“I believe an education can open a world of possibilities and choices and anyone with the talent, ambition and perseverance to attend university should not be denied the opportunity.
The recognition that some students need and deserve help to realise their potential is a fantastic concept and it is a pleasure to support the Student Fund who are making a real difference to people’s lives both now and in the future.”
Appeal for support
At Ulster University, we are continually inspired by the dedication and resilience of our students. However, the rising cost of living has made it increasingly difficult for many of them to meet their basic needs while pursuing their education.
Please consider making a gift today to support Ulster University’s Student Opportunity Fund. Your generosity will help transform the lives of our students and enable them to achieve their full potential.
Join us in helping more students like Kal. Will you help us make a difference?
Thank you!
About the Student Opportunity Fund
Students are under ever-increasing financial pressure due to the continuing cost-of-living crisis. Many are struggling to afford necessities such as food, daily travel expenses, and accommodation. This became clear through last year's Student Opportunity Fund application process where we saw a staggering increase of 59% in applications to the Academic Opportunity Scholarship from full-time students.
The financial aid provided by the Student Opportunity Fund is a vital lifeline for many students at Ulster University, enabling them to continue their academic journey. Beyond alleviating financial burdens, the fund allows students to pursue professional, travel and sporting opportunities that would otherwise be unaffordable.
The Student Opportunity Fund empowers our students, helping them thrive and gain the skills and experience needed for a successful career. It provides access to top academic opportunities, raising their ambition and aspirations.
This fund aims to:
- Support students facing financial hardship and other challenges that impact their education.
- Enhance the academic experience for driven students, especially those from low-income families.
- Reduce the need for students to work part-time to finance their studies, allowing them to focus on their education.
- Create opportunities for transformative international travel.
- Reward our most talented and dedicated students to help them achieve their ambitions.
- Support our high-performing athletes to balance their studies with training and alleviating financial barriers to competing.
We believe in giving all students the best possible chance for success and the opportunities to fulfill their potential.
Discover more student stories...
Hear from one of our supporters:
This is how the Student Opportunity Fund transforms lives. Read Jonathan's story...
Jonathan Weir
Academic Opportunity Scholar (part-time) 2023
Jonathan Weir, a part-time undergraduate student who, after suffering a life-threatening spinal cord injury in his previous career as an electrical engineer, is reskilling at Ulster University for a career in technology.
As a Year One Computer Systems student, Jonathan used his Academic Opportunity Scholarship to fund his travel costs to the Belfast campus and to purchase wheelchair equipment and other adaptive equipment for his computer.
Jonathan said:
“I have always had an interest in technology and fixing problems, so the Computer Systems course is allowing me to pursue not only a new career that I can work comfortably in following my accident, but is something I am really enjoying as I get great satisfaction from finding solutions and fixing things myself.
Travelling up to 100 miles per day for my studies is costly, however my scholarship is supporting with the purchase of a wheelchair accessible vehicle and other adaptive equipment. I try my best to overcome every obstacle I face however I am so grateful to the donors, and the Ulster University community, for helping ease some of the financial pressures in my life.”
Supporting our future champions
Our Performance Sport Scholarships support Ulster's most talented student-athletes in excelling both academically and athletically. These scholarships provide funding for competition travel, equipment, training resources, and other essential elements needed to achieve top rankings in their sport.
Additionally, recipients benefit from personalised mentoring, academic support, and access to state-of-the-art training facilities, ensuring a well-rounded development experience.
Kaitlyn Morrison
Performance Sport Scholar 2022 & 2023
Kaitlyn is a final year Sport and Exercise Sciences student and was awarded the Sporting Talent Scholarship in 2022 and again in 2023 for her outstanding achievements in Ice Hockey and Inline Hockey. Hear how this scholarship had such a positive impact on her academic experience at Ulster and her sporting career.
Will you support students like Kaitlyn achieve their full potential?
Get in touch
If you would like more information about the Student Opportunity Fund or wish to discuss how you can support, please do not hesitate to get in touch. You can reach us via email at giving@ulster.ac.uk or by phone at 02895 365 104.