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Scholarships

Find out more about the many scholarships, bursaries and prizes available to our students.

Scholarships and Bursaries

The main schemes that we offer are the Opportunity and UG Support Scholarships which you can find more information on below. You may also find it useful to look at subject specific scholarships, as well as external charities and trusts.

Opportunity Scholarship

If your household income is at or below £35,000, you may be eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship. You do not need to apply for this as you will be automatically considered if you meet the eligibility criteria.

 

Am I eligible?

To be automatically considered for an Opportunity Scholarship, you need to meet the following criteria:

  • you are registered at the University
  • you commenced your studies between 2014/15 and 2025/26
  • you have been income assessed by Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland
  • your household income has been evaluated as £35,000 or below and you and your parents have consented to share this information with the University

You are not eligible to be considered for the Opportunity Scholarship if:

  • you already hold an honours level degree or equivalent
  • you are eligible for NHS funding
  • you are on a placement year and paying a reduced tuition fee
  • you are studying a course leading to a PGCE qualification
  • you have not been income assessed by Friday 5th June 2026

 

How and when will I find out if I am receiving the scholarship?

We will automatically assess your eligibility for the Opportunity Scholarship. If you are eligible, you will receive an email from the Student Loans Company (SLC) directing you to your online Student Finance account to view your award letter. The email will be sent to the email address that you have listed with the SLC.

You should expect to receive this email anytime between registration and early November. You can also check your online Student Finance account under the ‘Your Inbox’ section to see if you have been issued with an award letter yet.

If you think you are eligible and you have not received an award letter by mid-November, only then contact us and we can check if you are eligible and why an award has not yet been approved.

 

What can I get?

  • If your household income is at or below £25,000 then you will receive a £2,000 bursary
  • If your household income is between £25,001 and £35,000 then you will receive a £1,000 bursary

If you are studying Business Accounting and Finance, you will receive a pro rata scholarship in Years 2, 3 and 4, as you will be paying a reduced fee. You will receive either a £1,332 bursary or a £666 bursary in Years 2, 3 and 4, depending on your household income.

 

When and how will I receive my payments?

Your award is paid across three instalments. The instalments will be paid into the same bank account that your student loan is paid into.

The 2024/25 payment dates are:

  • 12th November 2025
  • 11th February 2026
  • 13th May 2026

If your income assessment is completed after 29th October 2025, you will receive any missed instalments 10 working days after we approve your scholarship (unless the academic year has ended).

If you need to update your bank details, you will need to contact the SLC as soon as possible.

 

What if I leave the University?

If you withdraw or suspend your studies then we will cancel all future payments of your scholarship.

If you are thinking of withdrawing or suspending and you are worried about your finance, please get in touch with our Student Finance Advisers.

 

Contact

If you have completed the above steps and you have not received a confirmation letter by mid-November, or if you have any further enquiries about the Opportunity Scholarship, you can get in touch by email.

Please refer to the 2025-26 Opportunity Scholarship Regulations (PDF: 135KB) for the full terms and conditions of the scholarship.

Thanks to alumni and friends of Newcastle University who support Opportunity Scholarships:

  • Anthony Walter Blackwell Will Trust
  • Newcastle University Women’s Club
  • Scott-Briggs Bursary and Professor Paul Dent
  • Imran Ahmed and Sadia Nujhat
  • Fiona Foundation
  • The E June Copland and Kenneth D Hunter Donation
  • Gordon Cannon Scholarship‌
Undergraduate Support Scholarship

If your household income is between £35,001 and £40,000, you may be eligible for the Undergraduate Support Scholarship. You do not need to apply for this as you will be automatically considered if you meet the eligibility criteria.

 

Am I eligible?

