If your household income is at or below £35,000, you may be eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship. You do not need to apply for this as you will be automatically considered if you meet the eligibility criteria.
Am I eligible?
To be automatically considered for an Opportunity Scholarship, you need to meet the following criteria:
- you are registered at the University
- you commenced your studies between 2014/15 and 2023/24
- you have been income assessed by Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or the Student Awards Agency for Scotland
- your household income has been evaluated as £35,000 or below and you and your parents have consented to share this information with the University
You are not eligible to be considered for the Opportunity Scholarship if:
- you already hold an honours level degree or equivalent
- you are eligible for NHS funding
- you are on a placement year and paying a reduced tuition fee
- you are studying a course leading to a PGCE qualification
- you have not been income assessed by Friday 7th June 2024
How and when will I find out if I am receiving the scholarship?
We will automatically assess your eligibility for the Opportunity Scholarship. If you are eligible, you will receive an email from the Student Loans Company (SLC) directing you to your online Student Finance account to view your award letter. The email will be sent to the email address that you have listed with the SLC.
You should expect to receive this email anytime between registration and early November. You can also check your online Student Finance account under the ‘Letters and Emails’ section to see if you have been issued with an award letter yet.
If you think you are eligible and you have not received an award letter by mid-November, only then contact us and we can check if you are eligible and why an award has not yet been approved.
What can I get?
- If your household income is at or below £25,000 then you will receive a £2,000 bursary
- If your household income is between £25,001 and £35,000 then you will receive a £1,000 bursary
If you are studying Business Accounting and Finance, you will receive a pro rata scholarship in Years 2, 3 and 4, as you will be paying a reduced fee. You will receive either a £1,332 bursary or a £666 bursary in Years 2, 3 and 4, depending on your household income.
When and how will I receive my payments?
Your award is paid across three instalments. The instalments will be paid into the same bank account that your student loan is paid into.
The 2023/24 payment dates are:
- 15th November 2023
- 7th February 2024
- 1st May 2024
If your income assessment is completed after 2nd November 2023, you will receive any missed instalments 10 working days after we approve your scholarship (unless the academic year has ended).
If you need to update your bank details, you will need to contact the SLC as soon as possible.
What if I leave the University?
If you withdraw or suspend your studies then we will cancel all future payments of your scholarship. You may also need to repay some of your scholarship. Please refer to the table below to determine your eligibility.
| Last date of attendance | Instalment 1 15th November 2023 | Instalment 2 7th February 2024 | Instalment 3 1st May 2024 |
| 18th September 2023 - 14th November 2023 | Not entitled to any Scholarship Instalment | ||
| 15th November 2023 - 6th February 2024 | Entitled to Instalment 1 | Not entitled to Scholarship | |
| 7th February 2024 - 30th April 2024 | Entitled to Instalments 1 and 2 | Not entitled to Scholarship | |
| 1st May 2024 - 7th June 2024 | Entitled to full Scholarship | ||
If you are thinking of withdrawing or suspending and you are worried about your finance, contact us to speak with one of our Student Finance Advisors.
Contact
If you have completed the above steps and you have not received a confirmation letter by mid-November, or if you have any further enquiries contact us by emailing: or telephoning 0191 208 7247, 0191 208 3108 or 0191 208 4488
The 2014-23 Opportunity Scholarship (PDF: 329KB) gives terms and conditions and includes more information about the scholarships.
Thanks to alumni and friends of Newcastle University who support Opportunity Scholarships:
- Anthony Walter Blackwell Will Trust
- Newcastle University Women’s Club
- Scott-Briggs Bursary and Professor Paul Dent
- Imran Ahmed and Sadia Nujhat
- Fiona Foundation
- The E June Copland and Kenneth D Hunter Donation
- Gordon Cannon Scholarship
