Good At Sports? You Could Get Paid To Study

22 Feb 2023, by Christina Attrah, min. read

Got a talent for a particular sport? It could and you a scholarship at this fantastic university.

Named University of the year, Northumbria uni has another win to announce that could seriously help students looking to take up a course in the next academic year.

The university has secured a whopping £2m in funding, thanks to its Higher Education Without Barriers campaign. The initiative was set up to help those from all walks of life succeed in higher education.

Thanks to the fund’s success, Northumbria uni is now creating a series of dedicated sports scholarships for those with an aptitude in their discipline.

How will these scholarships work?

The aim of the scholarships is to widen participation and diversity in both Higher Education and Sports. In the first year, the scholarships will support budding female coaches and officials (women make up only 18% of qualified coaches).

Plus, PhD scholarships will also become available for those from low participation backgrounds and who want to contribute to sports research at Northumbria uni. The uni is currently ranked 5th in the UK for Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation, with 92% of their research is independently assessed to be world-leading or internationally excellent.

Basically, this is an incredibly exciting opportunity to be a part of something much greater.

What scholarships are on offer?

Scholarship applications are still open for 2023/24 entry, and will remain open until 23:59 on Thursday 31st August 2023 (unless otherwise stated). Keep in mind that this is not an exhaustive list, as scholarships are added/removed depending on funding availability. If you want to find out more about the scholarships listed below — be sure to check out the Northumbria University sports scholarships page.

Northumbria Sport Individual Scholarship

Are you a student-athlete on an NGB Performance Pathway in a particular sport? If you’re competing at a National or International level, you can apply for one of the podium potential awards. Perks include:

Financial support
Sports scholar kit package
Specialist strength & conditioning coaching and facilities
Physiotherapy treatment and rehabilitation support
Unlimited access to Sport Central fitness facilities including pool access
Anti-doping workshops and support
Performance lifestyle support
Sport psychology support
Nutritional advice
Dual career and academic flexibility support

Women’s coaching and officiating scholarship (open for undergraduates and postgraduates)

This new Undergraduate/Postgraduate Sport (Women’s Coaching and Officiating) Scholarship will operate for the first time in the academic year of 2023/24. It’s available for aspiring women coaches to gain support financially to cover their living costs, course materials and professional development. Northumbria University will award applicants who demonstrate exceptional talent £2,000 per year throughout their degree.

Keep in mind that you must be on a full-time course, but can apply if you’re studying any subject

Focus sport scholarships

If you play Basketball, Football, Rugby (League), Rugby (Union) or Volleyball, then you can apply for a focus sports scholarship at Northumbria. Successful applicants will gain the following: