A bursary fund for disadvantaged students is being launched by the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
The fund is being specifically targeted at students who are registered as disabled, or whose first language is not English.
A bursary committee will decide on applications and agree the level of financial support in each case.
WSET chief executive Ian Harris said: "This initiative is important for WSET to ensure that we give as many people as possible the opportunity to enhance their knowledge, and to gain a WSET qualification.
"The fund is open to applications from any student at any of the 225 centres in the UK who are accredited by us to run WSET qualifications."