Accessibility statement

Mature Student Scholarship

You can now apply for the Mature Student Scholarship. This scholarship is worth £3,000 and is being offered to support first year undergraduate students, who were 25 or over on the first day of their course, with study related costs.

Administration of the Mature Student Scholarships is managed by the Student Financial Support (SFS) team within Student and Academic Services.

Eligibility criteria

You must meet all four of the following essential criteria in order to be considered for a Mature Student Scholarship:

  • You are a UK (home) student
  • You are in Year 1 of an undergraduate degree awarding programme at the University
  • You were 25 or over on the first day of your current undergraduate course at the University
  • You have an assessed household income below £25,000 which has been shared with the University (students who only receive a non-income assessed Maintenance Loan, or have not had their household income assessed, are not eligible to apply)

You must also meet at least one of the following additional criteria and may be asked to provide evidence of this:

  • You live at home and commute to University 
  • You are care experienced
  • You are estranged from your family 
  • You have a Gypsy, Roma, Traveller, Showmen or Boater background
  • You are from a Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) background
  • You have unpaid caring responsibilities for a family member (who needs support due to an illness, disability, mental health condition or an addiction)
  • You are in the process of fleeing domestic abuse
  • You have a disability or long term health condition
  • You identify as LGBTQ+
  • You are the first generation in your family to go to University
  • You are seeking asylum in the UK or have been granted refugee status
  • You are from a military or service background
  • You have children
You are exempt from applying for this Scholarship if:
  • You receive the NHS Learning Support Fund
  • You are enrolled on a Degree Apprenticeship
  • You are currently studying in your Foundation Year (you can apply for the Scholarship in Year 1 of your course)
  • You are studying part time
  • You are currently on a Leave of Absence
  • You have previously been awarded the Mature Student Scholarship
HYMS students based at York are welcome to apply if they meet the criteria. Students who meet all of the essential criteria and at least one of the additional criteria will have their application considered by a panel of staff from across the University. This panel will carefully review the information each applicant has provided in order to decide which students will receive the Mature Student Scholarship in 2024.

Payment of the Scholarship

Successful applicants will receive the Mature Student Scholarship in two equal £1,500 instalments - the first instalment is expected to be paid on Friday 26 April 2024 and the second instalment on Friday 26 July 2024. 

It is the responsibility of successful applicants to ensure they have submitted their bank details to the University via our secure submission page. 

It is also the responsibility of the applicant to advise the Mature Student Scholarship team at mature-students-info@york.ac.uk if there is any change to their studies (eg a Leave of Absence or withdrawal) as soon as the change occurs. Applicants should also update their funding provider if their household income changes.

Application guidance

You can now apply for the Mature Student Scholarship. The deadline for applications is 11pm on Friday 8 March 2024.

All UK (home) first year undergraduates, who were 25 or over on the first day of Year 1 of their course, should expect to receive an email with key information relating to the scholarship during the week commencing Monday 19 February 2024. 

The information provided in applications will be shared between members of staff at the University who are involved in assessing applications for the Mature Student Scholarship and will be kept for six years (from the end of your relationship with the University) in line with the University's Records Management Policy.

Successful applicants will be required to complete two short statements on the impact of receiving the scholarship. These statements will be used for reporting and promotional purposes. More details about this will be sent to successful applicants.

Who to contact for more information

In the first instance please contact the Mature Students' team in the Student Hub by emailing mature-students-info@york.ac.uk.

For help and advice, including information on budgeting and alternative sources of support available, please contact our Student Advisers via the online Self-Referral Form.