Scholarships and fee waivers

We appreciate the investment students make in their education

To help with the financial responsibility of students joining us in 2012, we will be offering a range of scholarships. This range is still evolving so please revisit this page for further updates.

National Scholarship Programme at the University of Worcester

The National Scholarship Programme has been introduced to help students from low-income households and underrepresented groups to enter Higher Education.

The University of Worcester is offering 200 scholarships in 2012/13. Each scholarship is valued at £3000 or a pro rata amount in the case of part time students and is awarded in the form of a fee waiver to first year students.

Applications will be considered from students intending to register at the University of Worcester during the academic year commencing in September 2012 and whose household income (as verified by Student Finance England) is £25,000 a year or under, although meeting this criteria will not automatically entitle applicants to the scholarship. Scholarships will be awarded in strict order of level of household income until all the available scholarships have been awarded. Special consideration will be given to students who have been in care and to refugees. Please see The Student Finance England Factsheet How you are Assessed and Paid for details about whose income is taken into account when household income is assessed. Their website is www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Applicants must not normally be resident in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland and will need to be registering on courses that cost more than £6000 or the part-time pro rata equivalent.

See below for scholarships available to international students.

THE DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF APPLICATIONS IS 31ST AUGUST 2012

Those students not eligible for a scholarship under the National Scholarship Programme are:

  • NHS Funded students
  • Students funded by the Training and Development Agency for Schools
  • Students directly continuing from one course to another (eg from a foundation degree or HND to the final year of an honours degree)
  • Students transferring in from another institution
  • Students taking a postgraduate qualification
  • Part-time students studying at less than 25per cent intensity of the full-time equivalent
  • Any other students whose fees are paid or part-paid through a sponsorship arrangement

Awards will be made only upon confirmation of household income so it is essential that students submit an income assessed application to Student Finance England (SFE) and submit all evidence requested. You must also ensure that you or your parents do not tick the box on your application that removes the consent to share because this would prevent confirmation of your income being shared with us. You should be able to apply to SFE for student funding online from January 2012 but for more details on when you can apply please visit their website www.direct.gov.uk/studentfinance

Student Finance England should be able to begin confirming applicants’ income to universities from July 2012 provided you have applied and supplied the necessary evidence. The University of Worcester will then start to notify successful applicants in writing after the 31st August 2012 deadline.

EU and part-time students will receive a separate form from Student Finance England to provide details of their household income and some scholarships will be reserved for part-time students whose income cannot be assessed by SFE until after they have started the course.

Application forms for scholarships under the University of Worcester’s National Scholarship Programme will available from this page soon. Please note that applications should only be submitted when you have firmly accepted either a conditional or unconditional offer of a place.

AAB Scholarships

The University of Worcester will be offering £1,000 scholarships in the form of fee waivers to all students who achieve AAB or above at A-level, or the equivalent qualification (e.g. BTEC).

Academic Scholarships

The University awards scholarships of £1000 to eligible undergraduate students in their first and second year of a degree course or first year of a Foundation degree or HND on the basis of their academic achievement at the University. Students do not apply for these scholarships as they are awarded to eligible students with the best academic profiles across the University.

Bosch Scholarships

Four £2,500 Bosch Scholarships are awarded for merit in year one of business, computing and related subjects (which will include the opportunity  to take a one year paid work placement with the Worcester Bosch Group).

Choral Scholarships

In partnership with Worcester Cathedral, Choral Scholarships are available to young men with counter-tenor, tenor and baritone/ bass voices and are aimed at encouraging young singers to become part of the long-standing tradition of Cathedral Music, while pursuing a course of study. 

Scholars will receive £2,000, paid in instalments over 12 months, private singing tuition and support from a Principal Lay Clerk. In addition to regular services, the post will give an opportunity to sing with the Cathedral Choir in concerts, recordings, tours and the world famous Three Choirs Festival, for which additional remuneration will be paid.

University Scholarships (Extra-Curricular Activities)

Students have the opportunity twice a year to apply for funds, up to £1000, to assist them with activities such as:

  • Voluntary activities which are community based, either in the UK or abroad
  • Activities related to a past-time or interest in which the student is involved (e.g. music or some other arts-based area; elite sport)

The deadline for applications is the 1st December and 1st March each year and information regarding how to apply is available via the student SOLE page and Registry Services normally 6 weeks prior to the deadline.

Recent success stories include:

  • Samantha House, who has represented Great Britain internationally at trampolining.
  • Greg Higgit, who has taken part in golf tournaments against professional players around the globe.
  • Jayne Power, who took part in a Girl Guide movement event in America.
  • Charlotte Paddock, who travelled to the Harnas Wildlife Foundation in Namibia to look after orphaned and endangered animals.

Scholarships for International students

Overseas students who are currently holding an offer from us and are not being funded from another source can apply for an International scholarship.

Students may also apply for a range of scholarships and funding provided by UK and international Government bodies, the European Commission, funding trusts, a number of research councils, industry and employers.

For more information about scholarship funding and eligibility, please download the Additional information for International Students document.

Email the International Office on international@worc.ac.uk to request further details and receive a copy of the application form.

Learn more about funding opportunities on the British Council website.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme

The Shared Scholarship Scheme is a joint initiative between the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UK universities, to jointly support scholarships for students from developing Commonwealth countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the United Kingdom. See the Additional Information for International Students link on this page for more information about the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme and how to apply.

Further information can be found on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website.

Get in touch

Financial advice

The University's Welfare and Financial Guidance Service is available to you even before you apply. If you'd like confidential, one-to-one advice, contact our Welfare and Financial Advice office on:

Tel: 01905 85 5501 or 01905 54 2091
email: moneyadvice@worc.ac.uk

If you have a question about tuition fees and how to pay them, please contact our finance office on 01905 85 5113.