Sport Scholarships

Sports and Coaching Scholarships Scholars evening Current Sport Scholarship Athletes

Our prestigious Scholarship Programmes support elite athletes and coaches as they combine academic and sporting excellence during their time at the University of Leeds.

Our Sport Scholarships ensure our athletes are able to compete at the highest level, whilst studying for a world-class degree, and our Coaching Scholarships give aspiring students the opportunity to work alongside our head coaches to raise club performances.

Find out more about these excellent scholarship packages below or complete the expression of interest form. If you meet the eligibility criteria outlined below and have filled out the expression of interest form you will be contacted when the application window opens.

Sports scholarships applications for September 2026 entry will open in Spring 2026 and close in early September, applications may be made once you have confirmed your academic place at Leeds. Please contact [email protected] for further information.

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Sports and Coaching Scholarships

Sports Scholarships

Sports Scholarships

Each year we award a number of Sports Scholarships to selected high performing athletes who demonstrate aspirations to compete at the highest levels within their chosen sport. In order to be eligible for a scholarship, applicants must be competing in a BUCS, Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth sports. We welcome applications from students from all backgrounds including international students.

We would expect athletes applying for the Scholarships to be competing at the following level to be eligible;

Be a member of the National Governing Body’s (NGB) performance squads, or part of the NGB pathway (U21 / equivalent).
Have achieved senior or age group representative honours at national and/or international level in the last 12 months, and/or current year.
Be part of a recognised professional club and/or academy.
Competing at a national level where applicable.
Have the ability to hit top four for individual BUCS events.

Our scholarship programme recognises the individuality of each athlete, and that needs differ from sport to sport so we provide a unique approach that tailors our scholarships to the needs of each individual athlete. There are two levels of support available with ‘Performance Sport Scholars’ having maximum access to support services, and ‘Potential Sport Scholars’ who will benefit from a wide range of services we offer to enable athletes to train to the highest level.

The services and benefits available to those given a place on the programme include:

Benefits	Performance Sport Scholar	Potential Sport Scholar
£1500 University accommodation discount (first years only, limited number available)	Included (limited number available)
S&C- up to 18hrs of sessions available per week in Gryphon Performance Hub (insert link)	Included	Included
Weekly massage clinic	Included	Included
Edge Premium Membership	Included	Included
Leisure Kit	Included	Included
Dual career support	Included	Included
Nutrition and Sport Psych workshops	Included	Included
CV skills and careers workshops	Included	Included
Physiotherapy	Included	Free initial consultation then Gryphons price (£22) for follow ups (30mins)
1-1s in Nutrition and Sport Psych	Included	Subject to needs analysis
1-1s in Lifestyle support	Included	Subject to needs analysis
Financial bursary support- maximum of £1000	Included	Included

Please note that the Sports Scholarship does not cover the cost of accommodation or tuition fees.

Coaching Scholarships

The University of Leeds awards a number of scholarships to aspiring coaches to help improve the quality and quantity of coaching available to students in clubs. Working in conjunction with the Leeds Sport team and club committees it is an excellent opportunity for students to develop their skills and grow as a coach whilst at University.

The Coaching Scholarship is an exciting opportunity for current undergraduate or postgraduate students to rise to the challenge of coaching their fellow students alongside working with senior coaches and mentors to become a more effective coach as well as articulate the transferable skills coaching gives you in real-world situations. Ideally, candidates will have an NGB Level 1 or 2 or equivalent experience in their chosen sport and be looking to build on this whilst at University.

Applications for coaching scholarships for the forthcoming academic year are accepted from February to April.

Scholars evening

Each year we host an evening dedicated to our sports scholars. The evening celebrates them and their achievements and each athlete is presented with a certificate, cementing their place on the programme. Additionally, we invite a successful sporting alumni to come and speak and inspire our current students, shedding light on their time at Leeds.