Scholarships

To be eligible to apply for a Newcastle College Scholarship students must fulfil all of the following criteria:

• have been offered a place on a full-time undergraduate degree or Foundation Degree at Newcastle College University Centre

• be a resident in the UK

• not be in receipt of full or part payment of fees through a sponsorship arrangement

• be a new, first-time entrant to higher education in 2024

• make/have made Newcastle College University Centre a firm or only choice

• register on an undergraduate/Foundation Degree course at Newcastle College University Centre in September

• have completed an application for means tested Student Support through the Student Loans Company for one or more elements of the government's student finance package (Tuition Fee Loan, Maintenance Loan and Maintenance Grant) and agree that their financial information can be shared with Newcastle College University Centre (Students applying for the Asylum Seeker Scholarship are exempt from this requirement). 
  
  

In addition, student applicants must fulfil one or more of the following criteria:

• be from low household income or low socioeconomic status (Quintile 1)

• be of Black, Asian and/or minority ethnicity

• be a student with a disability in receipt of a Disability Living Allowance

• be a woman in STEM

• be a care leaver

• be a young carer*

• be estranged from their families

• be from Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities

• be a refugee

• be an asylum seeker**

• be from military families***

* 'young people aged 14-25 who care, unpaid, for a friend or family member who could not cope without their support’

** NCUC offers the following financial awards each year: Three scholarships for asylum seekers OR those granted discretionary/limited leave to remain following an application for asylum, comprising a full tuition fee waiver

*** 'a person whose parent or carer serves in the Regular Armed Forces, or as a Reservist, or has done at any point during the first 25 years of that person’s life’.

• Students will complete and submit the online application at the bottom of this page to apply for one of the scholarships.*

• Applications for the asylum seeker/limited leave to remain scholarship must be submitted by the closing date of Monday 23 September 2024.

• Online applications for all other scholarships must be submitted by the closing date of Monday 7 October 2024.

• All applications will be collated and sent to the Scholarship Committee** who meet five days after the submission deadline.

• The board reviews all of the applications submitted and a decision is made based on the evidence provided. Where there is a split decision, the chair will make the final decision.

• Students will be informed that they have been awarded a scholarship, or if their application has been rejected, by email. A written letter will follow. Students applying for the asylum seeker/limited leave to remain scholarship will be informed by Friday 30 September 2024. All other students will be informed by Friday 14 October 2024.
  
  

The board's decision is final.

* Eligibility criteria applies
**The scholarship committee is made up of five members of academic and non-academic staff.

A scholarship is a type of non-repayable financial support. A scholarship may take financial need into account, but generally is one of several factors. Scholarships are usually competitive (i.e. there are a limited number of awards which go to the applicant/s who most closely fulfil the assessment criteria). There is a formal application process for scholarships.

The application process for scholarships is an online application form which includes a statement of support.

No. If you apply for more than one type of scholarship, then this will result in your scholarship applications being automatically rejected as your financial need is unclear. We suggest that you apply for the scholarship type which best suits your needs.We stress that you apply for the level of funding that best meets your financial need, so if you do not require a scholarship, please do not apply for one.

If you are awarded a scholarship you will be informed by email within 10 days. On confirmation of receipt of the email, you will be sent an official letter from the Scholarships Assessment Panel giving you the details of your award. All official arrangements will be made with you directly.

You will be required to formally accept the scholarship and its terms and conditions by signing the contract that is sent with your awarding letter.

No, scholarships are ‘fee waivers’. This means that the amount of your scholarship award will be deducted from the tuition fees owed for the academic year which will either reduce the amount of fees you have to pay that year or remove the requirement to pay fees in the year altogether. If you have applied for a student loan you will need to tell the Student Loan Company that your fees have been reduced as soon as your scholarship is confirmed.

All scholarship applications are screened to ensure the basic eligibility criteria for the scholarships selected have been met. If we find that you do not meet the requirements you will be informed via email.

Please note applications that do meet the criteria for our scholarships will be assessed and shortlisted once the application deadline for the relevant scholarship intake has passed.

All decisions regarding the awarding of scholarships are made by the Colleges Scholarship Committee. This comprises academic and non-academic staff from across the College. All are very experienced and make the awarding decision based on the criteria for the scholarship and the case you make. If there is a split decision the chair will have make the final decision.

You will be informed of your rejection as soon as possible by email. If you are rejected, you cannot reapply for a Newcastle College University Centre Scholarship for two academic years. For example, if you applied for a scholarship in September 2023 and were rejected, the next scholarships programme you can apply for is September 2025. If you apply for a scholarship for September 2024 and are rejected, you will be unable to apply again until September 2026.

Please note the Scholarships Committee will not enter into individual correspondence with a student, neither before nor after a decision has been made. The decision of the Committee is final, and not open to appeal. Lobbying a member of the Committee will make you ineligible for any scholarship.

All of the scholarships listed on our webpages are only open to applicants that are new to HE in the current academic year or progressing to a top up with Newcastle college.

Your supporting statement is your opportunity to present yourself to the Scholarships Committee and demonstrate why you deserve a scholarship to study at Newcastle College University Centre.

In writing your supporting statement, you should give details on the qualities that you think make you an outstanding applicant.

Most of our scholarships are awarded on one or more of three main criteria:

• financial need

• potential for academic progression

• development potential. 
  
  

Your supporting statement should therefore address:

• how you meet the criteria.

• how the scholarship will support you financially.

• what you expect to gain from studying your course.

• how you intend to use your experience and knowledge in the future.

• your professional experience and career aspirations.

Please note: this information will be considered and will help the Scholarships Committee to make a decision on whether a scholarship should be awarded.