To be automatically considered for the Undergraduate Support Scholarship, you need to meet the following criteria:

  • you are registered at the University
  • you commenced your studies between 2014/15 and 2025/26 if you are a UK student
  • you have been income assessed by Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland
  • your household income has been evaluated as between £35,001 and £40,000, and you and your parents have consented to share this information with the University

You are not eligible to be considered for the Undergraduate Support Scholarship if:

  • you already hold an honours level degree or equivalent
  • you are eligible for NHS funding
  • you are on a placement year and paying a reduced tuition fee
  • you are studying a course leading to a PGCE qualification
  • you are in receipt of the Opportunity Scholarship
  • you have not been income assessed by Friday 5th June 2026

If you subsequently become eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship, the award given will be no more than £1,500 for a household income under £25,000 and no more than £500 for a household income between £25,001 and £35,000. No student is eligible for more than £2,000 across both the Opportunity Scholarship and UG Support Scholarship. Please refer to the 2025-26 Opportunity Scholarship Regulations for more details on eligibility.

 

How and when will I find out if I am receiving the scholarship?

We will automatically assess your eligibility for the Undergraduate Support Scholarship. If you are eligible, you will receive an email from the Student Loans Company (SLC) directing you to your online Student Finance account to view your award letter. The email will be sent to the email address that you have listed with the SLC.

You should expect to receive this email anytime between registration and early November. You can also check your online Student Finance account under the ‘Your Inbox’ section to see if you have been issued with an award letter yet.

If you think you are eligible and you have not received an award letter by mid-November, only then contact us and we can check if you are eligible and why an award has not yet been approved.

 

What can I get?

If your household income is between £35,001 and £40,000 then you will receive a £500 bursary

 

When and how will I receive my payments?

Your award is paid in one instalment. The instalment will be paid into the same bank account that your student loan is paid into.

The 2025/26 payment date is 12th November 2025.

If your income assessment is completed after 29th October 2025, you will receive the payment 10 working days after we approve your scholarship (unless the academic year has ended).

If you need to update your bank details, you will need to contact the SLC as soon as possible.

 

What if I leave the University?

If you withdraw or suspend your studies prior to 12th November 2025 then we will cancel payment of the scholarship.

If you are thinking of withdrawing or suspending and you are worried about your finance, please get in touch with our Student Finance Advisers.

 

Contact

If you have completed the above steps and you have not received a confirmation letter by mid-November, or if you have any further enquiries about the UG Support Scholarship, you can get in touch by email.

Please refer to the 2025-26 UG Support Scholarship Regulations (PDF: 111KB) for the full terms and conditions of the scholarship.

2025/26 Payment Dates

Scholarship  Instalment 1 Instalment 2 Instalment 3
Opportunity Scholarship 12th November 2025 11th February 2026 13th May 2026
UG Support Scholarship 12th November 2024 N/A N/A

The Opportunity Scholarship is paid in instalments of 40%, 30% and 30%. There are no exceptions.


Donor Funded Schemes

A number of scholarship and bursary schemes are funded through generous donations from Newcastle University alumni and external agencies.

The UK Scholarships Team in the Student Financial Support Team run the below awards

  • Greenwich Hospital Bursary: for students who have served or whose parents have served or are serving in the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, WRNS, Royal Fleet Auxiliary or Royal Naval Service
  • Leverhulme Trade Charities Trust Bursary: bursaries to undergraduates who are in financial need and whose parent or spouse is a commercial traveller, grocer or chemist

For help and support with these awards please get in touch.

Contact the School

More information on subject specific scholarships, including eligibility criteria and contact details for any queries, can be found here.


Prizes

The University offers a range of prizes for academic excellence.

Contact us by:

Find out more about the prizes available and prior winners:

Endowed Prizes for Academic Excellence

Background

All University Endowed Prizes for Academic Excellence (formerly Exhibition awards) are awarded annually to first year undergraduates. The prizes carry considerable prestige and are merit based awards.

The pooled awards, which are funded by various bequests, replace the former Exhibition awards and apply across varying groupings of academic disciplines to reflect the previous spread of individual awards.

 

Eligibility

These awards are competitive across the whole University and can be held by any Year 1 student. Only exceptionally high achieving students should be nominated for these prizes.

