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Are you a final year undergraduate student planning on staying on at BCU to study for a Master’s degree? You could be eligible for an Achievement Scholarship of up to £3,000!
What is an Achievement Scholarship?
The BCU Achievement Scholarship is available to all final year students who achieve a first or second class degree at undergraduate level and who wish to continue studying at Master’s level. It is a brand new Scholarship, aimed at encouraging you to fulfil your postgraduate potential by continuing your academic career at BCU.
How much is the Achievement Scholarship?
£3,000 Scholarship awarded to students with a first class honours degree.
£2,000 Scholarship awarded to students with a second class honours degree (2:1 or 2:2)
Who is eligible?
Full-time and part-time students
UK, EU and international fee-paying students
Level 7 Apprenticeship students
Are there any postgraduate courses which are exempt / not included?
ACCA Course (Full Time and Part Time)
Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses
Distance Learning Programmes
Franchise or validated course deliver at or through partner colleges
Postgraduate Certificates
Postgraduate Diplomas
PGCE and PCET
PhDs
How do I apply?
We have established a Fast Track Application process for all BCU undergraduate students who would like to take a Master’s level degree, which you can find in your student portal (see here MySRS). It will just take a few clicks to find a suitable course and complete the Fast track Application form.
How will I receive the Achievement Scholarship?
The Scholarship will be credited to your student account.
Can I have more than one Scholarship?
No, you can only hold one Scholarship, whichever represents the greater amount. If you are eligible for two Scholarships, we will automatically award you the larger of the two.
I joined Birmingham City University in the third year after gaining an HND – am I entitled to the Scholarship?
Yes, you are entitled to the Achievement Scholarship if you continue on to study at Master’s level here at BCU.
I am an ERASMUS student here at BCU – if I study my Master’s degree with you, am I entitled to the scholarship?
No, unfortunately not. It is only available to BCU graduates.
Is the Achievement Scholarship available to study at research (PhD) level?
No, unfortunately not. However, there is a range of PhD scholarships for research students and you can find details on the research pages of our website – see here research pages.
Can I apply if I only intend to undertake Master’s level study and do not intend to pursue doctoral (PhD) level?
Yes, you are eligible for the Achievement Scholarship if you achieved a first or second class undergraduate honours degree from BCU.
How long do I have to take advantage of the Achievement Scholarship?
You must continue on with your postgraduate programme straight after graduation, usually within 12 months.
Graduate in July 2018
Enrol by September 2019
Graduate in January 2019
Enrol by February 2020
Graduate in July 2019
Enrol by September 2020
Graduate in January 2020
Enrol by February 2021
How do I apply for the Achievement Scholarship?
You do not need to apply for the Achievement Scholarship itself. However, you do need to apply for the course in which you are interested in studying. We have established a Fast Track Application process for all BCU undergraduate students who would like to take a Master’s level degree, which you can find in your student portal (see here MySRS). It will just take a few clicks to find a suitable course and complete the Fast track Application form. We will automatically award the Achievement Scholarship, assuming you are eligible (ie achieve a first or second class honours degree).
Is there a deadline to apply and accept?
No, you can apply at any time for a postgraduate course (via MySRS) and, if you are eligible (ie you have a first or second class undergraduate honours degree from BCU and are continuing onto a postgraduate programme straight away), you will automatically be awarded the Achievement Scholarship. We encourage you to apply early since some programmes may be full due to popular demand.
Can I still apply for the £10,609 postgraduate government loan with the Achievement Scholarship?
Yes, if you are a UK or EU student you can apply for the government postgraduate loan. If you qualify for Student Finance England funding, please apply as early as possible as the SFE team gets very busy with applications for undergraduate loans too at certain times of the year. Applying late may lead to a delay in receiving your loan. For more information about this, click here.
Do I have to wait for my degree results to apply for a postgraduate degree?
No, you can apply straight away.
Can I defer starting my postgraduate studies for a year or more and still qualify for the Achievement Scholarship?
Unfortunately, it is not possible to carry over the scholarship to another year. We allocate funding each year and need to ensure we have funds for next year’s high-achieving graduates too.
If I don’t complete my postgraduate degree, do I have to pay back the Scholarship?
No you do not have to pay back any instalments you have already received. However, if you withdraw from the course part-way through, you will not receive any further instalments.
