Sports Scholarships Programme 2026/27

• Cash bursary of up to £3,000 — dependent on sport, level and BUCS performance.
• 25% tuition fee reduction.
• £1,000 accommodation fee reduction.
• Access to Athlete-Friendly Accommodation located close to sports facilities.
• Free access to the Indoor Athletics Centre and Sports Centre Gym.
• Weekly complimentary sports massage sessions with our external physiotherapist.
• Complimentary Sports Scholar kit.
• Free access to S&C, nutrition, sport psychology, physiology/biomechanics and lifestyle support.
• Free Union Sports Membership.
• Option to purchase a parking permit, including for students residing on campus.

The full scholarship package is worth up to approximately £7,500 for home students and £11,300 for international students, depending on course fees and scholarship level.

* Cash awards vary annually depending upon sport, funding and support.

Anyone can apply for an award as long as they have met the academic requirements for a course and subsequently been given a conditional or unconditional place at Brunel University London. 

As main criteria, all applicants must be able to demonstrate sporting achievement at junior international level or equivalent in one of the priority sports listed below and/or evidence a top 10 age ranking within their chosen sport.

Please note, that competition for scholarships can be very high and you must be able to show evidence of your sporting achievements and supporting information from your National Governing Body Performance Director/National Coach. Meeting these criteria is not a guarantee for a Scholarship award.

Our Sport Scholarship Programme award will contain exclusive benefits that focus on access to great training facilities as well as support facilities all available on campus. We have a wide range of talented students at Brunel University of London, therefore the programme is designed to benefit those students from a world-class performance level competing at an international level through to English Schools Champions. 

There are two Sports Scholarship levels available: Elite and Performance.

The Elite Sports Scholarship is for student-athletes competing at the highest levels of their sport and includes all core scholarship benefits, plus access to a cash bursary of up to £3,000.

The Performance Sports Scholarship is for talented student-athletes with the potential to make a significant impact for Brunel Sport and in BUCS competition. This package includes all core scholarship benefits, excluding the cash bursary.

Applicants should demonstrate a strong sporting profile, such as national-level competition, high UK rankings, international or professional experience, or clear BUCS medal/finalist potential. Team-sport athletes from Brunel performance clubs may also be considered where they are identified by their coach as key first-team players.

Priority Sports

Students that compete in one of the Universitie's performance sports, see list below, will be given priority for scholarships, however all other sports, espeically BUCS sports, will be considered.

Our performance sports are:

Athletics, American Football, Volleyball, Football, Futsal, Netball.

Cash Awards

Team sports scholars who are awarded the Elite Scholarship can be awarded upto £1000. The scholar must meet requirements such as competing in BUCS before they are awarded the money.

Individual sports scholars who are awarded the Elite Scholarship can be awarded upto £400. The scholar must meet requirements such as competing in BUCS before they are awarded the money.

Individual sports scholars can also win money for BUCS medals:

Gold - £1000

Silver - £500

Bronze - £250

Please note that there is a financial reward cap of £3,000 for all BUCS performances in one academic year.  Further terms and conditions apply.

You can view and submit the application form here.

The deadline for applications is 31st August.

Late applications may be considered after these dates (through Clearing) but will be subject to the scholarship committees decision.

Please contact chris.hepworth@brunel.ac.uk if you have any questions. 

I’m Dillon Ryan, a long jumper in the sport of athletics that has competed at national and international level for Ireland. My enrollment as a Brunel Sports Scholar has profoundly enriched not only my athletic journey but also significantly enhanced my university experience.

Living on Brunel campus has been a strategically advantageous choice for most of my stay at university. It has been highly beneficial, primarily due to its time-saving convenience, offering direct access to the state-of-the-art indoor athletics facilities located right at my doorstep.

The pinnacle of my experience within the sports scholarship program was the moment I won the gold medal at the 2023 Outdoor BUCS in the long jump. This accomplishment not only marked a significant personal triumph but also merited financial recognition from the scholarship programme in acknowledgment of my performance.

