Partner Scholarships
Scholarship value
£1,000 per annum for each year of study (subject to satisfactory academic progress)
Deadline
The deadline to apply for a Partner Scholarship is 31 August. Applicants must also firmly accept an offer from the University of Kent before the 31 August deadline.
Applicants who may be eligible will be able to apply for this award through their KentVision portal after 31st January.
Criteria
You can apply for a Partner Scholarship if you are a current or former* student:
- At a University of Kent Partner School or college
- At a school in the University of Kent Academies Trust
- On the University of Kent's Access to Higher Education Diploma programme
- On the University Entrance Diploma programme at the University of Kent
You must also be a UK student and have applied to the University of Kent for an Undergraduate programme which requires the payment of full fees.
When selecting students to nominate for a Partner Scholarship, school and college staff will use the following criteria. Successful students must demonstrate in their application that they:
- Have an interest in studying programmes offered by the University of Kent (i.e. the partner scholarship should not be the determining factor in choosing to study at the University of Kent).
- Ideally have visited the University and/or engaged in preparatory activity offered by the University (to ensure that they have some broad awareness of what to expect as a student at Kent).
- Have applied to the University through the UCAS school or college centre.
- Have made a sustained contribution to their school/college and/or their local community. (It is not a condition of the partner scholarship that, as undergraduates, students will return to their former schools. However it would be advantageous if students progressing into HE were inclined to be involved in such work).
- Are well motivated and engaged with learning.
- Are reflective in their learning.
- Have a good attendance record.
Applicants must also make a firm acceptance of an offer made to them by the University before the 31 August application deadline in the year of entry. Students who have been notified that they will receive a Partner Scholarship must register with the University of Kent within four weeks of the start of that academic year in order to receive the award.
*If you are a former student then you are only eligible to apply if your most recent educational establishment falls in to one of the categories above.
Please note that KMMS students are not eligible for this scholarship.
Further details
The Partner Scholarship extends our support for students from local schools and colleges by rewarding those who will make the most positive contribution to the University community. The scholarship is worth £1,000 for each year of study and will be renewed on an annual basis, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
Two students from each Partner and UKAT School and three students from each Partner College (including one Access student per college) will be awarded scholarships. In addition, four scholarships are available to students on the University’s own Access to HE Diploma programme and one scholarship is available to a student from the University Entrance Diploma.
Whilst Partner Scholarships will be awarded by the University of Kent, the selection of successful applicants will be undertaken by their school or college, using the selection criteria. After the deadline for applications, the scholarship contact at the applicant’s last institution will be provided with the names of all the applicants from their institution. Upon request from the school/college, the application statements for students from their institution will be shared with them to aid the nomination process.
- Each school and college will nominate two students and compile a ranked reserve list of up to five additional students using the Nomination form
- In addition, each college will nominate one applicant from their Access to HE Diploma programme and compile a ranked reserve list of up to five additional students using the Nomination form
For further information please contact the Scholarships Unit by email at scholarships@kent.ac.uk
How to apply
Applicants: Apply for an undergraduate programme at the University of Kent no later than the main application deadline (usually in January), or via Clearing, in the calendar year of admission.
School Staff: Students should apply for an undergraduate programme at the University of Kent no later than the UCAS equal consideration date, or via Clearing, in the calendar year of admission.
Applicants: Apply for the scholarship via your applicant portal by 31 August.
School Staff: The school or college remind students to apply for the scholarship by 31 August deadline
Applicants: Make a firm acceptance of the offer from Kent before the 31 August application deadline in order to be considered for a scholarship. Inform your school of college of your decision. Your scholarship personal statement may be shared with the relevant staff member from your school/college if requested by them, to help them complete the nomination list required for this scholarship.
School Staff: The Headteacher (or designated scholarship contact), advised by relevant staff, will be sent a nomination form to complete at the beginning of the first week in September. The school should rank scholarship applicants based on the partner scholarship criteria and return this to outreach@kent.ac.uk by the end of the first week of September at the latest. School/college staff may request a copy of scholarship application statements for students from their school/college to help complete the nomination list if needed.
