Experience Sheffield Scholarships

Eligibility

You must meet all of the criteria below to be eligible to apply:

• You have a household income of £50,000 or less. This must be assessed by Student Finance England or equivalent UK funding agency. 
• You have received an academic offer to study a full-time undergraduate course at the University of Sheffield starting in September 2024.
• You are eligible to pay the home rate of fees.

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Apply

Applications are now closed. The deadline to submit an application was 1pm on Tuesday 16 April 2024.

All eligible applicants who applied before the deadline will be contacted before the end of May 2024. 

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Selection process

When assessing your application we will also take into account the following widening participation criteria:

• Have you entered the University through one of our outreach schemes?
• Have you come from a school/college that is performing below the UK’s national average?
• Are you currently or have you been eligible for free school meals during secondary studies?
• Are you the first person in your immediate family to go to university (other than siblings)?
• Have you been in care as a looked-after child for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14?
• Do you have a disability?
• Are you estranged from your parents and will be aged under 25 on the first day of your course?
• Are you a carer for an ill or disabled family member?
• Are you from a Black, Asian and Other Minority Ethnic group?
• Are you a female applying for a course in the Department of Economics or Faculty of Engineering?
• Are you a male applying for: a course in the Division of Nursing and Midwifery; a course in the Division of Human Communication Sciences; a course in the Department of Psychology; a course in the Department of Sociological Studies; a course in the School of English; courses that were previously taught in the Department of Oncology and Metabolism (please contact us if you would like to check if your course is eligible); or the School of Education?
• Do you come from one of the more deprived areas of the country as defined by the government's Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) database? If your postcode IMD value is 16,250 or less, you meet this criteria.  You can check your postcode ranking using the IMD website. Please note this criteria only applies to students who live in England. 
• Do you come from an area where it is not usual for people to go to university? This is defined by the government's classification called POLAR. To meet this criteria your address must fall into quintile 1 or 2 of POLAR4. Please note this information only covers the UK. You can check your eligibility for this criteria using the government's POLAR database. 

To assess your eligibility for the two postcode criteria above, we'll use the home address you used on your UCAS form when you applied for your course.

If your application is successful, you will be required to provide a copy of your Student Finance Entitlement letter from student finance showing that you meet the relevant loan eligibility.

Selection panel

A selection panel consisting of senior academic and professional services staff will consider your scholarship application. When making their decision, the panel member will take into consideration the widening participation criteria you meet and also give regard to your answers within the application form. 

If you have a condition that can affect aspects of your written communication and would like panel members to be aware of this, let us know by emailing us at alumni.scholarships@sheffield.ac.uk

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How the scholarships are funded

The money for these scholarships is provided by donations from generous people, organisations and companies that want to support students. Many of the donors are alumni (former students) of the University of Sheffield.

If you receive an Experience Sheffield Scholarship, you may be invited to relevant events during your studies at Sheffield.

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Frequently asked questions

I'm not sure what my household income is, can I apply?

Yes, you are welcome to apply. However, if you are awarded the scholarship, this will be conditional on you confirming your household income and providing evidence where necessary.

Can I apply for this scholarship and the Global Summer Experience Scholarship?

Yes, you can apply for both the Experience Sheffield Scholarship and the Global Summer Experience Scholarship. If your applications are successful you will be able to receive both awards too.

Can international students apply?

No, you need to be eligible to pay the home rate fees for your course to apply.

How will you check my household income?

If you have applied for a means-tested assessment by Student Finance England or equivalent UK funding agency and give consent to share your information with us, we will be able to automatically confirm your household income.

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Further information

• Scholarships will be paid directly into your bank account in two instalments of £600 per level of study, for up to three years.
• As a scholarship recipient, you will be closely involved with our fundraising work and you can help provide our donors with a greater understanding of what it is like to be a Sheffield student. At the end of each academic year, you will be asked to provide a short report outlining the past year and how the scholarship has helped you.
• Successful recipients will be invited to attend an annual 'thank you' event at which you can meet donors and other scholarship recipients.
• We will not share any personal details about you with donors without your prior consent.
• If you withdraw from the University, part or all of the scholarship may be repayable.
• If you take a period of leave of absence, your scholarship may be suspended.
• Full terms and conditions will be shared with scholarship recipients once registered at the University. 

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What our scholarship winners say