University of Leeds - The Dean's Excellence Scholarships

What the Dean's Excellence Scholarship gives you

You will pay half the tuition fees for your first year on the ‘Business Studies’ degree programme. This is a one-off reduction that applies exclusively to the year 1, and is not a discount that is repeated every year. The funding is awarded by the School of Business at the University of Leeds and is granted each year to a limited number of particularly qualified first-year students.

Who can apply

• Level: You are starting a full-time bachelor’s degree programme in 2026.
• Fee status: You are considered a British (domestic) student, so you pay the tuition fees for domestic students rather than those for international students.
• Subject: Your degree programme is one of the eligible business studies programmes, which include Accounting and Finance, Economics, Marketing, International Business, Business Administration, and Banking and Finance.
• Grades: They have consistently demonstrated outstanding academic achievement.
• Personal statement: In your UCAS personal statement, you should demonstrate that you will enrich the diversity of backgrounds and cultures amongst the student body.

How to apply

There is no separate form. If you meet the criteria, your application will be assessed automatically on the basis of your UCAS application, primarily on the basis of your personal statement. To retain your funding, you must set the degree programme at Leeds as your ‘firm’ choice in UCAS by the response deadline and meet the entry requirements by 31 August 2026. If you are selected, the admissions team will notify you by email.

How realistic are your chances?

Award eligibility is restricted to first-year British undergraduates on specific business studies programmes, meaning the pool of applicants is smaller than for an open scholarship. However, these are highly sought-after scholarships for the best applicants. As the decision is based on the personal statement, make yourself stand out with good grades and a personal statement in which you explain what you can contribute to the student community. Confirm Leeds as your ‘firm choice’ at an early stage to remain in the running.