The University of Northampton (UON) Fund

The University of Northampton (UON) Fund

In your first year you get a benefit worth about 580 EUR (£500). You choose one of three options: a free laptop (a Lenovo ThinkPad E16 with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD), £500 in on-campus catering credit, or £500 off your hall of residence rent. In your Level 6 year, which is normally your final year, you get a one-off payment of about 580 EUR (£500), paid automatically. This money is not a loan, you never repay it, and it does not reduce your maintenance loan. The fund comes from the University of Northampton and targets students from areas with fewer routes into higher education.

Who can apply

• Course: You study full time on an undergraduate course at the University of Northampton (Foundation, HNC/D, BA or BSc).
• Nationality: You are a UK home student.
• Fees: You pay tuition fees of £9,790 (or £11,750 for accelerated courses). It does not matter whether you pay through a loan, yourself or a sponsor.
• Where you live: Your home postcode sits in a more deprived area, meaning IMD quintile 1 or 2. IMD (Indices of Multiple Deprivation) ranks areas by disadvantage. The university's online checker tells you if your postcode qualifies, with separate checks for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
• Not eligible: You do not qualify if you study at a partner institution, are funded through ELCAS, are on a sandwich or year-abroad placement, or take a full-time course part time.

How to apply

There is no separate application and no deadline. The university checks your eligibility automatically from your postcode and enrolment data. To keep the Level 6 payment, you must be fully enrolled and attending at the start of the second semester of your Level 6 year.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a competitive award. If you meet the conditions, you receive it automatically, with no application and no selection round. The real question is whether you fit the criteria, especially the postcode check. If your home area falls into IMD quintile 1 or 2 and you are a full-time home student, your support is essentially guaranteed.