The Scottish International Education Trust was set up in 1971 on the initiative of Sean Connery. The Trustees are Scots who have distinguished themselves in careers covering a wide range of activities including the arts, industry, education and sport.

The trust has two broad aims:

• to give financial help at a critical stage in their development to Scots men and women who have shown ability and promise and wish to take their studies or professional training further in circumstances where public funds are not available; and
• to support projects which the Trust considers will contribute to the cultural, social or economic well being of Scotland or the improvement of the Scottish environment.

The Trust makes grants amounting generally to about £30,000 annually. These are normally made up of grants to individual students who apply direct to the Trust.

The Trust also has power to make grants for charitable purposes to organisations or corporate projects.