 

Selection

Endowed Prizes are awarded on the basis of end of stage examination results, reflecting the student’s performance throughout the academic year. Nominations are put forward by the Schools. Prizes are then awarded by the University Endowed Prizes Committee.

 

2021/22 Endowed Prizes Award Winners:

  • Jennifer G. Ambarita, BSc Computer Science
  • Adrian Buchholz, BSc Computer Science
  • Tran H.N. Le, BSc Hons Physics
  • Daniel A. Richardson, BSc Hons Mathematics
  • Matas Budreckas, BSc Agric with Hons Farm Bus Mgmt
  • Molly Claassen, BSc Hons Marine Biology
  • Emily R L Johnson, BSc Hons Environment Sci with Placement
  • Timothy C Lyne, BSc Hons Agriculture
  • Shivani Baghirathan Nicholls, BSc Hons Biology
  • Tang Hoi Ka, Bachelor of Dental Surgery
  • Ameena Bourenane, BSc Hons Oral and Dental Health Sciences
  • Chloe Thompson, Master of Dietetics
  • Holly Edgerton, BSc Human Nutrition with Prof. Placemt
  • Claire Carlton, Master of Pharmacy with Honours
  • Victoria E Catterall, BSc Hons Sport and Exercise Science
  • Eleanor A Mannix, BSc Hons Psychology
  • Daniel A. Embleton, BSc Jt Hons Psychology & Biology
  • Aaron A Scott, BSc Hons Biochemistry
  • Rebecca K Watson, BSc Hons Physiological Sciences
  • Abigail Keane, BA Hons Modern Languages
  • Louise TY Ng Fong Tiao, BA Hons Modern Lang & Linguis
  • Sophie Krol, BA Hons Linguistics with French
  • Saskia Ball, BSc Hons Bus Acc & Finance w Work Plcm
  • Lukas Weidlich, Bachelor of Laws
  • Erin Smith, Bachelor of Laws
  • Chloe Summers, BA Hons History
  • Joel Fossard Jones, BA Hons English Literature
  • Francesca Elsy, BSc Hons Geography
  • Brooke Armstrong, BA Hons Education
  • Eleanor Brown, BA Hons Philosophy
  • Albert Thorpe, BA Hons Philosophy
  • Sara Jane Cleever Thorpe, BA Hons Fine Art
  • Elena Fabian Kolpanowicz, BA Hons Geography and Planning
  • Aidan PE Togonon, BA Hons Architecture
  • Rekyan Amanullah, BSc Hons International Business Mgt
2022/23 Endowed Prizes Award Winners:
  • Alexander Bradshaw, Bachelor of Laws
  • Lily Allan, BA Media, Communic'n & Cultural Studies
  • Sam Nuttall, BA Hons Philosophy
  • Eleri Sewall, BA Hons Education
  • Ella Mahon, BA Hons Geography
  • Olivia Allerton, BA Hons Geography
  • Aaron Heaton, BA Hons Ancient History & Archaeology
  • Phoebe Ali, BSc Hons Archaeology
  • Nathan Bunkle, Bachelor of Laws
  • Oliver Greener, BSc Hons Accounting and Finance
  • Seb Richardson, BSc Hons Economics
  • Emily Rose Henderson, BSc Marketing
  • Fay Rose Carrington, BA Hons English Literature and History
  • Lauren Miller, BA Hons Modern Languages, T & I
  • Anya Bardsley, BA Hons Modern Lang & Linguis
  • Zara McGillivary, BA Hons Modern Lang & Linguis
  • Osamah Ghanam, MB BS
  • Ruby Glazebook, BSc Hons Biomedical Sciences
  • Sophia Evans-Kefala, BSc Hons Oral and Dental Health Sciences
  • Alisa Perdita, Bachelor of Dental Surgery
  • Ximena Burrows, Master of Dietetics
  • Samantha Valvassura, BSc (Hons) Human Nutrition
  • Emma Lawson, Master of Pharmacy with Honours
  • Roisin McGrath, BSc (Hons) Sport and Exercise Science
  • Jessica Brown, BSc Hons Psychology
  • Georgios Tsakoumakis, BSc Computer Sci with Ind Placement
  • Bailey Dibb, BSc Computer Science
  • Maulish Shhah, BSc Computer Sci with Ind Placement
  • Vadanya Chadha, MPhys Physics with Astrophysics
  • Semeli Ergatoudi, BSc Hons Mathematics
  • Edward Sales, BSc Hons Mathematics
  • Siti Hakeemah Sabrina binti Haji Mohamad Sabri, BSc Hons Agriculture
  • William Hall, MChm Hon Chemistry (Industrial Training)
  • Tabitha Carr, BSc Hons Marine Biology
The Stanley Raymond Dennison Scholarships

