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Undergraduate Scholarships
Three students sat on the steps of St Marys College

Summary

Robert Young Scholarship

Designed to support a student in need of financial support who has been educated at a state-maintained County Durham school, college or another secondary education provider.

This scholarship is available thanks to a historic £1 million donation by local entrepreneur and former Councillor Robert Young. This is the largest-ever scholarship donation in the history of Durham University, an incredible gift that will enable Durham University to award at least one £10,000 scholarship every year for the foreseeable future.

Amount

£10,000 per year which covers:

  • Payment of tuition fees (up to £10,000)
  • The remaining balance will be paid directly to the recipient in termly instalments
Year of Entry Applicants for programmes commencing in October 2024
Number of awards available One
Level of study Undergraduate
Mode of study Full-time
Programmes All undergraduate programmes
Duration The duration of their programme at Durham University, subject to adherence to terms and conditions

Eligibility

  • Educated at a state-maintained County Durham school, college or another secondary education provider for two of the most recent four years of their education

  • Have a household income below £42,875 based on an assessment carried out by Student Finance. Preference will be given to applicants with a household income below £25,000

  • Resident in County Durham at the point of submitting an academic application through UCAS for a place at Durham University

For the purposes of determining eligibility for the Robert Young Scholarship 'resident in County Durham' is defined as having a residential postcode that starts with any one of the letter/number combinations in this Robert Young Postcodes with the exception of the listed exclusions.

Not sure if you're eligible? Contact us for advice.

How to apply

  1. Apply for a course

    Submit an academic application to Durham University by the UCAS deadline of 31st January 2024.

    Apply to UCAS

  2. Apply for the scholarship

    Submit a scholarship application including a personal statement describing:

    • your financial circumstances
    • how the Robert Young Scholarship would help you to study at Durham University
    • why you want to study at Durham University

    Please provide a copy of your Student Finance England confirmation of funding letter once received to scholarship.application@durham.ac.uk.

     

    Application deadline

    21st March 2024

    When candidates will hear the outcome of their application

    End of April 2024

  3. Submit a character reference

    Submit a character reference from one of your teachers in support of your scholarship application to be sent by email to scholarship.application@durham.ac.uk. Please ensure your referee submits the reference on letter headed paper which contains their:

    • name
    • position
    • contact details
    • your full name

  4. Selection process

    • All eligible applications for the Robert Young Scholarship will be considered on the basis of their personal statement, reference and academic status
    • Other scholarship awards may also be taken into account when considering the allocation of the scholarship
    • The University may use additional datasets to identify applicants who come from neighbourhoods with low overall progression to higher education or high levels of socio-economic deprivation

Guidance

Durham University makes every effort to ensure that the information published or contained on its website is accurate. However, the University cannot guarantee the information may not subsequently be altered owing to circumstances beyond the University's reasonable control. Such circumstances include (but are not limited to) changes in Government policy or change of law. Whilst any changes will be incorporated into the University's website any person wishing to clarify the details of a particular scholarship/s should contact the University at scholarships.advice@durham.ac.uk.

 

Get in touch

If you have any questions about whether you are eligible for a scholarship or the application process, get in touch with our Scholarships and Student Funding Office:

Scholarships and Student Funding Office

Durham University

Palatine Centre

Stockton Road

DH1 3LE, UK

 

Telephone: +44(0)191 334 8997