Medical Education Scholarships

Ulster University provides financial assistance to a limited number of eligible students who are successful in obtaining a place to study full-time on the Graduate Entry Medicine programme (MBBS) at the Ulster University School of Medicine.

Several scholarships of different values are supported annually by a number of generous donors. These scholarships are aimed at students who have had and/or continue to experience challenges and where finances present as a barrier to accessing a medical education.

Applications for entry in August 2025 are now open. The deadline for applications is 11.59PM on 30th June 2025.

Complete the application form

Please check the details in your application form are correct as the university will not seek any further clarification or information from you about your application form.

If you have any technical difficulties completing the application, please contact: communityscholarships@ulster.ac.uk

There are eight scholarships available for students starting the MBBS programme in the 2025/26 academic year.

Applicants will only be considered for a scholarship if they meet all essential criteria.

Essential Criteria

1. 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 2025.

2. You are eligible for NI or ROI Fee Status - You meet this criterion if, at the start of the MBBS programme in August 2025, you:

• you hold Northern Ireland residency status
• you are ordinarily resident in Northern Ireland for the 3 year period immediately prior to August 2025
• you hold Republic Of Ireland residency status
• you are ordinarily resident in Republic Of Ireland for the 3 year period immediately prior to August 2025

You will need to provide proof of address by providing documentation that includes your name and address such as utility bill, bank statement, rent/mortgage statement, driving licence, payslip, NHS card or benefits letter.

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

3. You experience financial barriers or have a low household income at the point of entry to the course - You meet this criterion if, at the point of entry to the MBBS course in August 2025, your household income is:

• below £34,400 for NI applicants based on the median annual earnings (Oct 2024)
• below €40,602 for ROI applicants

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 your 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

You are care experienced - You meet this criterion if you have experience of being placed in care (fostering/adopted/care home or other supported residential care), for three months or longer.

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.

NB: you will be asked to 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.

NB: you will be asked to supply a photocopy of a recent (within last 3 months) disability living allowance or personal independence payment (or equivalent in RoI).

You live in an area of high deprivation/low participation - For NI applicants, you meet this criterion if your home address is in a designated area of high deprivation/low participation. Applicants can check eligibility using the NISRA postcode checker. High deprivation is indicated with a score of 356 or less.

For ROI applicants, you meet this criterion if your home address is rated as Disadvantaged,  Very Disadvantaged or Extremely Disadvantaged by the 2022 Pobal HP Deprivation Indices.

You have a medical card (RoI applicants) - You meet this criterion if you hold a medical card in the RoI.

NB: when requested, you must provide a copy of your medical card.

Scholarship-specific Information

Please note, in addition to the essential and additional criteria listed above, certain donors have specific criteria. You only need to submit one application and will be considered for all scholarships for which you meet the criteria.