The Stanley Raymond Dennison Scholarships were established from legacy funds donated from the estate of Professor Stanley Dennison CBE. Professor Dennison was a notable and eminent economist, former chief economic assistant in the war cabinet, holder of the David Dale chair of economics, and Pro-Vice-Chancellor at Newcastle University and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull. He also served on the review body for doctors’ and dentists’ remuneration, on the University Grants Committee, and as Vice-Chairman of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.

The Scholarships are devoted to assisting the further studies of the highest achieving first year undergraduates at Newcastle University.

 

2021/22 Stanley Dennison Scholarship Winners:

  • Domantas Gruodis, BSc Computer Science
  • Jake McMillan, MPhys Physics with Hons
  • Wynnie Chong, MChem Hon Chemistry (Industrial Training)
  • Farhan Mirza, BSc Computer Sci with Ind Placement
  • Charlotte Stott, Master of Pharmacy with Honours
  • Emily F Gibson, BSc Hons Psychology
  • Rebecca Green, BSc Hons Pharmacology
  • Phoebe E Pardoe, BSc Hons Sport and Exercise Science
  • Tallulah Kilgannon, BA Hons Linguistics
  • Eleni P Liassou, BSc Hons Accounting and Finance
  • Cesur Basoglu, BA Hons Politics & Economics
  • Deborah Bell, BSc Speech and Language Therapy
  • Jessica Loftus, BA Combined Honours
  • Jennifer Sykes, BA Hons Music
  • Abbie Lowdon, BA Hons Architecture

 

2022/23 Stanley Dennison Scholarship Winners:

  • Sophie Masters, BA Hons Linguistics
  • Simileoluwa Faith Odumeru, BA Hons Architecture
  • Lucy Smith, Master of Speech and Language Sciences
  • Lily Round, BA (Hons) Modern Languages
  • Eve McDermott, BA Combined Honours
  • Marcus Woodthorpe, BSc (Hons) Bus Acc & Finance w Work Plcm
  • Anna Fairbairn, BSc Hons Geography
  • Simon McCombe, MB BS
  • Louise Bradley, Bachelor of Dental Surgery
  • Rosie Moore, BSc (Hons) Human Nutrition
  • Moli Hughes, Master of Pharmacy with Honours
  • Christopher McGuirk, MEng Hons Mechanical Engineering
  • Thomas Chapman, BSc Computer Science (Software Eng)
  • Nathaniel Reynolds, MPhys Physics with Astrophysics
  • Rebecca Seymour, MBiol Biology
William Benedict Coleman Scholarships

The William Benedict Coleman Scholarships were established in 1997 from the funds donated from the estate of the late Mrs Sarah Ann Deary Coleman. The funds perpetuate the memory of her husband, a successful engineer who lived and worked in the North East of England.