One of the major benefits of this journey was the invaluable access to top-tier coaching provided by Brunel University. I had the pleasure of closely collaborating with Brunel’s jumps coach, Danny Sawyers, whose expertise,  and guidance played a vital role in elevating my performances to heights I never deemed possible prior to joining the programme.

The programme also extends access to proficient physiotherapists and sports masseuses, providing essential support for injury management and overall physical well-being.

For those who have a genuine passion for sports, I recommend giving serious consideration to the sports scholarship programme here at Brunel. It offers an extraordinary blend of world-class training resources and a conducive academic environment, which has undoubtedly been instrumental in enhancing my growth and success. This unique synergy has provided me with the ideal platform to not only thrive but to excel in both my athletic pursuits and academic endeavours.

James Cracknell

• Sport/Event: Rowing
• Degree: MSc Sport Sciences (1999)
• Achievements: 2× Olympic Gold Medallist (2000, 2004); 6× World Champion; one of Britain’s most decorated endurance athletes

 Audley Harrison

• Sport/Event: Boxing (Super-heavyweight)
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences & Leisure Management (1999)
• Achievements: Olympic Gold Medallist (2000 Sydney)

 Kate Richardson-Walsh

• Sport/Event: Hockey
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2003)
• Achievements: Olympic Gold Medallist (2016); former Great Britain captain; 375 international caps

 Tom Aggar

• Sport/Event: Para-Rowing
• Degree: MSc Sport Sciences (2013)
• Achievements: Paralympic Gold Medallist (2008); 4× World Champion

 James Fox

• Sport/Event: Para-Rowing
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2011)
• Achievements: 2× Paralympic Gold Medallist (2016, 2020); 5× World Champion

Heather Fell

• Sport/Event: Modern Pentathlon
• Degree: BSc Physiotherapy (2004)
• Achievements: Olympic Silver Medallist (2008)

Kathy Smallwood-Cook

• Sport/Event: Athletics (100m–400m)
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences & Biology (1981)
• Achievements: Multiple medals across Olympic, World, European & Commonwealth competitions

Kelly Sotherton

• Sport/Event: Athletics (Heptathlon)
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences with Leisure Management (1998)
• Achievements: Olympic Bronze Medallist (2004 & 2008)

Abi Oyepitan

• Sport/Event: Athletics (200m, 4×100m)
• Degree: BA Politics & Sociology (2001)
• Achievements: Commonwealth Gold & Silver (2010) and Bronze Medallist (2002)

Alan Pascoe

• Sport/Event: Athletics (110m hurdles, 400m hurdles)
• Degree: Physical Education (1971)
• Achievements: Olympic Silver Medallist; Commonwealth & European Champion

Iwan Thomas

• Sport/Event: Athletics (400m, 4×400m)
• Degree: BSc Leisure Management & Sport Sciences (1995)
• Achievements: Olympic Silver Medallist (1996); World Championship Silver Medallist (1997)

Ashley Bryant

• Sport/Event: Athletics (Decathlon)
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2013)
• Achievements: Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist (2014)

Melissa Courtney-Bryant

• Sport/Event: Athletics (1500m, 3000m, XC Relay)
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2014); MSc Sport & Exercise Psychology (2017)
• Achievements: Multiple European medallist; Commonwealth Games medallist

Perri Shakes-Drayton

• Sport/Event: Athletics (400m hurdles, 4×400m)
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2011)
• Achievements: Multiple World & European Championship medallist

Tony Adams

• Sport/Event: Football
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2006)
• Achievements: Arsenal captain; multiple Premier League titles; widely regarded as one of England’s greatest defenders

Eniola Aluko

• Sport/Event: Football
• Degree: LLB Law (2008)
• Achievements: 100+ England caps; leading figure in women’s football

Richard Hill

• Sport/Event: Rugby Union
• Degree: BSc Geography & Sport Sciences (1995)
• Achievements: Rugby World Cup Winner (2003)

