Sports scholarships

The University of Leicester and Sport and Active Life support Individual student athletes to pursue the highest levels in their sport, alongside their academic studies, whilst benefitting from support services and a targeted financial contribution, aimed at assisting each individual to reach their potential.

In 2023-24 the University of Leicester and Sport and Active Life have two award opportunities open to student athletes. Interested student athletes must demonstrate a commitment to continued growth, development and personal excellence, whilst meeting the academic eligibility criteria to be considered for both advertised awards.

Elite Athlete Award

The Elite award was introduced to offer high performance athletes at undergraduate or postgraduate level the opportunity to benefit from a level of support, aimed at assisting each individual to reach their potential.

We are looking to receive applications from student athletes who are currently part of their respective sports, National Governing Bodies/Federation pathway programmes, or have in the past 18 months represented their respective National Governing Bodies/Federations at International sporting competitions.

If your application is successful, you will be eligible to receive the following.

• Complimentary University of Leicester annual sports facility gold membership and Team Leicester club membership
• Limited Physiotherapy support package is offered to each awardee (Delivered at Sports Medicine Clinic, Leicester)
• Individualised physical conditioning programme
• Athlete life skills coaching programme
• Provision of kit
• Quality coaching within the Team Leicester environment
• Financial contribution on agreed items up to £2,000 (e.g. travel expenses, equipment, specialist coaching, nutritional advice)

The Elite Athlete award is decided by the sports scholarship panel on a case by case basis. Priority will be given to individuals who demonstrate a commitment to represent or play a full part in a respective Team Leicester sport, which features within the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Programmes.

The University of Leicester and Sport and Active Life reserve the right to make awards to applicants whose sports fall outside the BUCS sport programmes, if the applicant is currently representing their respective NGB at World, Olympic or Paralympic level.

If an applicant is already receiving an APA award as part of their National Governing Body programme status, the University of Leicester Sport and Active Life reserve the right to not award a financial contribution and or an Elite Athlete Award for 2023-24.

Coaching and Officiating Pathway Award

The Coaching and Officiating Pathway Award has been established to provide students at undergraduate or postgraduate level the opportunity to benefit from agreed individualised support, aimed at assisting each individual along their continuous coaching or officiating learning journey.

We are looking to receive applications from students who aspire to achieve the highest levels in sport, personally and professionally through National Governing Body qualification pathways.

Examples

• (i) an applicant is aspiring to apply to attend a coaching qualification with their respective NGB
  (ii) an applicant wishes to further develop their knowledge and skills by attending further continued professional development or qualifications. E.g. 
  safeguarding course or Emergency First Aid course.

If your application is successful, you will be eligible to receive the following:

• Financial contribution towards identified and agreed National Governing Body continuous learning and qualification pathways. *Please note; the financial contribution we offer successful applicants, may not cover the full qualification costs, you have requested.
• Performance lifestyle support.

Already have a coaching/officiating qualification?

Sport and Active Life are currently compiling a database of national governing body qualified student coaches and officials who would potentially be interested in gaining coaching or officiating experience in our campus leagues and Team Leicester clubs. If you already hold either a coaching or officiating qualification, please contact Steve Bayley smb76@le.ac.uk or Jack Melia jm960@le.ac.uk to discuss potential opportunities. 

Eligibility criteria (academic)

For both awards you must successfully achieve a place on a course for the 2023-24 academic year at The University of Leicester or already be studying here (all courses are eligible, both undergraduate and postgraduate).

Advice for applicants

When applying for one of our two awards, please be aware of the following:

• Each academic year the number of received applications exceeds the available number of scholarship awards.
• Meeting both the eligibility (academic) and individual award performance level criteria does not guarantee an applicant will receive an award. Please take the time to carefully read all of the published information.
• For both awards, successful applicant’s academic eligibility for 2023-24 will be checked by the University of Leicester academic student records department prior to any final award confirmation.
• Both awards are only valid for one academic year. All applicants must reapply each academic year.
• If you are unsuccessful in your application the first time around you can apply again in your succeeding academic years.
• If your application is successful, awardees will be expected  to provide help in promoting the sporting profile of the University in any way seen fit by the University.