Opportunity Scholarship (Newcastle University, Fiona Foundation als Donor)

Benefit

You get a yearly cash bursary (a grant you do not repay) of about EUR 890 to EUR 2,380 (£750 to £2,000) if you study at Newcastle University and your household income is low. The exact amount depends on what your household earns: £2,000 if it is at or below £25,000, £1,250 if it is £25,001 to £35,000, and £750 if it is £35,001 to £40,000. If you are care experienced or estranged from your family, you get the full £2,000 whatever your household income. The money goes straight into the same bank account as your student loan, in three instalments across the year. Your eligibility is checked again each year, so the bursary can run for the length of your degree as long as you still meet the rules. The Fiona Foundation is one of several charities that fund this scheme.

Eligibility

• University: You are registered at Newcastle University and started your studies between 2014/15 and 2026/27.
• Level: You are a UK undergraduate. You do not qualify if you already hold an honours degree or an equivalent qualification.
• Course: Almost all undergraduate courses count. NHS-funded courses and courses leading to a PGCE teaching qualification are excluded.
• Income: Student Finance (England, Wales, Northern Ireland or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland) has assessed your household income at £40,000 or below, and you have agreed to share this figure with the university.
• Alternative route: Your income does not matter if Student Finance has classed you as care experienced (you have spent time in care) or estranged (you no longer have contact with your parents).
• Other awards: You do not already receive the Cowrie Scholarship, and you are not entitled to an NHS grant.

How to apply

There is no application form. The university checks your eligibility automatically once Student Finance has assessed your household income and you have agreed to share that figure. Make sure your income assessment is finished by 4 June 2027. If it is late, you cannot receive the bursary and there is no back payment.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a competition. If you study at Newcastle, meet the income limit or the care experienced or estranged condition, and are on an eligible course, you get the bursary. There is no interview and no selection panel. The one thing that can trip you up is the paperwork, so agree to share your income figure early and make sure your Student Finance assessment is done in time.