NCUK Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025

Eligibility criteria

• You must be currently studying at an NCUK Study Centre.
• You must receive an offer to study a full-time undergraduate degree programme at the University of Sheffield. All undergraduate degree courses are eligible with the exceptions of Medicine (A100/A101) and Dentistry (A200).
• Your degree programme must be scheduled to commence at the University of Sheffield in September 2025.
• You must receive an offer for a course studied in full at the University of Sheffield.
• Degree programmes split between the University of Sheffield and a partner institution are not eligible to apply for a scholarship.
• For tuition fee purposes you must be self-funded and eligible to pay the overseas tuition fee.
• You must not be a sponsored student*.
• You must enter a degree programme at the University of Sheffield in programme year 1 or year 2.
• For scholarship purposes all MArch programmes are considered as postgraduate taught programmes and are not eligible for this or any other undergraduate scholarship.
• The University of Sheffield reserves the right to review and change scholarship provision.

How to apply

Applications are now open. The deadline to apply is 1pm (UK time) 22 April 2025.

Apply for a NCUK Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025

A single application form enables applicants to be automatically considered for multiple scholarships if they meet the eligibility criteria; however, only one award can be received.

Selection criteria

This is a competitive process and not all applications will be successful. A panel of senior members of staff will select the strongest applications and will be looking for the following:

• Applicant has given examples of achievements which represent excellence and initiative in educational, voluntary, or professional areas.
• Applicant has shown how these achievements relate to the course they have applied for at the University of Sheffield and connected that to their future ambitions.
• Applicant has a strong academic profile.

Award criteria

• You must commence your studies at the University of Sheffield in September 2025. The NCUK Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025 is limited to one award per person. The NCUK Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025 cannot be awarded in conjunction with any of the following scholarships:
  • International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025
  • International Baccalaureate Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025
  • GEMS Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025
  • International School of Choueifat Merit Scholarship 2025
  • DPS Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025
  • International Undergraduate Scholarship 2025
  • NCUK Undergraduate Scholarship 2025
  • Maple Leaf Schools Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025
  • Pennon Schools Undergraduate Merit Scholarship 2025 
  • International Schools Partnership Scholarship 2025
• The scholarship can be awarded in conjunction with any available scholarships from the Department or Faculty you will be studying in, subject to not becoming a sponsored student*. Please use the funding calculator to find out if any scholarships are available from your Department/Faculty. The scholarship cannot be awarded in conjunction with any funding from an external sponsor**, excluding a loan, which has to be paid back in full.
• If you are selected for a merit scholarship, subject to the eligibility and award criteria you will be guaranteed the award in your first year of study. The scholarship is available in each of the following academic years of your course subject to scoring 60% (wmg), or above, and achieving a minimum of 120 credits in the previous academic year.
• We are unable to accept applications for this scholarship from applicants for Medicine (A100/A101) and Dentistry (A200).
• The merit scholarship is not applicable during any years in industry or any compulsory or non-compulsory years abroad as part of your degree. If you are selected for a merit scholarship and you fail to meet the conditions of your course offer you will no longer be eligible to receive the award.
• If you are selected for a merit scholarship and you change degree programme to begin your studies again at level 1 of a new degree programme you may forfeit your scholarship. If you change your degree programme during your studies and transfer to the concurrent academic year e.g year 1 BA English to year 2 BA English literature and Language, subject to the eligibility and award criteria you may continue to receive a merit scholarship. The merit scholarship can be provided for a maximum number of 4 academic years. This does not include years in industry or years abroad. The scholarship will be applied as a tuition fee discount only.
• The decision of the scholarship panel is final. No scholarship applications or decision appeals will be considered. All decisions made by the University are made in good faith. If a scholarship is awarded on the basis of predicted grades and you do not achieve the predicted grades or if the information provided is false, the University reserves the right to remove the scholarship.
• If you are selected for a merit scholarship and you subsequently join the University via clearing you will no longer be eligible to receive the award. This scholarship cannot be deferred to a future year of entry. If you decide to defer entry to another year you forfeit this award. The scholarship cannot be provided during any intercalating years of study. Part-time students will receive the equivalent value of the scholarship split pro rata over the duration of a single full-time academic year. If you are selected for the scholarship, we’ll ask that you confirm acceptance of your scholarship and firm your offer by a fixed date.
• If you are offered the scholarship, we’ll ask that you confirm acceptance of your scholarship by a fixed date. You will also need to accept your course offer by 4pm (UK time) on Wednesday 4 June 2025. 

* Sponsored student is defined as being in receipt of a total sum of funds that matches or exceeds the original tuition fee required by the University, before any scholarships, discounts or rewards are applied.

** Government or governmental organisation – international, national or regional; research council; charity; private enterprise; or any similar organisation.