Undergraduate scholarship FAQs

Scholarships are financial awards offered to students to help them complete their studies. A scholarship can cover a variety of things, such as tuition fees, living costs, travel expenses, study materials, and much more. They don’t need to be repaid and are typically granted based on merit, financial need, or a combination of both. You can look for scholarships offered directly by your university, or from external funding providers like charities, businesses, and government bodies. 

Not exactly. While some schemes do offer a cash stipend, this is by no means typical. More commonly, a scholarship is redeemable as a reduction of your tuition fees or as credit towards accommodation costs and other university expenses, for which you may need to provide evidence of expenditure. 

Scholarship options are listed on the fees and funding page of your university’s website, and this is often the best place to start searching. External organisations like charities, foundations, and businesses can also provide sponsorship opportunities, and these are definitely also worth looking into. 

There are many types of scholarship, bursary, or grant which you may have your eye on, so it’s difficult to say exactly what is required in each case. However, doing the following can only strengthen your application: 

• Achieve top grades 

• Highlight your extracurricular activities 

• Tailor your application 

• Apply early  

The scholarship application process varies, but usually includes the following steps: 

• Step 1: Find a scholarship that aligns with your achievements or financial needs. 

• Step 2: Check your eligibility to apply for the award. 

• Step 3: Submit required documentation. 

Applications are mostly made online, and documentation can include academic transcripts, personal statements, references, proof of achievements, or household income.  

If your application is accepted, then sometimes you will be asked to participate in an interview or complete a test. Some universities automatically consider all incoming students for certain scholarships, although most scholarships require individual applications. 

Yes, absolutely. The majority of UK universities offer scholarships for UK home students, although they’re often less advertised than those for international students. Additionally, you can readily find external funding opportunities from national organisations and local councils, especially for students from low-income households. Your university’s financial services department can help you seek these opportunities out and complete an application.  

Yes, it is possible. Bear in mind that full scholarships covering tuition fees and living costs are rare and highly competitive. They are typically reserved for students demonstrating significant financial need and can require outstanding academic achievements or extra-curricular contributions. Full scholarships can also be subject to renewal conditions, such as maintaining a certain academic performance, attendance rate, or additional university activities such as outreach programs or ambassador roles. 

It may take some time to find a scholarship that fits the right balance of eligibility, funding, and required extracurricular engagement, therefore persistence and thorough research are key. You can approach the financial services department of your university for help with applying to in-house awards, and the advisors can also help you to find external scholarships offered by local councils, professional sponsors, or government organisations.  

There are loads of options out there, so use all the resources available and send out as many applications as you can. 

There’s no simple answer to this — technically yes, but it depends on the details of the scholarships you’re applying for. When it comes to a university’s own scholarships, many institutions do not allow you to combine multiple awards. Some will permit this, and most universities allow students to combine in-house scholarships with external funding awards, although there may be some conditions. 

Universities usually have policies to ensure that combining multiple funding sources does not exceed the total cost of your tuition and living expenses, so it is always a good idea to check with your scholarship provider for specific rules and regulations. 

It’s difficult to know the exact number of scholarships awarded annually by each UK university however some institutions are known for their extensive scholarship programmes: 

• University of Oxford 

• University of Cambridge 

• University of Edinburgh 

• University of West London 

• University of Warwick 

For these universities, and most others, the number and type of scholarships varies yearly, so be sure to check individual university websites for current details. 

To sum up, if you are heading to university next year, or have already started your undergraduate course, there are probably scholarship options offered by your university to which you are eligible to apply. If not, then there is a huge ecosystem of external funding opportunities which your university can help you to explore.

Successfully securing an undergraduate scholarship can significantly ease the financial cost of obtaining your degree. Good luck!