Be Inspired
Undergraduate Scholarships and Bursaries
Find out more about our
Scholarships
2026 Scholarships opening soon!
Our UCFB Scholarships have been designed to encourage students from all backgrounds and abilities to embrace their time at UCFB and graduate with more than just their university degree.
These initiatives offer students the chance to become a part of the community, gain a number of individual skills that will enhance their CV and employment prospects alongside developing their overall UCFB experience.
Click the link below to register your interest for 2026 Scholarships.
Diversity and Inclusion
Elite Athlete
Social Mobility
Career Enhancement
For more information and to speak to our Scholarships Team today, contact scholarships@ucfb.com.
Our 2026
Scholarships
Our Scholarships for September 2026 will open soon – If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact scholarships@ucfb.com. You can also register your interest to apply.
The UCFB Scholarship is awarded to 2 promising students who can demonstrate that their choice of a UCFB degree will benefit them in their career ambitions. The scholarship is aimed at helping to encourage the next generation of students and industry professionals through developing their skills and supporting them on their work placements and internships.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £2,000 and is offered in the following format:
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Any prospective student holding an offer to study on a full-time course at UCFB for September 2026. .
The UCFB First Generation Scholarship is new for 2026 entry and is awarded to 2 promising students who can demonstrate that their choice of a UCFB degree will benefit them in their career ambitions. The scholarship is aimed at helping to encourage the next generation of students and industry professionals through developing their skills and supporting them on their work placements and internships.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £2,500 and is offered in the following format:
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- First generation student holding an offer to study at UCFB for September 2026.
UCFB offers an excellent environment to continue to develop in sport whilst studying for a degree. The UCFB Elite Athlete Scholarship is awarded to 2 exceptional students to acknowledge the sporting achievements of applicants who have competed at regional, national or international level in any sport within their age group.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £2,000 which includes UCFB sports kit and travel support for training, competitions and events as well as development opportunities.
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Any prospective student holding an offer to study at the UCFB Wembley or Manchester Campus, who have competed at regional, national or international level in any sport within their age group.
The UCFB Social Mobility and Inclusion Scholarship is awarded to 2 students to increase representation of people from a diverse range of backgrounds in the football and sports industry and encourage an environment where everyone can achieve a sense of belonging and pursue their goals. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate understanding of equality and contributions to inclusion initiatives.
Applicants should be students who identify as a member of a historically underrepresented community in higher education or sport including belonging to a Global Majority group* OR with a declared long-term disability AND from a low-income household.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £2,000 PLUS a student bursary, which includes UCFB sports kit and travel support for training, competitions and events as well as development opportunities.
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Any prospective student holding an offer to study at UCFB for September 2026 belonging to a global majority* group OR student with a declared long-term disability AND with a household income of less than £25,000.
*”Global majority” is a collective term for people who are “black, Asian, brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities'” and “represent approximately 80% of the world’s population”.
The UCFB South Asians in Football Leadership Scholarship aims to promote and support the growth of British South Asians in football. This scholarship aims to address the lack of participation in sports for British South Asians.
The scholarship will empower the successful candidate to push their development into the game whilst being a role model and trailblazer for other South Asians in football leadership. The scholarship award is total is £1,500
The scholarship is an award to the total value of £1,500, which includes UCFB sports kit and travel support for training, competitions and events as well as development opportunities.
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Any prospective student holding an offer to study at UCFB for September 2026 of South Asian origin including Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
The UCFB Women in Sports Leadership Scholarship is awarded to 2 outstanding female applicants who are keen to develop a career in the sports industry. Candidates should have an interest in football and the wider sports industry, the ability to set clear goals and have the drive and passion to achieve them.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £1,500, which includes UCFB sports kit and travel support for training, competitions and events as well as development opportunities.
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Female identifying prospective student holding an offer to study at the UCFB Manchester or Wembley campus for September 2026.
The UCFB Access to Coaching Scholarship (UCFB Wembley) is awarded to 2 outstanding applicants studying at the Wembley campus who are eager to develop a career in football coaching. Candidates should have an interest in football and the wider sports industry, the ability to set clear goals and have the drive and passion to achieve them.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £1,200, which includes UCFB sports kit and travel support for training, competitions and events as well as development opportunities.
