Sporting Excellence Scholarships for water-based sports
Learn about our Sporting Excellence Scholarship scheme
What are Sporting Excellence Scholarships?
If you are a
University of Plymouth student studying a full-time degree level course whilst competing at an international level in a water based sport, such as swimming or sailing, you may be eligible to apply for one of our Sporting Excellence Scholarships. There are five awards of £800 available per scholar per year.
Applicants must meet our shortlisting criteria, and successful scholars are determined by a shortlisting panel based on the information and evidence provided in written applications. Students must re-apply annually.
If you are an international student who requires a Student (formerly Tier 4) visa please read our information regarding working restrictions on a Student/Tier 4 visa. It is not usually possible for Student visa holders to apply for these scholarships due to these restrictions.
Shortlisting criteria
- A world/international ranking (county rankings do not apply).
- Selected by the respective National Governing Body to represent their country e.g. GB training camps.
- Podium potential athletes or on route to be.
- Have the ability to compete at the top competitive level e.g. Olympic or Paralympic Games.
- Exceptional athlete that have already represented their country at an international level.
- Supporting letter from Governing body.
How to apply
Our Sporting Excellence Scholarships inspire and enable you to achieve your sporting goals alongside your academic studies.
To apply for a Sporting Excellence Scholarship, please complete the application form, submitting with a sports portfolio (including media coverage and past achievements) plus a letter of support from your National Governing Body to:
Sporting Excellence Scholarships,
External Relations,
Hepworth House,
University of Plymouth,
Drake Circus,
Plymouth,
PL4 8AA
Deadlines
Applications for the 2020/2021 round of Sporting Excellence Scholarships are now closed. The successful applicants will be advised shortly and award of funds made in November 2020.
To align with the majority of sporting events, which take place over the summer months, the next round of applications for the 2021/2022 financial year will open on 2 August 2021 with a deadline of 31 August 2021. Award of funds will then be made in November 2021.
Further information
Telephone: +44 1752 588000
Our Sporting Excellence Scholars
Alice Read finishes highly in 2020 Croatia PWA World Tour
Alice, a third-year Ocean Science and Marine Conservation student at the University of Plymouth, competed in the 2020 Professional Windsurfers Association (PWA) windsurf event in Bol, Croatia, finishing third place in the women’s slalom and second in the women’s foil discipline.
Alice became a part-time student in her final year to windsurf and train in the winter before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Following her outstanding achievements in Croatia, Alice plans on completing her course and graduating next year before aiming for the Olympics.
Credit: Wozniak / pwaworldtour.com
Alice training in Tarifa, Spain (February 2020)
“I wish to pursue my Paris 2024 Olympic campaign in the IQ Foil discipline, so my career will be focused around the British Sailing Team until then. The support from the University through the Sporting Excellence Scholarship and allowing me to go part-time in my final year has really helped. I am always applying what I have learnt in my degree to my training sessions!”– Alice Read, Sporting Excellence Scholar
Great Britain’s artistic swimmers, including Cerys Hughes (top left), win another silver medal at the FINA World Series in Paris 2020
“I chose to study Psychology at Plymouth during my time at sixth form as this was an area that I have always been interested in along with the fact that the knowledge I am gaining can be applied to my sport of synchronised swimming. The opportunity to study for a degree which could help me improve my sports performance both in and out of the pool, as well as being able to apply this in training and competition both for the University and the country made Plymouth the perfect place for me to carry out my studies.”
–
Cerys Hughes, Sporting Excellence Scholar