We are pleased to announce that WAVEZ will once again be offering a limited number of fully funded scholarships for students & graduates to attend the GS UK Annual Conference 2025, the UK’s largest technical conference focused on IBM Z and enterprise infrastructure. This opportunity is made possible with the support of our generous sponsors (to be announced soon), who are helping to make mainframe learning more accessible to aspiring early-career technologists.
This is a career-defining opportunity to engage directly with experts, attend technical sessions, gain hands-on experience, and build your professional network within one of the most critical and stable areas of enterprise computing.
The GS UK Annual Conference is a major event in the European enterprise IT calendar. It brings together hundreds of professionals from all corners of the IBM Z ecosystem — from systems programmers and infrastructure specialists to security experts and emerging technology leaders.
Whether you're already familiar with mainframes or completely new to the technology, this event will immerse you in a world of ideas, opportunities, and practical knowledge.
Key Features:
Students consistently say the CTF was the highlight of their conference experience.
If selected for the scholarship, you will receive:
Scholarship recipients will be accommodated at a nearby hotel (not the conference venue itself). Daily shuttle transport will be provided to and from the conference.
You will be placed in twin rooms (separate beds), shared with another student of the same gender. Where possible, we will group students from the same educational institution together.
However, you may be paired with someone from a different university. While sharing a room with someone unfamiliar may feel unusual, this is also a great opportunity to build early connections. We encourage you to embrace this part of the experience — many long-term friendships and professional connections begin right here.
If you have specific concerns regarding room sharing, there will be an opportunity to discuss these if selected.
The scholarship is open to:
Applicants must be able to demonstrate genuine interest and commitment to exploring a potential career path in the mainframe or enterprise IT industry.
Please do not register for the GS UK Conference independently. If selected, you will receive a voucher to register at no cost. We cannot reimburse fees if you book separately.
If all places are allocated and you are not initially selected, you may be added to our waitlist. Should spaces become available, waitlisted students will be notified by Monday 20th October 2025 (two weeks after initial award notifications).
This opportunity has the potential to change your career path and introduce you to a field you may not have previously considered. The mainframe industry offers long-term, high-impact careers — and this scholarship could be your first step into it.
We value genuine, thoughtful applications. Tell us why this interests you, what you hope to gain, and how it fits into your current aspirations. Please do not use AI-generated content in your responses. We are looking for authentic voices and real motivation. Applications containing AI-generated or copied content will be disqualified.
We strongly encourage you to explore the IBM Skills Depot before submitting your application. This free platform offers bite-sized, introductory learning about mainframes and related technologies. Engaging with these resources will both support your understanding and demonstrate your commitment — helping you stand out as a serious applicant.
Stay Informed
Follow WAVEZ on LinkedIn to stay up to date with scholarship announcements, event news, and career advice: WAVEZ LinkedIn
Look out for updates about the GS UK Conference on the GS UK Website & The GSUK LinkedIn
If you’re ready to explore a future in enterprise technology, develop real-world technical skills, and join a welcoming and passionate community — apply for the WAVEZ Scholarship and join us at GS UK 2025.
[Scholarship Application Form – link available from 4th August 2025]