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This scholarship aims to attract undergraduate students from a broad range of backgrounds to tackle the lack of Black representation within the Physics & Astronomy field.
The Opportunity Scholarship is a long-term project to attract students from a broader range of backgrounds to tackle the lack of Black representation in Physics & Astronomy. The scholarships are open to UK-domiciled students with home fee status who identify as Black pursuing an undergraduate degree at UCL. The scholarships will cover students’ full maintenance loans for the duration of their degree. The Opportunity Scholarship has been made possible by a generous legacy from a former UCL student.
Background
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is committed to improving the representation and progression of Black, Asian and minority ethnic students (BAME) students.
As evidenced in our student data there is a noticeable representation gap in specific minority ethnicity groups, which carries through into all other avenues of progression, both postgraduate studies, and continuing issues with academic and industrial representation throughout the Physics & Astronomy sector.
The aim of this scholarship is therefore to tackle this gap by increasing the number of Black British students studying at undergraduate level to improve our pipeline of minority ethnic students progressing into more advanced study or industry. While there is no expectation that scholarship recipients will progress to further study or sector specific employment, raising awareness of Physics & Astronomy as an area of study for Black British students is important.
The creation of this scholarship is seen as an additional tool in our outreach programme, allowing us entry to more secondary schools and working to overcome negative perceptions of STEM subjects amongst students and parents. By providing this scholarship, we hope to use it to open doors and access audiences for outreach we may have found difficult previously.
Application Form
The application is an online form, which can be accessed here. Please note that form submissions cannot be altered once submitted. Please contact PhysAst.Scholarship@ucl.ac.uk if you wish to amend information after submission.
A PDF copy of the application form is available for download from the righthand column of this webpage. Please note that this should not be completed, we require submissions to be made through the online form. The PDF is for information only.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have any questions about The Physics & Astronomy Opportunity Undergraduate Scholarship? Read the frequently asked questions below. If you can’t find the answer to your question, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Eligibility
- What are the eligibility criteria?
The Opportunity Scholarship aims to enable Black identifying students which are underrepresented within Physics & Astronomy to pursue undergraduate students at UCL.
Candidates must:
- Be UK domiciled and home fee status, or be a forced migrant (as defined by UCL).
- Have not completed a degree either at UCL or elsewhere previously.
- Hold an offer of admission to study on one of Physics & Astronomy’s undergraduate degree programmes for the 2024/25 intake (commencing in September 2024).
- Identify as Black or Black British
- Come from a lower socio-economic background, as based on household income.
- Which degree programmes are included?
All our three and four-year undergraduate degree programmes are included. Please see full list below.
- BSc Astrophysics (3 years F510)
- BSc Physics (3 years F300)
- BSc Theoretical Physics (3 years F340)
- MSci Astrophysics (4 years F511)
- MSci Physics (4 years F303)
- MSci Theoretical Physics (4 years F345)
- Which Black identifying ethnicities are eligible?
Candidates for this award must identify as one of the following ethnicities:
- Black or Black British - Caribbean
- Black or Black British – African
- Other Black background
- Mixed - Black African
- Mixed - Black Caribbean
- Will I be assessed on my academic merit for the Opportunity Scholarship?
You must meet our academic requirements for the degree. You must have received and accepted an offer to study an undergraduate programme in 2024/25 to be able to apply for an Opportunity scholarship. We will not assess your academic ability further.
- How will my UK domiciled and home fee status be assessed?
Your UK domiciled and home fee status will be assessed by the Admissions teams and your offer letter will state what your fee status is.
Applying to the Opportunity Scholarship
- Do I need to have accepted an offer to study at UCL first?
Candidates applying for an Opportunity Undergraduate scholarship must have received an offer from UCL Physics & Astronomy to study an undergraduate programme starting in September 2024. You must have accepted your offer in order to apply to the Opportunity Scholarship.
- Do I need to have an unconditional offer to study an undergraduate programme with Physics & Astronomy?
No. Your offer can be unconditional or conditional.
- What is the application process?
Once you have accepted an offer from Physics & Astronomy you can submit your application for the Opportunity Scholarship. This will be an online application form, and no additional supporting documents are required. We will consider your educational, personal and financial circumstances. You will need to demonstrate these in your application form.
The selection panel will assess your application based on the information provided on your scholarship application form. The assessment of applications will be made in relation to the eligibility criteria.
- When does the application form open?
The application is now open
- Is there a deadline for applying?
20th June 2024
- How soon after applying will I find out the outcome?
The successful applicants will be notified by email in July 2024. Those with conditional offers will need to meet the entry requirements in order to confirm their award allocation.
Scholarship Value
- How much is the scholarship worth?
The Opportunity Scholarship is meant to cover the standard maintenance stipend and for 2023/24 is £12,400 per year.
- How many years of funding will I get?
You will be funded for the full length of your programme. This may be three or four years depending on your programme.
- Will the award be paid directly to me?
The award will be paid to you in three termly instalments (October, January and April).
- If I have to relocate to London to study is there any financial support available?
There is no additional funding to cover relocation.
