Citizens of Change

In 1921, the first eleven Citizens of Change enrolled on our campus. One hundred years later, we honour their legacy with our unique ‘Citizens of Change scholarships.

Whether you’re an inventor, an activist, an entrepreneur or a dreamer, we want to hear about your ambitions for making the world a better place. 

To be considered, record and share a video (60 seconds max.) in response to the question: What do you want to change?

This could be anything; globally or closer to home, affecting wider society or you personally, there is no change too big or small.

What's on offer?

25 scholarships for UK students - £15,000 (£5,000 per year for the first 3 years of your course).

50 scholarships for UK students - £7,500 (£2,500 per year for the first 3 years of your course).

Who is eligible?

Any UK student who has applied to the University of Leicester and who holds an offer to study with us on a full time campus-based undergraduate course starting in September 2024. Successful applicants will need to have made Leicester their firm choice and have met the conditions of their offer (please see the below terms and conditions).

How do I apply?

Create a short video (60 seconds max.) that answers the question: “What do you want to change?”. The video must be in portrait orientation – we suggest making use of TikTok or Instagram Reels.

Submit your video URL by completing the Citizens of Change Scholarship submission form. If creating your video on TikTok or Instagram don't forget to tag @uniofleicester and #CitizensOfChange.

We're not looking for filmmaking or acting skills, but instead how you approach the question and what your ambitions to change the world are.

You do not have to appear on screen in the video yourself, and may also submit your video as part of a group (up to a maximum of 5 people) - so long as at least one of you holds an offer at the University of Leicester. So, you can get your friends, family and pets involved.

Scoring

So, how are we scoring your videos? We are looking at three main categories and we’ve included some guidance below to show you what are student scoring panel will be looking for.

Realism

In this category, we’re really looking at whether you’ve considered the ability to achieve the change you’re hoping to see. Is it actually possible? It doesn’t have to be something you yourself need to be in a position to change but what you have said does need to be, ideally, something that can be achieved.

Creativity

By creativity, we don’t mean how good your video skills are. This is about your thought process, your idea and how you’ve approached the topic and how you’ve demonstrated your idea. Does your concept stand out from the crowd?

Impact

At Leicester, we are Citizens of Change. We want to make a difference in the world. Would what you want to change really make a difference to the topic you’ve specified? Have you demonstrated this in your video?

Terms and conditions

See below for further detail on how to submit your entry, alongside timelines and deadlines.