'Of the Community, For the Community' Scholarship

Essential Criteria

• You hold an offer for the UU MBBS course

  You meet this criterion if you hold a Conditional Firm (CF) offer for the MBBS course starting in August 2021

  You do not need to submit evidence, the School of Medicine will confirm you meet this criterion.

• You are eligible for Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland fees status

  You meet this criterion if:

  • you are eligible for NI fee status, or
  • you are eligible for ROI fee status

  You do not need to submit evidence, the School of Medicine will confirm you meet this criterion

• A resident of Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland

  You meet this criterion if, at the start of the MBBS programme in August 2021, you:

  • hold Northern Ireland (NI) residency status or have lived in NI for 3 years
  • hold Republic of Ireland (ROI) residency status or have lived in ROI for 3 years

  Proof of address

  You can provide evidence of your home address by providing a letter that includes your name and address such as:

  • utility bill
  • bank statement
  • rent/mortgage statement
  • driving licence
  • payslip
  • NHS card
  • benefits letter.

  If you have settled status, please also provide evidence of this and further details.

• You experience financial barriers or have a low household income at the point of entry to the course at the point of entry to the course

  You meet this criterion if, at the point of entry to the MBBS course in August 2021, your household income is:

  • below £27,434 for NI applicants based on the median annual earnings (Oct 2019)
  • below €31,500 for ROI applicants based on SUSI standard rate for postgraduate study

  Evidence of income

  Please provide details of your current income and how you anticipate it will change when you commence the course.
  Where possible you should provide household income should be evidenced by providing the following.

  NI applicants

  NI applications must provide evidence of:

  • a P60 for the tax year 2020-21
  • a photocopy of a recent (within last 3 months) payslip
  • a recent income support document e.g. evidence that
  • receipt of Income Support or Working Tax Credits, or another benefits document.
  • a photocopy or screenshot of your wage slip which will confirm the level of pay and number of hours worked.

  ROI applicants

  ROI applicants should provide equivalent documentation.

Additional Criteria

Additional consideration will be given to those who meet any of the following criteria:

• You are the main carer for a family member or dependent

  You meet this criterion if:

  • you are a carer who provides unpaid care to a family member who could not cope without their support due to, for example, illness, disability, a mental health issue, or substance misuse
  • you are someone who is the sole carer/provider for dependent children

  Please provide any evidence you have to support your application. However, we understand if is not possible.

• You have been placed in care

  You meet this criterion if you have experience of being placed in care (fostering/adopted/care home or other supported residential care).

  This includes individuals who have lived in public care or as a looked-after child, including placements with foster carers under local authority care or kinship care, in a residential children's home, or who have been adopted after being in care.

  Please provide the name and contact details of the relevant social worker.

• You are in receipt of disability or personal independence payments

  You meet this criterion if you are in receipt of disability living allowance/personal independence payments/other benefits.

  Please supply a photocopy of a recent (within last 3 months) disability living allowance or personal independence payments (or equivalent in ROI).

• You live in an area of high deprivation/low participation

  You meet this criterion if you currently live in a designated area of high deprivation/low participation. High deprivation is indicated with a score of 356 or less. Please see the evidence column for tools on how to check this.

  • For NI applicants please provide a link to the page showing your
    postcode and note the deprivation rank. Applicants can check eligibility using the NISRA postcode
    checker
  • For ROI applicants please provide details or evidence. One way to do this is showing that you attended a
    DEIS post-primary.
• You went to a post-primary school with high deprivation 

  You meet this criterion if you attended a post-primary school with high deprivation indicators.

  You must provide the name and address of your secondary school.

  • NI applicants can check if they attended a secondary school with a Free School Meal Entitlement of 50% or more
  • ROI applicants can check if they live near a DEIS post-primary
• You have a medical card (ROI applicants)  

  You meet this criterion if you hold a medical card in the ROI.

  You must provide a copy of your medical card.

• You live in County Donegal (ROI applicants)

  You meet this criterion if you have a permanent home address in Co. Donegal.

  You must provide a document with your name and address. For example:

  • a utility bill
  • bank statement
  • rent/mortgage statement
  • driving licence
  • payslip
  • medical card
  • benefits letter
  • evidence and details of your settled status

Terms and conditions

• Terms and conditions of the scholarship
  • The Scholarship Panel will consider the application form, reference and supporting documentation to determine who will be awarded a Scholarship. Evaluation of applications will be on the basis of academic achievement, demonstration of impact on studies, future career potential and personal and family circumstances. The priority area of benefit is the ‘North West City Region’ and weighting will be duly given to Applicants from the Donegal, Derry and Strabane Council areas. Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the residency requirement set out in the criteria. The Scholarship Panel's decision is final. Successful Applicants will be notified as soon as possible.
  • Successful Applicants will not be permitted to hold or receive any other Scholarship and may therefore have to elect which scholarship to receive.
  • Any offer of a Scholarship is dependent upon information being truthful and accurate and upon the Applicant fulfilling all of the conditions of the Scholarship. The right to withdraw an offer is maintained in the event of any error or omission whatsoever in the information provided by or on behalf of the Applicant. The Applicant will be given 14 days' notice in writing that the offer is being withdrawn.
  • This course is regulated by the UK General Medical Council and leads to professional qualification as a doctor. Students registered on the programme are expected to demonstrate behaviours appropriate for a future doctor. If an applicant is subsequently found to have provided false information in their application for a scholarship, the School will investigate under its Fitness to Practice procedures. Sanctions can include removal from the course of study.
  • Scholarships will only be awarded to Applicants who have been formally offered a place on the designated course by the Institution.
  • Detailed feedback is not available in the case of an unsuccessful application.
  • Each Scholarship is for the named person on the application only.
  • The Scholarship will be processed as per the specified schedule following registration of the recipient with the Institution.
  • The Scholar will be notified of the schedule of payments by the Donor and/or the Institution.
  • The Scholarship will be renewed each year subject to the scholar being in good academic standing. Scholars will be expected to adhere to the regulations of the Institution and to undergo every term examination or any other examination determined by the authorities of their Institution for their course.
  • The Scholar must commence his or her programme of study during the academic year of 2021-22. The Scholar must successfully complete their programme of study within the standard timeframe. The duration of the Scholarship will be clearly stated upon confirmation of award and will not be extendable to cover any deferred or repeated year, unless the Donor elects in its sole discretion to extend the Scholarship period. Authorised postponements will be considered only in exceptional circumstances, and for a valid reason. In the event that no reasons are provided, it will remain within the discretion of the Donor to withdraw the Scholarship.
  • Payment of scholarships will be administered by the Institution on proof of registration with the Institution on the designated course.
  • The Scholar will be expected to attend a Scholarship Awards Ceremony at the Donor's premises (date to be agreed by the parties) to be formally presented with the award. The Scholar may also be required to attend an awards ceremony in the Institution and the Institution will invite a representative from the Donor to attend.
  • The Scholar will be expected to take part in the promotion of this Scholarship and may be asked for a photograph and personal statement for use in promotional material. The Scholar's contact details (email address, phone number and postal address) will be retained by the Donor for the purpose of administering the Scholarship only.
  • The Scholar will agree to allow the Institution to share certain data (name, course, student ID number, institution, etc.) with other parties within the Institution as required.
  • The Donor reserves the right to withdraw a scholarship where a student is deemed not be of good academic standing by the Institution.
  • This Scholarship is not open to friends or family members of the Donor's senior employees including Senior Director and above.
  • The Donor reserves the right to amend these Terms and Conditions on notice to the Institutions and Scholars where necessary.

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