Overview
The Impact Scholarship offers £1,000 cash during the first year of study, helping to create new opportunities and enhance your university experience. Through the University of Sunderland Impact Scholarship, we aim to reward students who embody our core values: Inspiring, Excellent, Inclusive, Collaborative and Innovative.
We’re proud to support students who are passionate, driven and ready to make a difference. By recognising those who show that hard work matters, believe in building a better future, and understand that we are stronger together, we’re investing in individuals who are truly powering the future for themselves, their communities and beyond.
Who is eligible?
1. You must be a 'Home' or ‘Overseas Island’ student on an eligible course
The Government classes all students as ‘Home’ or ‘International’. This status determines which tuition fees you pay, and which scholarships and bursaries you may be eligible to receive.
Isle of Man and the Channel Islands students are eligible.
EU students with a UK Settled Status at the time of application are eligible.
International students are not eligible.
2. You must apply for and meet the conditions of your offer, then successfully enrol on and study an eligible course
You must successfully enrol on an eligible full-time undergraduate course starting in autumn 2026.
To be considered for the award, you must also:
- Apply to the University of Sunderland by Wednesday, 14 January 2026
- Make the University of Sunderland your firm choice by Wednesday, 3 June 2026
- Enrol on your course by Monday, 6 October 2026
How to apply
You do not need to apply for the University of Sunderland Impact Scholarship. All students who meet the eligibility criteria will be automatically assessed. Meeting the eligibility criteria does not guarantee an award.
Students will be selected based on their ability to demonstrate alignment with our values, as evidenced in their UCAS personal statement. The University of Sunderland Impact Scholarship will be awarded to students following a checking and verification process after enrolment.
UCAS personal statements will be reviewed to identify applicants who best demonstrate alignment with our core values: Inspiring, Excellent, Inclusive, Collaborative and Innovative.
To ensure a consistent and efficient initial review, an AI-supported tool will assess all personal statements. The use of this technology will be carefully managed and reviewed to ensure fairness and accuracy.
As the number of scholarship awards is limited, a final decision on scholarship recipients will be made by a selection panel. This panel will carry out an assessment of the shortlisted personal statements to determine which students will receive an award.
This two-stage process is designed to ensure that every eligible applicant has a fair opportunity to be considered.
When and how will you receive your award?
The University of Sunderland Impact Scholarship will be awarded following a checking and verification process after enrolment. Students will be notified of their provisional award in February 2026.
You will receive payment in two instalments:
- £500 on Friday, 6 November 2026
- £500 on Friday, 5 February 2027
If you are eligible for and provisionally awarded more than one University of Sunderland Scholarship, you will only receive the award of the highest value.
Additional information
Students receiving a scholarship/bursary will be expected to participate in surveys, feedback requests, and other market research activities to help the University evaluate and improve its scholarship and bursary provision. This may include sharing insights on their student experience and the impact of financial support.
If you have not registered on your course within three weeks of the course start date or provided sufficient evidence of eligibility, the scholarship or bursary will be withdrawn.
If you withdraw from your course before receiving a scholarship or bursary payment, the award will be withdrawn. If you withdraw after a payment is made, the University may seek reimbursement; however, you will not receive any further instalments.
The award is conditional on you maintaining satisfactory engagement and making academic progress on your course in the reasonable opinion of the Programme Team.
The University agrees to pay you, the student, all awards and payments that are due to you while you are on your course of study.
If you transfer to another course or you repeat a year of the same course, the award will not be made in the repeated year. Any payments due to you will continue once you progress onto the following level(s) of study on the course.
If you are on a placement year or studying for a year and not paying full fees, the award will not be paid during that year.
If you take a leave of absence (LOAB), your payments will stop until you return and progress academically.
If you are in debt to the University to the value of £50 or more, you will not receive payment until the debt has been cleared. Awards will only be payable if all tuition fee payments are up to date and there are no monies owed to the University.
All payments will be made into your UK bank account. It is your responsibility to enter your bank details via the e:Vision portal and ensure these are kept up to date. If you fail to enter your bank details to enable payments to be made to you before your course end date (or the date of leaving your course if earlier), all scholarships, bursaries and payments will be withdrawn.
As part of the admissions process, the University will verify various aspects of a UCAS or direct application to determine that you should be classed as ‘Home’. The following criteria will be verified:
- Declared nationality
- Country of birth
- Area of permanent residence
- Date of entry into the UK (if applicable)
- Location of previous education provider
Disclaimer
Every effort is made to ensure that all details included in these guidance notes are correct at the time of writing. They are intended to act as an information source only, and in no way should they be considered legally binding or guarantee an award.
The University will not be deemed to be in breach of any legal or contractual obligations due to changes to eligibility criteria beyond the reasonable control of the University. It should therefore be noted that these guidance notes are regularly reviewed and are naturally subject to change, sometimes without notice. The University’s decision is final.
Published: 2 July 2025