Scholarships and Bursaries
Thanks to the generosity of University College alumni, we are able to offer financial support to recognise our students’ extraordinary work and achievements and help them reach their full potential. The support available is broadly divided into help for current and prospective University College students.
Hardship support, awards and bursaries help to address any unexpected financial difficulties and create co-curricular and academic engagement opportunities. They also help to recognise our students’ achievement and involvement in College life.
We are also delighted to be able to offer a small number of competitive scholarships, which are open to incoming students and those wishing to continue their education.
Current Students
The Hardship Fund (UG & PG)
The Hardship Fund helps to address unexpected financial difficulties our students find themselves facing during their time at University College. Its aim is to redress challenges which would prevent current Castle students from participating in their course or continuing their education. Hardship funds have been provided to assist students with textbook purchases, accommodation fee shortfalls, and essential travel (for example to and from lectures and academic placements).
Thanks to the generosity of our alumni and friends, and in addition to the support available from the college office, we are able to provide a small number of named awards for students in the most dire circumstances. These include:
- The Worswick Hardship Fund
- The Eva Schumacher-Reid Fund
Eligibility: The Hardship Fund is open to current University College students who had a sound financial plan in place at the beginning of the academic year, but who found themselves facing unexpected financial hardship thereafter.
Award Range: Up to £300. Additional named funding of up to £500 may be available in extraordinary circumstances.
Frequency of Award Panels: Once every academic term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students each academic term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College Student Support Office representatives.
Founded in 1844 in memory of John Pemberton to support University College students. Pemberton bursary is an opportunity fund which assists University College students who do not receive financial support or have a household income below £42,000pa to access opportunities in College and beyond and reach their full potential. The award has broad eligibility criteria and supports employability, travel or academic research in the broadest sense, as long as these would make a considerable difference to the applicant.
Award Range: We will invite applications for grants up to £500, higher awards may be considered at the discretion of the panel in extraordinary circumstances
Frequency of Award Panels: There are up to five awards available each term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students during the relevant term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College staff and, where relevant, representatives of the college’s external bodies (such as the University College Durham Trust, Durham Castle Society or the College Advisory Board). Please note that for some of the awards above, we may take your academic achievements into consideration. We will request any information we require from your academic department.
Established through generosity of Canon Geoffrey Williams in 1986/87 to support student academic advancement. The bursary is open to University College postgraduate students seeking support for the costs of academic research or conference attendance.
Award Range: Two awards of up to £400
Frequency of Award Panels: Usually awarded during the Epiphany Term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students during the relevant term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College staff and, where relevant, representatives of the college’s external bodies (such as the University College Durham Trust, Durham Castle Society or the College Advisory Board). Please note that for some of the awards above, we may take your academic achievements into consideration. We will request any information we require from your academic department.
The Michael McCarthy Memorial Fund at University College was established by Michael and Mary McCarthy in memory of their son, Michael. The fund supports travel bursaries for University College students to visit the USA as a means of enhancing their academic development. During the selection process, preference will be given to postgraduate applicants.
Award Range: Up to £500 towards the costs associated with travel; higher awards may be available in extraordinary circumstances at the discretion of the panel
Frequency of Award Panels: Usually awarded during the Epiphany Term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students during the relevant term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College staff and, where relevant, representatives of the college’s external bodies (such as the University College Durham Trust, Durham Castle Society or the College Advisory Board). Please note that for some of the awards above, we may take your academic achievements into consideration. We will request any information we require from your academic department.
Established by an alumnus of University College, John Crowther, to support a University College undergraduate student in their final year of a Maths degree, on track for graduating with a First-class degree, and who is involved in college sport.
Award Range: One award of £700 available
Frequency of Award Panels: One award made annually in the Easter Term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students during the relevant term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College staff and, where relevant, representatives of the college’s external bodies (such as the University College Durham Trust, Durham Castle Society or the College Advisory Board). Please note that for some of the awards above, we may take your academic achievements into consideration. We will request any information we require from your academic department.
Set up by University College alumnus, Hunter Davies, the award recognises the best piece of investigative journalism in the Palatinate over the course of the academic year. Award is open to all Durham University students. We accept one submission per student journalist. We are also happy to receive nominations and recommendations from current students who are not involved in writing for the palatinate, but who find any articles published particularly insightful.
Award Range: One award of £100 available
Frequency of Award Panels: One award made annually in the Easter Term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students during the relevant term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College staff and, where relevant, representatives of the college’s external bodies (such as the University College Durham Trust, Durham Castle Society or the College Advisory Board). Please note that for some of the awards above, we may take your academic achievements into consideration. We will request any information we require from your academic department.
Founded in 1962/63 by David Loveday, Bishop of Dorchester, in memory of his brother, John Loveday, an alumnus of University College (1900-1904). The award is used to:
- Support one University College Student who is reading Classics and who can demonstrate a strong academic record in the subject.
- Recognise a University College student who has served the College community with distinction
Award Range: Two awards of £300 each
Frequency of Award Panels: Usually awarded in the Easter Term
Application Process: Information relating to the application process will be sent out to all current University College students during the relevant term. Applications will be assessed by a panel of University College staff and, where relevant, representatives of the college’s external bodies (such as the University College Durham Trust, Durham Castle Society or the College Advisory Board). Please note that for some of the awards above, we may take your academic achievements into consideration. We will request any information we require from your academic department.
Prospective Students
The Margaret Mallett Scholarship (PG)
The Margaret Mallett Scholarship was set up by David Mallett, University College alumnus, in memory of his late wife. Margaret taught, researched and published in the area of Early Years and Primary Language and Literacy. She strongly believed in the importance of academic study and research in the field.
The purpose of the scholarship is to help primary school teachers finance a Master’s Degree or a Doctorate in the field of Early and Primary Years Language and Literacy. The hope is that this period of study will be of value to them in the classroom, lead to their researching and writing in the field and, if the opportunity arises, moving into a University Education Department.
Eligibility:
- The Margaret Mallett Scholarship has been set up to support a graduate of University College, Durham, who has taught for at least five years in an early years or primary classroom. The scholarship may be used to help finance a postgraduate course in Education, full or part time, at any University with a well-established Education Department, including a strong early years and primary emphasis, and which is supportive of the applicant’s intended area of study. or
- A graduate of any University, who has taught for at least five years in an early years or primary classroom, and wishes to pursue a postgraduate degree at Durham University, specifically as a member of University College. The scholarship may be used to help finance a full or part time postgraduate course.
Award Range: Up to £10,000
Application Process:
Interested students are invited to submit an application of no more than one side of A4 outlining:
- Their name, contact details and course of study
- The ways in which they meet the selection criteria above
- The difference that the award would make to them and how it would be used
The application should be submitted to the Trust Secretary, Tim Bratton, at univcoll.trust@gmail.com. The scholarship applications will be considered at the bi-annual Trustees’ meetings, therefore there isn’t a firm deadline for applications.
Selection:
Applications will be assessed by a scholarships panel made up of University College Durham Trust representatives. Please note that in order to reduce any potential impact of unconscious bias, the applications will be assessed on a “blind” basis (with the details of your name, gender, previous education etc. removed).
As a condition of receiving the bursary, the successful candidate will be required to provide evidence of having been admitted to a University/course of their choice and submit a short report (of no more than half of one side of A4) to castle.alumni@durham.ac.uk, describing how the funding helped them to achieve their goals, by the end of each year of their study.