The following eligibility criteria apply:

• Full time undergraduate students may apply for all levels of funding (£250, £1,000, £3,000 or £6,000)
• Full time integrated Masters students may apply for all levels of funding (£250, £1,000, £3,000 or £6,000*)
• Full time postgraduate taught students may apply for three levels of funding (£250, £1,000, and £3,000**) 

All £250, £1,000 and £3,000 scholarships should be used during the same academic year (or summer vacation), while £6,000 scholarships are to be used the following academic year.

* Only integrated Masters students taking up an eligible activity (such as a year abroad) may apply for £6,000

** Postgraduate students should seek approval from their academic supervisor before applying for £3,000 scholarships, as summer international opportunities fall within term time for postgraduate taught students.

The application form will ask you about your personal circumstances, your previous engagement with extra-curricular activities and your plans for the funding. 

Applications are competitive and awards are allocated firstly on the basis of the student’s need, and then on evidence of their commitment to personal and professional development.

Evidence of commitment might include taking on responsibilities through colleges or societies, going through the York Strengths Programme or taking up paid or voluntary experiences. 

Applications from those with the following backgrounds will receive particular consideration:

• students with disabilities and long term health conditions
• students with a diagnosed neurodiverse condition, such as Austic Spectrum Condition, ADHD, ADD, Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dyspraxia
• mature students (those aged 21 or over on the first day of undergraduate study at York)
• care leavers and care experienced students
• estranged students
• students who are carers
• students with children
• students from military families
• students who identify as LGBTI+
• first generation students (including if a parent went to university as a mature student)
• students seeking asylum in the UK
• students with refugee status
• students from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds (including students from Gypsy, Roma or Traveller backgrounds).

If you have no fixed ideas on your future plans yet but are keen to explore some options then apply to a £250 award to help with this process.  You could use the money to cover the travel costs of visiting an employer, taking up work shadowing opportunities or even purchasing business attire for an interview.

You don’t need to have clear plans for the use of the money to apply but you should be able to demonstrate that you’ve already engaged with some university based opportunities for personal development.

Participating in the York Strengths Programme, taking up a role in a society or college or engaging with volunteering or part-time work are all good examples of how a student can demonstrate a commitment to their personal development.

All activities should take into account the most recent UK government guidance about international travel and domestic restrictions relating to Covid-19, as well as University of York guidance to students.

Got a specific career development opportunity in mind?  This level of funding is for those considering taking up opportunities of at least a few weeks in duration, typically over a vacation period, but activities up to a year long can also be supported with this level of scholarship. Funding can be used to support travel costs, pay up-front living expenses, learn a language or support you in accessing work with an organisation that cannot pay for your time, such as a charity or NGO. This level of scholarship can also be used to cover costs associated with training courses and remote or virtual internships.

Opportunities can be in the UK or abroad, although the focus must always be about participation in activities that develop you personally or professionally rather than just a holiday with casual work involved. You will need to use your application to show how the opportunity you want the funding to support will genuinely enhance your career ambitions.

You may apply for funding to support an opportunity you have identified but have not yet secured, provided that you make this clear in your application.

All activities should take into account the most recent UK government guidance about international travel and domestic restrictions relating to Covid-19, as well as University of York guidance to students.

This level of funding might be used to access an international internship or our international study centres or a summer school at an overseas institution. 

You don’t need to have fully secured the opportunity to apply but a clear commitment to a specific activity is required.  Should you subsequently fail to secure the opportunity applied for then you won’t be able to draw down the funding.

All activities should take into account the most recent UK government guidance about international travel and domestic restrictions relating to Covid-19, as well as University of York guidance to students.

Thinking of taking a year away from York on an academically accredited option?  This level of award is available only to those considering a formally accredited placement year, year in industry or year abroad study and/or work option.  Most placement years take the form of paid employment, either in the UK or overseas, but some, such as those with charities, NGOs or health sector organisations, may not be paid.

You don’t need to have fully secured the opportunity to apply for the funding but its final payment is dependent on gaining a formal contract of engagement for your year away, which is approved by the University.

If you are preparing for a year-long opportunity, and are applying for a scholarship to cover up-front costs (such as travel or living expenses in the first month), you should apply for a £1,000 scholarship to cover these costs.

All activities should take into account the most recent UK government guidance about international travel and domestic restrictions relating to Covid-19, as well as University of York guidance to students.

Applying for a York Futures Scholarship also provides you with access to other professional development benefits.  These include networking with previous scholars, access to additional guidance and support, employer visits and application/CV support.

The higher the level of award you apply for the more detailed your plans will need to be. Bear in mind that you can apply for a lower level award to help you gain the insights you might need to later apply for a higher level of funding.

When applying please consider what the assessors are looking for:

For a £250 award the applicant will need to show they have engaged with development opportunities at York and now want to explore future career options. Detailed plans on this process are not required.

For awards of £1,000 and above the assessors are looking for:

• a clear link between the work experience opportunity that you are seeking to take and your longer term career plans
• an indication that the award is needed to take full advantage of the opportunity; for example, that it is located in a city other than York or your hometown
• the experience offers potential learning for you
• where the experience is wholly unpaid this should be in line with what might reasonably be expected of the organisation or industry involved; eg it is a charity or voluntary organisation

Please note: York Futures Scholarships are not designed to support the furtherance of academic work, such as dissertation research, unless you can make a clear case that supports your longer term career ambitions.

If you are a first year student on a three year course, or a first or second year student on a four year course, you may wish to apply for a Laidlaw scholarship. 

The York Enigma Scholarships have been established with the generous support of York alumni and entrepreneur Max Noble to support talented undergraduate students at York.