookselling, while also exploring broader questions facing the trade today.

The seminar is designed for participants at all stages of their careers from those just entering the trade to more experienced booksellers looking to deepen their knowledge and refine their skills. Importantly, applicants do not need to be a member of a booksellers’ association to apply.

The ILAB scholarship includes full tuition (valued at £750) and a contribution of £300 towards travel and accommodation. The ABA will be able to provide guidance on accommodation options.

Who can apply?
Applicants should be committed to pursuing a full-time career in the antiquarian book trade. They must reside outside the UK but do not need to be members of an ILAB-affiliated association.

How to apply
Please submit a motivation letter (maximum two pages) outlining how attending YABS would benefit your professional development.

Key dates

Seminar Dates: 6–10 September 2026
Application deadline: 15th May 2026
Successful candidate notification: 1st June 2026

For Further Information Contact:
Angelika Elstner, ILAB Secretary: secretariat@ilab.org
Lotte Inch, ABA Secretary & YABS Coordinator: secretary@aba.org.uk

Provincial Booksellers Fairs Association (PBFA)

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

The PBFA is the largest organisation of antiquarian and second-hand book dealers in the UK. A not for profit association, it organises book fairs for its members across the country.

We are pleased to offer two scholarships to cover the full tuition fees for the 2026 York Antiquarian Book Seminar. Also, in memory of the PBFA’s founder, we are offering a third scholarship, The Gerry Mosdell Scholarship, to cover the full tuition fee plus £250 towards expenses. The scholarships are open to all.

The Peter Harrington Foundation

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

Peter Harrington is a keen supporter of YABS and is delighted to offer 2 scholarships to those wishing to attend the 2026 seminar.

The Peter Harrington Foundation will pay the course fees and five nights accommodation at a hotel close to the seminar venue to the people we judge the most suitable applicants.

Established in 1969, Peter Harrington is one of the leading rare book firms in the world. Constituted in 2020, the Peter Harrington Foundation is funded by Peter Harrington Limited. The Foundation has a specific focus on educating and improving opportunity for persons working or aspiring to work in the antiquarian book trade. The Foundation also aims to relieve poverty, improve prospects and provide emergency aid by way of grants to charitable organisations engaged in such work.

Swedish Association of Antiquarian Booksellers

The scholarship of the Swedish Association of Antiquarian Booksellers covers the course fee, travel, and accommodation for one recipient.

The Swedish Association, being comparably small, is unable to arrange an event such as this, and therefore views it as a great privilege to be able in this way to give young and prospective Swedish booksellers the opportunity to take part of the knowledge and perspectives provided by the York Antiquarian Book Seminar. We consider this an investment in the future of our trade in Sweden.

Candidates are nominated by members of the Swedish Association of Antiquarian Booksellers. The winner is selected from these candidates by the committee of the association.

For any questions, please contact the Swedish Association of Antiquarian Booksellers at main@svaf.se.

ABA Administered Scholarships

Please submit your application(s) for the following scholarships to the ABA Secretary Lotte Inch at secretary@aba.org.uk

Please put the name of the scholarship in the email subject line.

Antiquates Ltd

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

Wareham based booksellers Antiquates Ltd are happy to sponsor a scholarship for YABS 2026.

The scholarship will cover the course fee.

The Founders Scholarship

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

The Founders Scholarship, supported by ABA Educational Trust works to support a continued awareness of the heritage of the book and the printed word.

YABS was started in 2014 by Anthony Smithson, Alice Laverty and Jonathan Kearns, and we are pleased to offer the scholarship in recognition of their hard work in establishing the course.

The ABA Educational Trust aims to promote and support education and research across the wide field of rare book studies and antiquarian bookselling and to foster the entry of younger booksellers into the trade

The Founders Scholarship includes the full course fee and five nights accommodation, which will be booked and paid for on the recipient’s behalf.

Applications will be judged on the basis of financial need, as well as benefit to the applicant. Students who wish to be considered for a scholarship must submit a short personal statement setting out their reasons for applying, along with a statement of financial need. Explain why receiving this scholarship is necessary for you.

Lucius Books

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

York based booksellers Lucius Books are happy to sponsor a scholarship for YABS 2026.

The scholarship will include the course fees plus five nights accommodation in York.

Sophie Schneideman Rare Books & Prints

This Scholarship opportunity is now closed for 2026.

London based bookseller Sophie Schneideman is delighted to sponsor a scholarship for YABS 2026.

The scholarship will cover the course fee and travel within the UK. Also included is the option of working with the firm during the York Book Fair immediately after the course (Thursday onwards).

Sophie is particularly keen to receive applications from people who haven’t attended or graduated from university.

Sophie specialises in an interest in the Art of the Book , printing, illustration, calligraphy, bookbinding, paper etc. For more about this see her website: ssrbooks.com