  1. The Scholarship shall be known as the William Benedict Coleman Scholarships and shall be devoted to assisting studies of the most promising undergraduates in Engineering at Newcastle University
  2. The Scholarships shall be awarded each year to the best students seeking entry to Stage 2 of the MEng/BEng course in any Engineering School within the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, at least one of whom will be in receipt of Student Loans Company fee and maintenance funding
  3. The award of the Scholarship will be based in each case upon the candidate's performance in Stage 1 of his/her degree programme. The awards shall be made by the University Exhibitions and Engineering Scholarships Committee which includes at lease one member of each Faculty. The Heads of Engineering Schools (or their nominees) shall submit nominations for the Scholarship on an annual basis
  4. The minimum value of each Scholarship shall be £2,000 per year. The Scholarships will be renewable each year for Stages 3 (and Stage 4 MEng only), subject to satisfactory progress towards the chosen degree
  5. The Scholarships will be awarded from the fund annually, up to the full value of the monies available (as advised by the University Finance Office), except when there are too few applicants of sufficient merit

 

2021/22 William Benedict Coleman Scholarship Winners:

  • Gedeon Kolcsar, BEng Hons Mechanical Eng
  • Levenya Dewanarayana, MEng Mech Eng with Biomedical Eng
  • Harrison Bamforth, BEng Mar Tech Hons Mar Eng
  • Ainas Variavicius, MEng Hons E'ronics & Comp Eng w Ind Proj
  • Basmalah Etri , MEng Hons Chemical Engineering Industry
  • Louise Jarbrink, BEng Hon Civil & Struc Eng
  • Kyle Backhus, BEng Geospatial Surveying and Mapping
  • Keafiwa F. Radipitse, BEng Geospatial Surveying & Map w Yr Ind

 

2022/23 William Benedict Coleman Scholarship Winners:

  • Charlotte Rutter, BEng Hons Chemical Engineering
  • Sterling Edwin Matthias Gibson, MEng Hons Chemical Engineering
  • Pitchapa Apitidakul, BEng Hons Mechanical Eng
  • Charles Adam Villiers, MEng Hons Civil Engineering
  • Nathan Vaughan Thomas, MEng Hons Elec & E'tronic Eng w Ind Proj
  • Edward Smith, BEng Hons Elec & Electronic Eng
  • Isaac Porter, BEng Hons Mechanical Eng
  • Samuel Hill, MEng Hons Mechanical Engineering
Engineering prize: M A Burnip Scholarships

The M A Burnip Scholarships were established with funds from the Will of the late Mabel Annie Burnip for the general purposes of Newcastle University in memory of Dr Ethel Williams, suffragette. Up to two Scholarships are normally awarded each year to undergraduate women students in Engineering.

  1. The Scholarships shall be known as the M A Burnip Scholarships.
  2. Up to two Scholarships may be awarded in any one year, subject to the level of income available.
  3. The Scholarships shall be tenable by women students who enter undergraduate courses in Engineering with the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering.
  4. The value of each Scholarship in any year shall be £600.
  5. The Scholarship shall be awarded by the University Exhibitions and Engineering Scholarship Committee on behalf of the Senate of the University on the recommendation of the Head of an Engineering School.
  6. The Scholarship shall not be tenable jointly with any other Scholarship, Exhibition or similar award in the gift of the University.
  7. Each Scholarship shall be tenable for the normal three of four consecutive years of an undergraduate degree course, subject to the student maintaining satisfactory attendance and progress on her course and provided that:
  • in the event of the student not maintaining satisfactory attendance and progress the Scholarship shall be terminated unless the Committee, on the recommendation of the Head of School concerned, determines that the Scholarship shall be suspended for a specific period, not exceeding one academic year;
  • the Committee on the recommendation of the Head of the School concerned suspend the Scholarship for a period not exceeding one academic year in order to permit the student to obtain relevant professional or industrial experience;
  • not more than one period of suspension of the Scholarship under sections 6 (a) and (b) shall be granted to any one student.

