About Potential Scholarships
Potential Scholarships are funded by generous private donations to encourage and develop the potential of students from a lower income background and/or those who have overcome significant difficulties to come to University. You don't have to repay any funding you receive from a Potential Scholarship after you graduate.
Potential Scholarships are quite varied and largely competitive with a limited number of awards available. We recommend you read through all the options available before submitting your application. Applications are used to assess who most closely meets the eligibility criteria based on the information we're given.
Further information regarding the 2024 entry scholarships will be provided in summer 2024.
General eligibility criteria
Students who apply for any of the Potential Scholarships must meet the following general criteria plus the specific criteria of their chosen scholarship:
- Be enrolling in Autumn 2023 for the first year of a full-time** undergraduate degree at the University of Nottingham (UK Campus), this being your year of entry to the university
- Not have studied for an undergraduate degree before starting at Nottingham
- Have Home* funding status
- Not be receiving external sponsorship for your course e.g. from industry/employers (University Core bursaries and Government grants do not affect your eligibility)
- Have had their household income assessed for your statutory government support and consented to share this information with the university.
Additional eligibility criteria for each Potential Scholarship can be found below.
How to apply
Applications for these scholarships are now closed. Further information regarding the 2024 entry scholarships will be provided in summer 2024.
Applications will be looked at once the closing date has passed and all applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by email to their university email account within 4 weeks of the closing date.
Guidance notes are available with additional information for each scholarship and tips on what information to include when you apply.
More funding options
Scholarships and bursaries
Nottingham Potential Bursary
For UK students with personal circumstances or backgrounds that may have impacted academic potential
Scholarships and bursaries
Core Bursary
For students with a household income of less than £35,000 as assessed by student finance
Scholarships and bursaries
The Stoneygate Award
For academically able students who face or have overcome barriers to attend university
Scholarships and bursaries
The Halford Scholarship Programme
For students showing strong academic ability who have overcome significant obstacles to their academic progression
Scholarships and bursaries
Subject specific bursaries and scholarships
A range of competitive scholarships based on the subject you're studying to help you excel in your area of interest
*A 'home' student is one who meets certain UK residence criteria. These are the same criteria as apply to eligibility for home funding from Student Finance.
**Otherwise eligible part-time students who are unable to study full-time because of a disability should contact the Funding and Financial Support team to discuss their funding options.
Note: All references to household income refer to the figure which is calculated by Student Finance when a student applies to them for means-tested funding.
Please refer to our Data Protection and Confidentiality Statement - for anyone who makes an application for funding from the Funding & Financial Support Team.
