Sport Liverpool Performance Programme

What the Sport Liverpool Performance Programme gives you

You get a package of athlete support at the University of Liverpool. Everyone accepted gets access to the performance gym, personal strength and conditioning plans, physiotherapy, anti-doping advice, and workshops on nutrition, psychology and lifestyle, plus discounted kit. The top tier, called "High Performance Athlete", adds more: one-to-one nutrition and psychology support, mentoring (regular guidance from an experienced coach or adviser), academic support, Athletic Union membership, personalised kit and a cash grant of up to about EUR 4,100 per year (up to GBP 3,500). The programme is run by Team Sport Liverpool and helps talented athletes train and compete while they study. Very few cash grants are available.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are or will be a student at the University of Liverpool. Study-abroad students coming for one semester or a full year can also apply.
• Sporting level: For the support package, you compete at county level or higher. For the top cash tier, you are in a national governing body performance pathway and already compete for your country at junior or senior level.
• Your plan (cash tier only): You want to become a full-time professional athlete after you graduate while balancing your studies now.
• Commitment: You are ready to balance training and study and to represent the university in competition.
• Age: You are at least 16, even if you are still choosing which university to apply to.
• Nationality and subject: Any nationality and any field of study can apply.

How to apply

Apply through the online form on the programme's Apply Now page. Applications are accepted all year round. For entry from September 2026, send your application by December 2025 to be reviewed in January 2026. If you are still deciding on a university, you can get an early indication of whether you are likely to be accepted.

How realistic are your chances?

The support package is open to a fairly wide group of Liverpool athletes, so getting onto the programme is realistic if you compete at county level or above. The cash grant is a different matter. It goes only to national-level athletes aiming to turn professional, and the university says very few grants exist. So the money is genuinely competitive. Apply early and document your sporting record clearly.