Bursaries, Scholarships and Awards

The University provides scholarships and bursaries to help students during their degree programmes.  In addition to these, the School of Physics and Astronomy offers a number of bursaries and scholarships to help with the finances of our students. Click on a heading below for more details. If you have any queries that are not addressed here, please contact the admissions office.

The scholarships below refer to new students commencing their studies in 2022.

Physics Entry Achievement Scholarship (UK students)

The Physics Entry Achievement Scholarship, for UK undergraduate physics students, enables you to be recognised and rewarded for your excellent academic achievements before arriving as a student at the University of Birmingham.

The Physics Entry Achievement Scholarship consists of £1000 bank transfer during year 1 semester 1 for all students who meet the criteria below.

No application is required, all those who meet the conditions above will be contacted by the end of welcome week 2022.

To be eligible for this award you must:

* Conversion from other qualification systems is calculated internally by the university, to enquire about your qualifications, please contact the student recruitment team.

Other scholarships

Please see the University's funding database for details of other University-administered scholarships.

Poynting Scholarship for International Students

Poynting Achievement Scholarship

The Poynting Achievement Scholarship, for international undergraduate physics students, celebrates your significant success in achieving your place as a student at the University of Birmingham.

The Poynting Achievement Scholarship consists of £1500 bank transfer during semester 1 of each year of your undergraduate degree for all students who meet the criteria below.

To be eligible for this award you must:

To renew this award in a subsequent year of study you must:

  • Hold Poynting Achievement Scholarship or Poynting Excellence Scholarship in the previous academic year.
  • Achieve 70% year average at the first attempt in your previous year of study.
  • Renewal will pause for years spent in international study or intercalated study and will restart during your return to study at in School of Physics and Astronomy at Birmingham based on the performance from the year before your year out.

No application is required, all those who meet the conditions above will be contacted by the end of welcome week 2022.

Poynting Excellence Scholarship

The Poynting Excellence Scholarship, for international undergraduate physics students, enables you to be recognised and rewarded for your excellent academic achievements before arriving as a student at the University of Birmingham.

The Poynting Excellence Scholarship consists of £3000 bank transfer during year 1 semester 1 for all students who meet the criteria below. Holders of this award become eligible for the Poynting Achievement Scholarship renewal after year 1.

No application is required, all those who meet the conditions above will be contacted by the end of welcome week 2022.

To be eligible for this award you must:

*Conversion from other qualification systems is calculated internally by the university, to enquire about your qualifications, please contact the student recruitment team.

Other scholarships

You may also be interested in the University's funding database for details of other University-administered scholarships.

Physics Music Scholarship (UK and International students)

In the School of Physics and Astronomy we want to enable you to excel in your academic journey as well as your performance in extracurricular activities. For those who have achieved a grade 8 in a music qualification, we understand that your commitment to both academics and music are important to you and we want to support you to continue your excellence in both.

The Physics Music Scholarship consists of up to 10 music lessons per year for all students who meet the criteria below. The lessons are organised by the university music department and may be from tutors at the university or Birmingham Conservatoire, depending on availability. Lessons will be for one instrument a year, which you should be playing at a grade 8 level.

Eligible applicants will be contacted with an application after they have been accepted to the university in August 2022, relevant deadlines will be outlined during that communication.

To be eligible for this award you must:

To renew this award in a subsequent year of study you must:

  • Hold this award in the previous academic year.
  • Achieve 60% year average at the first attempt in your previous year of study.
  • Renewal will pause for years spent in international study or intercalated study and will restart during your return to study at in School of Physics and Astronomy at Birmingham based on the performance from the year before your year out.
  • Use at least 5 hours of lessons in the previous year and engage with the lessons to a satisfactory level as judged by the music tutor.

Physics Sports Scholarship (UK and International students)

In the School of Physics and Astronomy we want to enable you to excel in your academic journey as well as your performance in extracurricular activities. If you are playing sport at a top level, we understand that your commitment to both academics and sport are important to you and we want to support you to continue your excellence in both.

The Physic Sports Scholarship consists of a bank transfer of £800 per year for the top 1-4 students who meet the criteria below.

Applicant's sporting achievements will be considered by University of Birmingham Sport and those who are most likely to contribute highly to university level teams will be successful. This is normally those who are playing at least junior regional or national level.

Eligible applicants will be contacted with an application after they have been accepted to the university in August 2022, relevant deadlines will be outlined during that communication.

To be eligible for this award you must:

To renew this award in a subsequent year of study you must:

  • Hold this award in the previous academic year.
  • Achieve 60% year average at the first attempt in your previous year of study.
  • Renewal will pause for years spent in international study or intercalated study and will restart during your return to study at in School of Physics and Astronomy at Birmingham based on the performance from the year before your year out.
  • Maintain sporting standards as judged by University of Birmingham sport.