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Female identifying prospective student OR Black and Asian ethnic majority prospective student holding an offer to study at the UCFB Wembley campus for September 2026 .
The UCFB Access to Coaching Scholarship (UCFB Manchester) is awarded to 2 outstanding applicants studying at the Wembley campus who are eager to develop a career in football coaching. Candidates should have an interest in football and the wider sports industry, the ability to set clear goals and have the drive and passion to achieve them.
Each scholarship is an award to the total value of £1,200, which includes UCFB sports kit and travel support for training, competitions and events as well as development opportunities.
- Financial support towards training & development
- During your first term at UCFB, the Employability and Careers Planning (ECP) team will arrange to meet with you to better understand your training and development needs.
- UCFB recognises the importance of work-based learning through placements and internships. In order to support students in gaining valuable experience and picking up additional skills. Your scholarship will put you in a great position to take advantage of any placement/intern opportunities, or access to one of our international summits.
- Gain early access to relevant Premier Events and assist on them if the opportunity arises.
- Up to £120 of the scholarship fund is allocated towards the purchase of UCFB branded Sports Kit
Eligibility Criteria
- Female identifying prospective student OR Black and Asian ethnic majority prospective student holding an offer to study at the UCFB Manchester campus for September 2026 .
Darren Williamson
Access and Widening Participation Manager
Find out more about our
Bursaries
2026 Bursaries opening soon!
UCFB Bursaries are intended to help level the playing field for students from lower income, disadvantaged and traditionally under-represented backgrounds in Higher Education.
These include undergraduate students from lower income, disadvantaged and traditionally under-represented backgrounds in Higher Education (including students from low income households and those who are a care giver, single parent, disabled student, independent learner, female student or from a global majority group) to ensure that higher education is available to everyone.
The bursary and scholarships awards represent UCFB’s commitment to accessibility and widening participation for higher education.
Bursaries
Support Payments
For more information and to speak to our Team today, contact scholarships@ucfb.com.
Our 2026
Bursaries
All applicants for a UCFB undergraduate bursary must evidence the specific criteria below. Additionally, applicants for an additional support payment must first be eligible under at least one of the bursary categories.
The Low-Income Household Bursary is for students from low-income households; it aims to ensure that finance is not a barrier for students from less affluent backgrounds to pursue higher education. Payments will continue throughout the student’s undergraduate degree programme – there is no need to reapply each year but you are expected to maintain an attendance level of at least 80% during the academic year and have a minimum of a 2:2 average throughout all years of study.
Bursary Terms:
- £1000 per year split into 2 payments of £500.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Accepted an offer to study at UCFB for the 2026-27 academic year.
- Be enrolling on the first year of a UCFB Undergraduate degree course. This may be at our Wembley or Manchester campus, or Distance (with attendance).
- Be a UK resident paying home rate tuition fees.
- Have a full tuition fee loan in place.
- Household income of £25,000 or less per year.
Evidence:
- Means-based assessment of household income, usually using a copy of your Student Finance letter showing that you have been awarded the maximum maintenance loan. Where this cannot be provided we would expect evidence of household income (e.g. P60’s, benefit eligibility, pay slip etc).
The Care Experienced / Estranged Student Bursary is for students who face specific barriers accessing Higher Education. Payments will continue throughout the student’s undergraduate degree programme – there is no need to reapply each year but you are expected to maintain an attendance level of at least 80% during the academic year and have a minimum of a 2:2 average throughout all years of study.
Bursary Terms:
- £2000 per year split into two payments of £650 and a final payment of £700
Eligibility Criteria:
- Accepted an offer to study at UCFB for the 2026-27 academic year.
- Be enrolling on the first year of a UCFB Undergraduate degree course. This may be at our Wembley or Manchester campus, or Distance (with attendance).
- Be a UK resident paying home rate tuition fees.
- Have a full tuition fee loan in place.
- To be eligible for the care experienced bursary, the applicant will need to have spent at least 13 weeks of the last five years, in local authority care, prior to the start of their course.
