Students could be missing out on scholarships, finds new research

UK students are potentially missing out on more than £150 million worth of scholarships, according to research by The Scholarship Hub. 

The Scholarship Hub, a free online database of more than 3,000 scholarships and bursaries for students, surveyed 20 leading organisations that offer additional funding to UK students.

Respondents such as the Royal Television Society, the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership Foundation and the Milford Haven Port Authority said that they often struggled to find enough suitable candidates. 

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Half the organisations said that they had to work hard to attract applicants, often having to extend deadlines. Almost a third said that they received fewer than 50 applications. Only two of the organisations said that they received good responses. 

Karen Kennard, founder of The Scholarship Hub, said: “Scholarships, grants and bursaries are not just for disadvantaged students. Funding is offered for a wide range of reasons, from academic merit and financial need to musical and sporting talent; personal circumstances, such as where you come from or what your parents do; and awards for recognition of your involvement in the community.”

Michael Truckle, a Lloyds Scholar from Bracknell studying accounting and finance at the University of Warwick, said: “Being a Lloyds scholar has been invaluable to me. It has helped me in several ways – from gaining a summer internship to improving my prioritisation skills, and ultimately making sure I enjoy every second at university. The programme has been extremely valuable and I couldn’t recommend it more,” he said.  As a Lloyds scholar, he received a bursary of up to £2,000 a year, access to a mentor and two summer internships.

Aya Helmy, from Belfast in Northern Ireland, was awarded the Belling Scholarship for Engineering in 2014, which gave her £3,000 a year towards her degree at the University of Cambridge. “The Institution of Engineering and Technology scholarship provided me with financial security and gave me opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise, including a summer internship,” she said. 

Read more: How a scholarship helped me land my dream job