Scholarships at University of Sunderland

20% waiver on the full cost of course fees to reward loyal alumni who return to study a postgraduate degree at the University.

Who can apply?

Alumni (graduates of the University) who enrol on a full or part-time postgraduate course (MA, MSc, LLM, MBA, Mphil, PhD, Dprof, DBA, EdD, or PhD by Existing or Creative Works) delivered at either of our Sunderland campuses starting between 1 August 2024 and 31 July 2025.

How much will I get?

You’ll receive a 20% fee reduction.

Funded from a philanthropic donation via the University of Sunderland’s Development and Alumni Office, the Helen McArdle Scholarship aims to support undergraduate students studying an eligible Nursing course.

Who can apply?

• You must be a ‘home’ or ‘overseas island’ student on an eligible Nursing course.

• You must be a first-year nursing student applying to start your studies in autumn 2025.

• You or a family member, must have previously been employed by Helen McArdle Care, or,

• You must be from at least one of the underrepresented groups outlined in the guidance notes.

How much will I get?

There are five scholarships available.

Each scholarship awards £1,200 cash to eligible students for each year of continuous study (maximum three years), based on academic progression.

You can apply from March 2025. The deadline for applications is Sunday 31 August 2025.

We are offering £5,000* tuition fee reduction for our undergraduate courses or £4,500* tuition fee reduction for postgraduate courses.

Who can apply?

International students from eligible countries studying our on-campus undergraduate and postgraduate courses (excluding preparation courses such as foundation courses, EAP or pre-masters).

These discounts are available to new applicants for 2025/26 entry and those who have yet to make a deposit payment. Please note that certain courses are excluded from this offer. The discounts for these courses are as follows:

How much will I get?

£5,000 tuition fee reduction (undergraduates) or £4,500 tuition fee reduction (postgraduates).

Funded from a philanthropic donation via the University of Sunderland’s Development and Alumni Office, the Robson Art and Design Scholarship will support eligible undergraduate students who show passion and promise in their artistic field.

Who can apply?

• You must be a ‘home’ or ‘overseas island’ student applying for an eligible course.

• You must be a first-year student applying to commence your studies in autumn 2025, or, entering level one in academic year 2025/26 having completed an eligible Integrated Foundation Year course.

• You must be able to demonstrate passion and promise your artistic field.

• You must be from at least one of the underrepresented groups outlined in the guidance notes.

How much will I get?

There are five scholarships available. The scholarship awards £1,000 cash in year one to eligible students.

You can apply from March 2025. The deadline for applications is Saturday 31 August 2025. 

Funded from a philanthropic donation via the University of Sunderland’s Development and Alumni Office, the Sir Bob Murray Health Scholarship (Psychology) aims to support five eligible first-year undergraduate psychology students.

Who can apply?

• You must be a 'home' or 'overseas island' student applying for an eligible course.

• You must be a first-year student applying to start your studies in autumn 2025.

• Students who meet at least one of the widening participation priority awarding criteria outlined in the guidance notes.

How much will I get?

There are five scholarships available.

The scholarship awards £1,000 cash in year one to eligible students.

You can apply from March 2025. The deadline for applications is Sunday 31 August 2025.

These bursaries prioritise students from groups underrepresented in higher education including: Gypsies, Travellers, Roma, Showmen and Boaters; asylum seekers and refugees; carers; students from lower income households; and mature students.

Who can apply?

• You must be a ‘home’ or ‘overseas island’ student applying for an eligible course.

• You must be a first-year or a year 3 top-up student applying to start your studies in autumn 2025.

• You must be from at least one of the underrepresented groups outlined above.

How much will I get?

Awards vary between £500 – £3,000 depending on which underrepresented group you belong to. Bursaries are awarded in the form of credit to spend on essential study materials and resources. Some bursaries also offer an element of cash, to help with other living costs associated with student life. 

You can apply for this bursary from March 2025. The deadline for applications is Thursday 31 July 2025.

The University of Sunderland recognises the academic achievements of students applying to our undergraduate courses. To acknowledge this, we will be awarding up to 130 scholarships. Awards will be made to those with the largest increase in their academic achievement between their GCSE grades and their Level 3 qualification results. This is to reward students who may not have achieved the grades they expected in their GCSEs but are back on track with their Level 3 qualifications.

Who can apply?

• You must be a ‘home’ or ‘overseas island’ student on an eligible course.

• You must be a first-year student applying to start your studies in autumn 2025.

• You must have been awarded your GCSE qualifications in the last three years.

• You must have studied your level 3 qualification in the same year as applying for your university course.

How much will I get?

The total value of the award is £3,000; £2,400 credit and £600 cash.

You can apply for this scholarship from March 2025. The deadline for applications is Thursday 31 July 2025.

In addition to the bespoke support offered by the We Care team, we offer the We Care Bursary which awards £2,500 cash to eligible students for each year of full-time study, based on academic progression. Over a three-year course this bursary would be worth £7,500, over a four-year course, worth £10,000 and over a five-year course, it would be worth £12,500.

Who can apply?

• You must be a ‘home’ or ‘overseas island’ student on an eligible course.

• You must be studying a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate course, applying to start your studies in autumn 2025.

• You must meet the University's definition of estrangement or being care-experienced as outlined in the guidance notes.

How much will I get?

The We Care Bursary awards £2,500 cash to eligible students for each year of continuous study, based on academic progression. The bursary is paid in four instalments of £625.