Student Performance Sport Scholarship Programme

The University of Bath aims to be the best environment to enable academic and athletic potential and was the first UK university to offer sport scholarships. Aligning with the Student Performance Sport and Breakthrough Programmes, Sport Scholarships add value by providing financial support to assist athlete development and rewarding an individual’s effort toward continual improvement.

Four medallists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games were past or present scholars – swimming champion Tom Dean, artistic swimming silver-medallist Kate Shortman, judo silver-medallist Prisca Awiti-Alcaraz, and rowing bronze-medallist Becky Wilde.

It was a third Olympic gold – following a historic double at Tokyo 2020 – for Dean, who studied Mechanical Engineering and trains on campus with the Aquatics GB Bath Performance Centre. He tells us how his Bill Whiteley Scholarship helped his sporting journey…

Other top athletes to have received scholarship support are London 2012 Olympic silver medallists Michael Jamieson (swimming) and Samantha Murray (modern pentathlon), PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic bronze-medallist Dom Parsons (skeleton), and Tokyo 2020 champions Joe Choong (modern pentathlon) and Anna Hopkin (swimming).

Support and eligibility

A scholarship is a non-repayable cash award. Scholarships are paid in instalments and there are no restrictions on how you spend any award. Scholarships come from a variety of sources and are funded through the generosity of alumni, corporate partners and other donors. The number and value of sport scholarships may therefore vary each year.

To be eligible for a scholarship, student-athletes must:

1. Meet the criteria of the Breakthrough Programme & Sport Scholarship Specific Criteria.
2. Be completing a minimum of 30 credits studying at the University of Bath
3. Not be serving a period of ineligibility as a result of an anti-doping rule violation
4. Nor have been found guilty of misconduct according to Student Regulation 7 – Disciplinary Regulations for Students.

Current scholarships

The following scholarships were awarded during the 2024-25 academic year.

• Bill Whiteley Sports Scholarship: Both Tom Dean and Kate Shortman won Olympic medals while supported by a Bill Whiteley Scholarship and other notable recipients include England netballers Sophie Drakeford-Lewis and Sophie Kelly.
• Bill Burden Sports Scholarship: The Bill Burden Sports Scholarship is donated to the University from Claines Ltd, an intellectual property consultancy founded by Bath alumnus Stephen Carter. The scholarship celebrates the memory of Bill Burden. Bill was a dear member of Stephen’s wife’s family, a keen sportsman and a previous sports master at King Edward’s School in Bath.
• Hudson Powell Sports Scholarship: The Hudson Powell Sports Scholarship is funded by alumni and friends in memory and recognition of two late University of Bath sporting giants – legendary football coach Ivor Powell and Dr Tom Hudson, the trailblazing Director of Sport who established the UK’s first university sporting scholarships at Bath in 1976.
• Trendell Sports Scholarship: The Trendell Sports Scholarship celebrates the memory of Bath alumnus Jeff Trendell, whose generous legacy gift established the Trendell Sports Scholarship in honour of his love of sports.
• Santander Sports Scholarship: Santander Universities provide philanthropic support across education, employability and entrepreneurship at the University of Bath. Santander are delighted to establish the Santander Sports Scholarship for 2024/25 in support of Bath’s impressive high-performing athletes.

Application and selection process

Applications for the 2025-26 academic year will open shortly. To apply for a sport scholarship, individuals will have to complete an online form for the Breakthrough Programme, providing information detailing how they meet the sporting criteria. To apply to a Sport Scholarship, tick “Yes” to question number 14 of the form.

Candidates will be shortlisted based on the selection criteria and supporting statements. Shortlisted candidates will then be invited to an informal interview with the Performance Sport Officer and Head of Performance Sport. The final selection panel will then meet before the end of October with voting members including:

• • 1. Pro-Vice Chancellor (Student Experience).
    2. Director of Sport.
    3. Deputy Director of Sport.
    4. Head of Student Performance Sport.
    5. Performance Sport Officer.
    6. SU Sport Officer.
    7. Scholarships and Bursaries Manager.
    8. Philanthropy Manager (Sports Scholarships).
    9. Donor Relations Manager.

Non-voting independent advisors, observers and note takers may also be present.

Scholarships will only be awarded to applicants who meet the selection criteria at the time of allocation. However, sports scholarships are highly competitive, discretionary and limited in number so even if you meet all of the criteria your application may not be successful.

Individuals who reach the panel stage will be emailed the outcome of their application following the panel meeting. The University cannot be responsible for any errors, omissions or delays in the information supplied to it and on which eligibility decisions are based. All award decisions are made at the University’s discretion. The University’s decision on the interpretation of eligibility criteria is final and there is no right of appeal.

Team Bath Athlete Agreement

Please note the terms and conditions of our Team Bath Athlete Agreement [click here for the current terms].