Agustín Pichot

• Sport/Event: Rugby Union
• Degree: Business Studies & Sport Sciences (2002)
• Achievements: Argentina captain; World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee

Ben Gollings

• Sport/Event: Rugby Sevens
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2005)
• Achievements: All-time leading points scorer in World Rugby Sevens Series

Tom Shanklin

• Sport/Event: Rugby Union
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2004)
• Achievements: Most capped Wales international centre

Ron Wilson

• Sport/Event: Rugby Union
• Degree: Building Technology (1977)
• Achievements: Scotland international fly-half

Maud Muir

• Sport/Event: Rugby Union
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2022)
• Achievements: England international prop; Rugby World Cup Winner (2025)

May Campbell

• Sport/Event: Rugby Union
• Degree: BSc Sport Science with Business (2018)
• Achievements: England international forward; Rugby World Cup Winner (2025)

 Montell Douglas

• Sport/Event: Athletics (100m, 200m)/Bobsleigh
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2008)
• Achievements: Olympian in both Summer (2008) & Winter Games (2022); one of only two British winter and summer Olympians; Gladiator on the famous British game show

Emma Ania

• Sport/Event: Athletics (4×100m relay)
• Degree: BSc Medical Biology (2007)
• Achievements: Olympian (2008)

Julie Hollman

• Sport/Event: Athletics (Heptathlon)
• Degree: Sport Science with Geography & Environmental Issues
• Achievements: Olympian (2008); Commonwealth Games competitor (2002 & 2006)

Nick Buckfield

• Sport/Event: Athletics (Pole Vault)
• Degree: Religious Studies & Sport Sciences
• Achievements: 2× Olympian; multiple major championship appearances

Brad Hall

• Sport/Event: Bobsleigh
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences (2015)
• Achievements: 3× Olympian; World & European Championship medallist

Toby Olubi

• Sport/Event: Bobsleigh
• Degree: BSc Economics (2008)
• Achievements: Winter Olympian (2018); Gladiator on the famous British game show

Greg Whyte

• Sport/Event: Modern Pentathlon
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences & Geology; PGCE Physical Education (1990)
• Achievements: 2× Olympian; World & European medallist

Paul Dickenson

• Sport/Event: Athletics (Hammer Throw)
• Degree: Physical Education (1971)
• Achievements: 2× Olympian; BBC athletics commentator

Catherine Murphy

• Sport/Event: Athletics (400m, 4×400m)
• Degree: LLB Law (1997)
• Achievements: Olympian; European medallist; multiple international finals appearances

Brett Garrard

• Sport/Event: Hockey
• Degree: Business Studies & Sport Sciences (1999)
• Achievements: Olympic hockey player (2000 & 2004); Great Britain captain

Roger Hammond

• Sport/Event: Cycling (Road)
• Degree: Management & Materials Technology (1996)
• Achievements: Professional road cyclist; 1x Olympian (2004) and finished third in the famous Paris-Roubaix (2004)

 Abi Ekoku

• Sport/Event: Athletics (Discus, Shot Put)/Rugby League
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences & Geography (1990)
• Achievements: Commonwealth Games athlete; professional rugby league player

Paul Stimpson

• Sport/Event: Basketball
• Degree: BSc Sport Sciences & Geography (1980)
• Achievements: 120+ caps for Great Britain & England; former England captain

Tyri Donovan

• Sport/Event: Athletics (400m hurdles)
• Degree: English Language and English Literature (2021)
• Achievements: Semi-finalist at the World Championships (2025); fifth on the UK all-time list

James McMurray

• Sport/Event: Athletics (1500m, XC Relay)
• Degree: BSc Physiotherapy (2020)
• Achievements: European cross-country relay medallist (2019) and World Indoor Championships (2026) competitor

Emma Nwofor

• Sport/Event: Athletics (60m hurdles)
• Degree: BSc Sport, Health and Exercise Science (2018)
• Achievements: European Indoor Championships (2021) and World Indoor Championships (2026) competitor