 

2021/22 MA Burnip Scholarship Winners:

  • Beka Bowkett, BEng Mar Tech Hons Mar Eng
  • Emily Turner, BEng Hons Mechanical Eng
  • Zilan Altindag , MEng Hons E'ronics & Comp Eng w Ind Proj

 

2022/23 MA Burnip Scholarship Winners:

  • Megan Essery, BEng Hons Chemical Engineering
  • Selin Meral Sedat, MEng Hons Mechanical Engineering
  • Emilie Linfoot, MEng Hons Chemical Engineering
  • Harriet Rose Brown, MEng Hons Civil & Struc Eng
  • Hannah Armstrong, BEng Geospatial Surveying and Mapping
Engineering prize: R A Batey Scholarships

The late Miss Jane Whiteside Alexander Batey bequeathed the sum of £5,000 for the purpose of establishing a memorial fund in memory of her late brother, Robert Alexander Batey, who graduated in 1926 at Armstrong College, Newcastle and was for a time lecturer at the Sunderland Technical College. It has been determined that the income from this bequest shall be applied in accordance with the following regulations.

  1. The scholarships will have an annual value of £600 and shall be tenable for two years. The holders will be known as R A Batey Scholars.
  2. The scholarships will be awarded by the University Exhibitions and Engineering Scholarship Committee, after consultation with all the Heads of Engineering Schools in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering, to the two students who achieve the best results in the Part 1 course in each academic year.
  3. If no candidate is deemed to have attained a sufficiently high standard the scholarships will not be awarded.
  4. These Regulations may be varied from time to time by the University if, by reason of material changes in the conditions of study in the University, or of changes affecting the majority of students attending Schools within the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering (whether their homes are in the North East of England or elsewhere), or of changes in Government regulations or otherwise, amendments are deemed to be necessary to comply with the wishes of the original benefactor. Such amendments must be of a minor character and should be introduced for the purpose of affecting the overall charitable purpose of Miss Batey.

 

2021/22 RA Batey Scholarship Winners:

  • Lewis Wilkinson, BEng Hons Mechanical Eng

 

2022/23 RA Batey Scholarship Winners:

  • Aiyla Wijayakoon, BEng Mar Tech Hons Mar Eng
  • Patrick David Allen, BEng Geospatial Surveying and Mapping
  • Abhay Prashar, MEng Marine Tech with Hons in Naval Arch
  • Youssef Haddi, BEng Hon Civil & Struc Eng
  • Niahl Davey, MEng Hons Mechanical Engineering

Postgraduate funding

Funding for Masters students comes from a variety of sources.

The funding you could apply for may depend on your personal circumstances, your intended course of study, and your financial situation.

Sources of funding

  • Research Councils
  • Frank Knox Memorial Fellowships: available for graduates from the UK to study for up to two consecutive years in one of the Faculties at Harvard
  • Fullbright Award for study in the US: grants to enable you to study any discipline and at any accredited US institution
  • Kennedy Scholarships: open to British citizens, tenable at Harvard or MIT, and providing full funding for one academic year
  • Medical Women's Federation: various grants and prizes throughout the year to assist qualified Doctors or women studying towards a medical degree leading to GMC registration as a doctor
  • The Gibbs Travelling Research Fellowship assists women graduates with considerable experience of research who intend to undertake fieldwork projects outside of the British Isles in Biology, Archaeology, Social Anthropology or Sociology. The Fellowship is open to women graduates of the University of Cambridge, with preference given to present or former members of Newnham College
  • Thouron Award: up to 10 awards, covering tuition fees, health insurance and living expenses, which enables travel within the USA, available for British candidates who want to pursue a full-time postgraduate course at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA

Funding for postgraduate study can be very competitive. Start looking for funding about nine months before the start of your course. Many of the schemes have strict and early deadlines.

Studentships

Some University schools and institutes advertise opportunities on their own websites. Studentships are also listed on our Funding and Finance database.

Research Councils

ding provided by Research Councils is usually very competitive with strict application deadlines. In most cases, you must apply through the department in which you intend to study. Most Research Councils will not accept applications made directly to them.

Contact your prospective supervisor or department to find out more about Research Council funding opportunities, eligibility criteria and how to apply. UK students are usually eligible to receive funding for all of their tuition fees and maintenance. EU students usually receive fees-only funding.

Research Councils: