York Opportunity Scholarship

Open to UK (home) students only.

You must meet all of the essential criteria to be considered for a scholarship:

• You are holding an offer to study at the University of York at undergraduate level for entry in September 2023 (this is inclusive of undergraduates holding entry in September 2023 for a four year intercalated master’s degree); or you are holding an offer to study at the University of York on a foundation year programme for entry in September 2023.

• You are a permanent resident in the UK, classified as Home (UK) in university admissions procedures and have a household income below £70,004.

• You studied in a UK state school or college.

• You can show that you have faced significant barriers in your personal, social or domestic life that have affected your journey through school and college.

• You should be able to demonstrate how a significant barrier might have caused you to have experienced a period of disrupted education.

You must also meet at least one of the additional criteria:

• Be from a background underrepresented in higher education, as follows:
  • British Black background (such as Black or Black British - Caribbean, Black or Black British - African or Other Black background)
  • Asian or Asian British background (such as Asian or Asian British - Indian, Asian or Asian British - Pakistani, Asian or Asian British - Bangladeshi)
  • Mixed or multiple ethnicity background (such as White and Black Caribbean, White and Black African, White and Asian)
  • Roma, Gypsy or Irish Traveller background (including Boater or Showmen communities)

• Are/were care experienced.

• Have experienced a period of homelessness.

• Are estranged from your family (defined by the relationship between the family and student breaking down and becoming irreconcilable).

• Were eligible for free school meals.

• Were in receipt of College discretionary payments.

• Reside in a POLAR Q1/2 area.

• Have attended a school or college at key stage 4 or key stage 5 that achieved below the national average.

• Be the first in your family to attend higher education.

• Have a disability or long-term health condition.

• Are an adult learner (defined as students who are 25 or over on the first day of your course).

• Are from a military background.

• Are a young carer (defined as being under 18 and helping to look after a relative with a disability, illness, mental health condition, or drug or alcohol problem. A young carer may look after a parent or a sibling. Caring for a child is not included in this).

• Identify as LGBTQ+.

• Are a refugee.

A note on additional eligibility:

The York Opportunity Scholarship is an extremely competitive award. In past years, one in every four applicants has received funding.

The York Opportunity Scholarship is awarded in part to support students financially, and in part as recognition of the significant barriers that students have overcome in pursuit of their education.

Students are encouraged to consider the impact that meeting one or more of the additional criteria has had on their life and educational opportunities.

Application deadline: Monday 2 October 2023, 9am BST

We'll share application details here when they reopen for future years of entry.