Eligibility

You must:

• have applied for a full-time undergraduate course at the University of Bristol,
• demonstrate exceptional artistic, creative, or sporting potential.

The Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship scheme is designed to attract students with exceptional abilities outside of their normal field of study. 

This means:

• a Music student is not eligible for a music Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship,
• a Liberal Arts student following the film or theatre subject pathways is not eligible for a drama Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship.

The Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship is open to UK, EU, and international students.

Who is not eligible

Continuing students are not eligible to apply for a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship.

If you choose Bristol as your insurance offer through the UCAS process, you will not be eligible for a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship. 

Scholarship-specific eligibility criteria

Applicants are expected to meet the following minimum criteria.

Music scholarship

• A minimum of grade 8 in examinations offered by the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (or equivalent).
• Demonstration of musical distinction. For example, recognised at a regional or national level through membership in national or county youth ensembles.

Drama scholarship

• Evidence of outstanding and long-term engagement with theatre-making (at school or through extra-curricular activities).
  Examples include:
  • theatre qualifications through organisations like LAMDA,
  • success in multiple roles, such as performing, directing, or production,
  • teaching other students and supporting development.

Sport scholarship

• Demonstrate a clear Commonwealth Olympic and/or professional representational pathway. It would be unusual for an award to be given to a student who had not received international honours at junior or senior level with interest to progress.
• Must not hold other funded sporting grants.

Award

Scholarships range between £1,000 and £3,000 per year.

The scholarship is awarded for three years of undergraduate study if you continue to meet the criteria for renewal. You are welcome to apply if you are on an undergraduate course lasting over three years. However, the funding is only guaranteed for the first three taught years.

The Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship is not a means-tested award and is not dependent on an application for financial support from Student Finance.

Music scholars

Part of the award will fund a programme of regular instrumental or vocal lessons. This should continue throughout the period of the award to help the scholar maintain and develop their musical abilities.

An appropriate programme of lessons will be agreed at the start of each year between the scholar and the Department of Music. The Department of Music can offer advice about potential teachers.

How to apply

1. Apply through UCAS for admission to any undergraduate course at the University of Bristol, by the UCAS deadline in the year of entry.

2. Complete the appropriate Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship application form and have your referee provide a supporting reference before the published deadline. Late applications and applications without a supporting reference will not be accepted.

3. You can apply for the Vice-Chancellor's before you are notified of the outcome of your application to study at the University.

The application process for the Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship will not affect your application to study at the University of Bristol.

Selection process

1. Applications are sent to The Departments of Music, Theatre, and Sport, Exercise, and Health for consideration.

Music applicants

Shortlisted students will be invited to submit an audition video, certified by their school or instrumental/vocal teacher. Full details will be sent to shortlisted applicants.

Sports applicants

Shortlisted students will be invited to attend an interview with Performance Squad staff to assess their suitability for the award and the Performance Squad.

Drama applicants

Students will be selected on the strength of their application and will not be expected to attend an interview or audition.

2. Each department will assess applications and decide which are:

• recommended for an offer
• placed on a reserve list
• marked unsuccessful.

Applications recommended for an offer or placed on a reserve list are ranked in order.

3. Ranked applications are sent to the Pro Vice-Chancellors for final approval.

4. Applicants will find out about their application decision via email.

The selection panel's decision is final. There is no appeal process for this scholarship and we cannot offer individual feedback.

Accepting your scholarship offer

You must email scholarships-bursaries@bristol.ac.uk to confirm your acceptance of the award by the deadline outlined in the award offer email.

You must also firmly accept your offer of a place on an eligible undergraduate course by 1 September in the year of entry.

If your offer of a place of study is conditional, you will need to fulfil any conditions and have your place confirmed by 1 September in the year of entry.

If you choose to defer your offer of a place of study, you are not able to defer an offer of a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship. You will need to reapply the following year.

Reserve applicants

If an offer of a Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship award is declined, the award will be offered to a reserve applicant.

