Student Potential Fund / Student Support Fund

What the Student Potential Fund offers

This is not a single scholarship. It is a pot of donation money at the University of Brighton that pays for several separate scholarships and grants. Awards are worth from about EUR 290 up to roughly EUR 32,000, depending on which one you apply for. The money comes from donations by the university's former students, staff and friends. Since 2021 it has helped over 450 students who need financial support. The awards range from small grants for work experience to full tuition-fee scholarships across three years. Some also add extras like mentoring (regular guidance from an experienced adviser), networking or a paid work placement.

The main funding lines include:

• Progression Scholarships: about EUR 2,300 (£2,000) per year for up to three years, plus mentoring, networking, a year's gym membership and a guaranteed interview for a student ambassador job.
• Employability grants: up to about EUR 290 (£250) towards courses, events or extra work placements that build your career skills.
• Subject scholarships: larger awards for specific courses. Examples: about EUR 4,600 per year for accounting and finance, up to about EUR 11,500 in your final STEM year with a paid placement, or full tuition fees for podiatry or nursing.

Who can apply

• University: You study at the University of Brighton.
• Level: Most awards are for undergraduates. The employability grant is also open to postgraduates.
• Field of study: Some grants are open to any subject. Others are tied to a specific course, such as business, law, nursing, pharmacy, engineering, accounting and finance, interior architecture, art or STEM.
• Nationality: Most awards are for Home/UK students. The employability grant and the accounting and finance bursary are also open to international students.
• Financial need: Most awards are for students from low-income households or those who cannot easily fund their studies.
• Background: Some awards give priority to students of Black or Black-mixed heritage, or from backgrounds that are under-represented at university.

How to apply

Each funding line has its own criteria and its own application window, so you apply to the specific scholarship that fits your course and situation. Windows open and close at different times of the year. Some employability and subject awards reopen in autumn 2025 or in 2026, while others are currently closed.

How realistic are your chances?

Each award is cut narrowly, often to one course, one year group or a specific background, and only a handful of places exist per line. That keeps the group competing for each one small. If you clearly match a scholarship's course and financial-need criteria, your prospects are reasonable. The main hurdle is timing: many windows are closed at any given moment, so apply as soon as your award reopens.