Aberdeen University - Merit Scholarship

What the Merit Scholarship pays

In your first year at the University of Aberdeen, you will receive a one-off payment. The exact amount depends on your school grades, and every eligible first-year student will receive at least a smaller sum. The amounts for students starting their studies in September 2025 are as follows:

• Top results: to 5,850 euros (£5,000) for the highest grades, for example AAA at A-level or an IB Diploma with 36+ points.
• Strong results: to 3,500 euros (£3,000) for A-level grades such as AAB or ABB, or an IB Diploma with 34+ points.
• Everyone else: over 1,170 EUR (£1,000) as a lump-sum welcome payment if you do not meet these performance targets.

The university pays this grant to reward academic achievement and to help new students cover their costs. It is a one-off payment made exclusively in the first year of study and is not renewed thereafter. You can combine it with government student loans and grants, as well as with the University of Aberdeen’s separate, means-tested ‘Access Scholarship’.

Who can apply

• University: You will be starting a Bachelor’s degree at the University of Aberdeen on the Aberdeen campus.
• Where you come from: You are from England, Northern Ireland, Wales, the Republic of Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, and you pay the fee rate for the ‘rest of the United Kingdom’ (£9,535 per year). Your nationality is irrelevant; only your fee status matters.
• Study level: You are starting in your first or second year of study, and this is your first higher education qualification. If you already hold a higher education qualification, you cannot enrol on this degree programme.
• Field of study: Open to all degree programmes except medicine.
• Grades: For the higher marks, your qualifying results must be from a single examination session in 2023, 2024 or 2025.

How to apply

No separate application is required. You will receive the grant automatically as soon as you meet the criteria, as the university obtains your qualification details directly from the Student Loans Company.

How realistic are your chances?

If you meet the criteria regarding tuition fees and academic performance, this is one of the easiest grants to obtain. It is awarded automatically without any selection process, and even students without top marks are eligible for funding. The only real obstacles are studying medicine, already holding a higher education qualification, or not paying the tuition fee rate applicable to the rest of the United Kingdom. Please note that this scheme applies to students starting their studies in 2025. Students commencing their studies in 2026 are covered by a revised scheme.