If you are placed on a reserve list and do not receive an offer by September, your application has not been successful.

Scholarship conditions

Once you have been offered a scholarship and taken up your place at the University of Bristol, you must meet the scholarship conditions set by your department for payments to begin.

All scholars

You are required to submit three termly reports, outlining the contribution you have made during the previous term.

These are due in:

• December
• March
• June

The Departments of Music, Theatre, and Sport, Exercise and Health will use these reports to decide:

• whether you have made a satisfactory contribution,
• whether you are eligible for the next payment.

Music scholars

We expect Music scholars to audition successfully for one of the following:

• University Symphony Orchestra
• University Chamber Orchestra
• University Singers
• University Chamber Choir.

Keyboard players will participate in chamber ensemble playing, as approved by the Department of Music.

You will also be asked to participate in occasional additional concerts and workshops, organised by the Department of Music.

Drama scholars

We expect Drama scholars to contribute substantially to the drama output of the University. In previous years, this has required significant involvement with the Bristol Students' Union Dramsoc, Spotlights or Music Theatre Bristol societies, or the Theatre departmental society, InterAct.

Sport scholars

We expect Sport scholars to become members of their sporting clubs, compete in BUCS league, and attend the Performance Squad residential week during Welcome Week in the year of entry.

Scholarship renewal

At first, the scholarships will be awarded for one year.

To renew your funding for the following years, you are required to:

• meet the scholarship conditions each term,
• demonstrate your contribution in three termly reports.

The Departments of Music, Theatre, and Sport, Exercise and Health decide whether you have met the requirements to renew your scholarship.

If your department decides that you have not made a satisfactory contribution, the scholarship will be withdrawn and cannot be reinstated at any point.

Payments

1. The Departments of Theatre, Music, and Sport, Exercise and Health will confirm whether you have fulfilled the conditions of your award.

2. The Money Advice and Funding team will write to you confirming you have met the conditions of your award within the first four weeks of the academic year. You will be advised of the payment dates and amounts.

3. Awards are split into three equal instalments. Payment dates are likely to be the end of October, mid-January and mid-April.

4. Scholarship payments will be paid via BACS (bank-to-bank transfer) into your nominated UK bank account. Follow the guidance for registering bank details with the University. If you do not register your bank details, you will not receive your award.

5. You will receive an email to confirm whether your next payment will be made (based on meeting the scholarship conditions) and when. You will receive this within three weeks of your report submission.

Change in circumstances

Withdrawal or suspension of studies

• If you withdraw or suspend, you will not be asked to repay any award already received.
• If you suspend your studies, you will not continue to receive the award for the remainder of that academic year.
• After returning from a period of suspension, you should contact scholarships-bursaries@bristol.ac.uk for information about resuming your place on the scholarship.
• If you withdraw from your studies, you will also have your scholarship withdrawn.
• If you reapply for a new course in a future academic year, you will also need to reapply for a scholarship in that year.

Transferring to a new course

• Transferring to another course will not affect your award, providing the new course remains outside the activity for which your scholarship has been awarded. For example, a music scholar could not transfer to BA Music and remain eligible for the scholarship.
• Transferring to a four-year course would not extend the length of your scholarship.

Repeating a year of study

• If you repeat a year of study due to exceptional circumstances as approved by your faculty, you may be considered for an additional award in your repeat year. This will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances and funding availability.
• Awards will not normally be available if you are repeating a year of study for academic reasons.

Changing from studying full-time to part-time

• If you are changing to part-time study as approved by your faculty and department, you may be eligible for an extra award in your additional part-time year. You should contact your department to confirm this.
• Due to budget constraints, it may be necessary to continue the payments of the award on a pro-rata basis.

Year abroad or year in industry

• Awards will not be paid to students who are on a year abroad or a year in industry
• Even if students are studying at another university during their year abroad and continue to engage in drama, music, or sport at that institution, they will not be eligible to receive the award.
• Students who intercalate to another university will not be eligible to receive the award during their intercalation year.