Southampton Physics and Astronomy Achievement Scholarship

What you get

You get about 5,750 EUR per year (GBP 5,000), paid as cash into your UK bank account in four instalments. The scholarship can be renewed each year for up to four years, so you can receive up to about 23,000 EUR (GBP 20,000) over your whole degree. To keep it, you need to reach at least 70% (first-class marks) each year. The University of Southampton's School of Physics and Astronomy funds it and awards 10 places: 5 go to the top-ranked applicants on grades alone, and 5 go to the next-best applicants who also meet the contextual admissions criteria (extra consideration for students from disadvantaged or under-represented backgrounds).

Who can apply

• Level: You are starting an undergraduate degree, not continuing one and not a postgraduate.
• Subject: You are applying for a Physics and Astronomy degree at Southampton.
• Offer: You hold a conditional or unconditional offer from the University of Southampton.
• Application timing: You submit your UCAS application by 14 January 2026 at 18:00.
• Interview: You book and attend an interview with the School of Physics and Astronomy, online or in person.
• Funding: You pay your own tuition fees, with no external sponsor. This matters especially for international students.
• Nationality: Open to UK and international applicants alike.

How to apply

Submit your UCAS application for a Physics and Astronomy course by 14 January 2026. Once you receive an offer, send a short essay (max 500 words) on a physics topic of your choice, at least seven days before your interview. At the interview you answer questions about your essay. The school then ranks applicants and decides.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is cut narrowly: only new Physics and Astronomy applicants at one university compete, and just 10 places are given. Five are decided purely on ranking, so strong grades put you in the running, and the essay and interview are where you stand out. If your results are top of the field, or you meet the contextual admissions criteria, and you apply by the January deadline, your prospects are solid.