Applicants: The outcome of your scholarship application will be confirmed via your applicant portal before Welcome Week.
Please note: Communication about your scholarship application will be sent to your applicant portal via email from scholarships@kent.ac.uk so ensure that you check both your inbox and junk mail folder regularly.
School Staff: School contact emailed to confirm details of students who receive the Partner Scholarship, by the University's Welcome Week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q Who are the University of Kent's Partner Schools and Colleges?
A For a list of our Partner Schools and Colleges see: List of Partner Schools and List of Partner Colleges
Q What is the deadline for applying for a partner scholarship?
A The deadline for the submission of partner scholarship applications will be 31 August. The school or college will need to submit the nomination form to the University by the end of the first week in September in the year of entry.
Q What should I write in my supporting statement? Can I just use my UCAS personal statement?
A We will be looking for evidence that you meet the selection criteria so you should explain how you meet these criteria, giving evidence where appropriate. Whilst elements of your UCAS personal statement may be relevant it is unlikely to address the selection criteria for this award so you should not simply copy and paste it into your scholarship application. Instead, treat this like a job application by adapting your statement to the demands of this particular position.
Q Can I apply if I study for a degree part-time?
A For part-time students starting in the academic year 2022/23 the value of the financial support available will depend on the student's level of study, i.e. if a student is studying 50% of a full-time course they would be eligible for 50% of the scholarship award per annum for the duration of the degree programme.
Q If I apply for a deferred place at Kent can I still apply for a partner scholarship?
A Yes. If you have applied for a deferred place, you will be unable to see the scholarship on your applicant portal until the application cycle for your year of entry. You will therefore need to apply for the scholarship through your applicant portal by the deadline in your year of entry to the University.
Q I have tried to apply but I have been told that I am not eligible. Can I appeal against this decision?
A The University will assess the eligibility of scholarship applicants on the basis of the published criteria. If we receive an application from a student who does not meet these criteria the application will be rejected.
Our decision should be considered as final; no correspondence will be entered into in relation to issues of eligibility. However, you are able to appeal if you believe that an incorrect assessment has been made of your eligibility against the published criteria. The appeal should be sent to scholarships@kent.ac.uk for consideration.
Q When will I know if I have been awarded a partner scholarship?
A The outcome of your scholarship application will be confirmed via your applicant portal by 15 September.
Q How will the scholarship be paid?
A Scholarship funds are normally paid directly into the student's bank account in nine monthly instalments from October to June each year.
Q Will I have to use my scholarship to pay for fees/other study-related expenses?
A No. You may use the scholarship funds in any way you wish.
Q Will I have to repay the partner scholarship?
A No; it is an award, not a loan.
Q What will happen to my scholarship if I change to another course at Kent?
A A change of course at Kent will not affect your scholarship as long as the course is either at the Canterbury or Medway campus and you do not change your mode of study i.e. from full-time to part-time or vice versa. You should notify the Scholarship Unit of any changes.
Q Do I have to reapply for my partner scholarship in each year of my degree?
A No. If you progress to the next stage of your degree, your payments should resume automatically at the beginning of each academic year.
Q What will happen to my partner scholarship if I leave the University?
A You will not receive any further payments once you have left the University but you will not be expected to repay any scholarship funds that you have received whilst enrolled on an eligible programme at Kent.
Q What is 'satisfactory academic progress'?
A You must proceed at each stage to the subsequent year of your programme of study at the first attempt without trailing any failed modules.
Q How do I find out who in my school/college will be undertaking the selection for the Partner Scholarship?
A Your school/college has provided us with details of who will be undertaking this selection process. If you would like to know who this is, you can email outreach@kent.ac.uk to request this information. If we do not receive this information from your school/college by the given deadline, Partner Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of the personal statement you provided when applying for the scholarship.
Q Are Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS) students eligible to receive the scholarship?
A No - KMMS students are not eligible to receive this scholarship from the University of Kent. This is because KMMS is a collaboration between the University of Kent and Canterbury Christ Church University.