- To be eligible as estranged from their parents/guardians, the student should be under the age of 25 years and have had no contact with their parents/guardians for at least 12 months before the start of their course and be unlikely to have a relationship with them again.
Evidence:
- Letter from Local Authority confirming care experience
- Estrangement evidence can be provided via a maintenance loan application proving estrangement
Applicants for an additional support payment must first be eligible for either the Low-Income Household Bursary or the Care Experienced / Estranged Student Bursary in order to apply for the below one-off additional Support Payment(s).
Pre-enrolment program for Care Experienced / Estranged student to ensure transitional support into higher education through financial / accommodation support and integration into university.
Financial support includes:
- Reserved up to £500 funding to be accessed before formal enrolment to pay the required deposit needed to secure UCFB accommodation.*
- ‘Moving in starter pack’ supplied by ‘Uni Kit Out’ worth £200 ready on day of arrival to UCFB accommodation.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Eligible for Care Experienced / Estranged Student bursary
A financial imbursement to help support students that regularly look after a sick, elderly, or disabled person.
Support Payment Terms:
- £500 one-off payment in the first year of study
Eligibility Criteria:
- Current Care Giver
Evidence:
- Letter from Local Authority or significant body confirming student is a carer
A financial imbursement to help support students with disabilities who may face higher financial commitments due to their disability.
Support Payment Terms:
- £250 one-off payment in the first year of study
Eligibility Criteria:
- Entitled to DSA or other recognised disability payments such as: PIP, ESA and previous DLA recipients
Evidence:
- English SFE DSA evidence form
- Evidence usually needs to be Equality Act 2010 (or DDA in NI) compliant for each impairment/condition meaning it clearly shows:
- The condition in its untreated/uncorrected state has a negative impact on your ability to carry out ‘normal’ day-to-day activities.
- The condition or impairment has lasted for at least 12 months (or is expected to last for at least 12 months).
- Evidence usually needs to be Equality Act 2010 (or DDA in NI) compliant for each impairment/condition meaning it clearly shows:
A financial imbursement to help show commitment to removing barriers for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds, that might not have the same access to Higher Education than others.
N.B. “Global majority” is a collective term for people who are “black, Asian, brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities'” and “represent approximately 80% of the world’s population”.
Support Payment Terms:
- £500 one-off payment in the first year of study
Eligibility Criteria:
- Global majority identifying student
A financial imbursement to help show a commitment to removing barriers for students from the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Community, that might not have the same access to Higher Education than others.
Support Payment Terms:
- £500 one-off payment in the first year of study
Eligibility Criteria:
- Gypsy, Roma or Traveler Community Identifying Student
A financial imbursement to help support independent learners.
Support Payment Terms:
- £250 one-off payment in the first year of study
Eligibility Criteria:
- 25 or over on the first day of the academic year or
- Has been supporting themselves independently for at least 3 years or
- Has the care of a person under the age of 18 on the first day of the academic year*.
Evidence:
- SFE entitlement letter or equivalent
- *Any of the following: single person council tax benefit and birth certificate, letter from school or childcare setting, universal credits account or child tax and working tax credits awards.
A financial imbursement to help show a commitment to nurturing and supporting women in sport.
Support Payment Terms
- £250 one-off payment in the first year of study
Eligibility Criteria
- Female identifying student
Siân Hillis
UCFB Graduate
Women's Academy Coach at Arsenal FC and Community Champion at the FA
How to Apply
Step 1
Decide
Your Scholarship or Bursary
The first step is to review our Scholarship and Bursary offering. We recommend you study this in detail, and ensure you match the eligibility criteria of the award, bursary, or support payment you are applying for.
Step 2
Apply via
The UCFB Learner Portal
The next step is to apply by logging into the UCFB Learner Portal. Please remember, you MUST be a current offer holder on one of our undergraduate degree courses.
Step 3
Congratulations on
Submitting your Application
Thank you for submitting your application! Once applications are received and the deadline closed, our internal panel will decide on your application and you will be contacted before the start of the academic year.
