Northern Powerhouse Racingstar Scholarship (NPracingstarSS)

Purpose of the Scholarship

Dr Robert Fernley is the founder of the Fernley foundation and Racing Star project. Dr Fernley have been involved for 4 decades in the motorsport arena from running F1 cars in the 80’s to being joint team principle if Force India F1 and now holds the role of President of the FIA Single seater commission.  Dr Fernley recognises the potential of encouraging high calibre STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) focussed students to read engineering. The scholarship aims to attract the most able student via a fee waiver for their three-year degree along with an £8,000 cash bursary. Without the NPracingstarSS some of the most able candidates may be prevented from reading for a degree due to finances.

UK PLC’s face a considerable challenge in recruiting the most gifted young people for careers in STEM. The financial support in this scholarship will attract and support a student keen to read STEM subjects and a career in engineering. Dr Fernley has recognised the skill shortage issue in industry, and the intervention needed, to attract high calibre students into engineering.

The financial support in this scholarship will attract and support the recipient to read STEM subjects instead of other areas. Dr Fernley is committed to enhancing the opportunities for students in the engineering profession. As such, this award will only be eligible a student who has experienced outstanding performance through adversity.

Extent of the Scholarship

NPracingstarSS will be awarded to a qualifying student at the beginning of their first year of their engineering degree program. The financial drawdown of the scholarship monies will be distributed in 10 equal payments in as outlined in the ‘Payment’ section on page 4. The recipient must have selected the University of Bolton as first choice through UCAS by ‘decline by default’ (early May 2022).

The NPracingstarSS is a three-year tuition fee waiver plus a three-year cash bursary (paid as monthly allowance of £800 per month for 10 months) for the qualifying student reading a higher education degree course offered by the National Centre for Motorsport Engineering or the wider School of Engineering at the University of Bolton.

Amount

By qualifying for this scholarship, the eligible student (see below), NPracingstarSS is worth up to a maximum of three years at published home tuition fee plus £8,000 per annum bursary to help with living expenses. For 2022, the tuition fee is set at £9,250 per year and this fee will rise in line with inflation as approved through the new UK Government regulator - Office for Students.

In the event of two or more qualifying applicants applying for NPracingstarSS (submitting the form electronically via the website) at the same time, then the Director of the NCME or relevant senior academic directed by the President & Vice Chancellor, will decide which one applicant under this collision of applicants is granted the award. This decision will be based on the personal statement on the application form and an interview for the position by the Sponsor.

Eligibility

NPracingstarSS is offered to home students only who are studying on their first full-time undergraduate degree and progressing from the institutions within the United Kingdom.

NPracingstarSS will not be awarded to individuals in addition to other bursaries and scholarships available at the University of Bolton throughout the duration of the course.

The NPracingstarSS is available to students who reside in the United Kingdom and have completed their five years of high school and two years of further education from any UK institutions either singularly or in combination and then progress to an engineering related degree course at the University of Bolton offered through NCME.

NPracingstarSS will only be offered to students who achieve ABB grade profile (128 UCAS points at A2 (New Tariff) and the applicant is accepted in Year 1 of the relevant degree course.

NPracingstarSS is only open to students who completed their GCSE and A-level/Diploma studies at a UK institution.

A-levels (ABB+) from a maximum of three subjects, two of which should be maths and physics to be achieved at the first sitting in the final exams within the academic year of application.

BTEC NQF Qualifications (DDM) or equivalent from a maximum of three subjects achieved at the first sitting in the final assessment within the academic year of application. The BTEC should be directly relevant as an engineering or scientific based subject.

A combination of A-levels and BTECs is acceptable.

Applicants must also meet the general entry requirements for the University and the specific course to which they are applying. All qualifications must be verified by UCAS or by the University of Bolton.

The recipient must have selected University of Bolton as first choice through UCAS by ‘Decline by Default’ (early May in the year of starting the course)

The course must be delivered at the University of Bolton and not at a partner or franchise partner college.

The Scholarship will be paid for first Higher Education (H.E.) courses only. If the applicant has previously commenced on a H.E. course of study, they will not be eligible to receive the scholarship.

In order to qualify, all students must be eligible to receive student support under the current government education (Student Support) regulations.

The recipient must be studying full time on a course with tuition fees of £9,250 or the equivalent tuition fee for full time undergraduate course in the intake year.

The following categories of students are not eligible to receive the NPracingstarSS:

• Students who apply by advanced/direct entry
• Students studying a Foundation Degree/HND
• Students undertaking a postgraduate initial teacher training course
• Students undertaking a postgraduate qualification
• Students ‘topping-up’ from a Foundation Degree, HND or equivalent course
• Students transferring from another institution
• Students whose tuition fees are paid or part-paid through a sponsorship arrangement, for example by an employer
• Students undertaking industrial or work experience on a full time ‘sandwich’ basis will not be eligible to receive the bursary during their ‘sandwich’ period.
• Students studying abroad will not be eligible to receive the scholarship during their period of study abroad
• Students who are not eligible to receive a tuition fee loan from the Student Loan Company

How to apply

Potential students can apply for the NPracingstarSS award via the online application:

Applications for this Scholarship are now closed

Applications will open after the decline by default date, on 1st June 2022 for the 22/23 award and will close on 1st September 2022.

All applications must be supported by a personal statement of no more than 500 words
– Please use the four points listed below to guide you with your statement creation.

 1. Description of your eligibility
 2. Details of your work experience to date, please use photos as an  appendix to this
 3. Your dream career ambition
 4. What we can expect of you

The strongest candidates who meet the eligibility criteria will be shortlisted for interview based on their personal statement

Payment

Payments will be made as a fee waiver of the three years of the normal duration of the course plus for a September starter, the cash bursary will be paid by ten monthly instalments in each academic year for a maximum of 3 years on the 18th of every month from November to June. Payments will be £800 per month payable directly into the student’s bank account by Financial Services

NPKASS will be reviewed at the end of each academic year of study for the relevant student and adjustments made based on the Terms and Conditions given below

For the latest information please contact:

Susie Collins – Student Funding Advisor
Tel: 01204 903497 or

Mrs Carol Gray – Bursaries and Scholarships Advisor
Tel: 01204 903499

Email: studentfunding@bolton.ac.uk

Terms and conditions

The recipient must maintain a 65% average pass rate in each academic year of the course for the scholarship to be paid in the following academic year. The recipient must attend every module with a minimum of 80% attendance rate achieved for each.

Payments will be terminated if the student withdraws, transfers to another institution, fails their programme of study, has to repeat study or interrupts or suspends their studies.

Please note all information given on this summary is provisional and subject to change.