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Nolan Scholarships

Applications are closed and will reopen in August 2025.

Paul Nolan, Global CEO of Nolan Partners, and the Nolan family have partnered with the University of Liverpool to offer a competitive scholarship to support undergraduate applicants from socio-economically under-represented backgrounds who permanently reside in the Liverpool City Region. 

Applicants must be ordinarily resident in the UK and undertaking an undergraduate programme starting in the academic year 2025/26.

The Nolan Scholarships are possible due to the generosity of The Nolan Family. The Nolan family are passionate about social mobility and using the power of education to change young people’s lives. Paul Nolan is a former Trustee of Positive Futures, a charity supporting hard to reach young people in North Liverpool.

The award

The scholarship will provide a maintenance stipend of £5,000 each year, for three years of study, a total of £15,000 per student. The scholarship is awarded subject to satisfactory progression. One award is available per academic year.

You can combine this scholarship with other applicable University of Liverpool widening participation bursaries.

Depending on your circumstances, you may receive one of the following:

  • The Liverpool Bursary
  • The Liverpool Scholars Award
  • The Realising Opportunities Award
  • The North Liverpool Academy Scholarship
  • The Liverpool Life Sciences UTC Scholarship
  • The Care Leavers Opportunity Bursary.

Additionally, if you are eligible then you can be assessed for one of the following awards:

  • The Young Adult Carers Bursary
  • The Estranged Student Bursary.

Eligibility criteria

You must meet all of the following criteria to be considered for this scholarship:

  1. Permanently reside in the Liverpool City Region – Liverpool, Knowsley, Wirral, Sefton, Halton, St. Helens – prior to commencing study (i.e. your home address as stated in your UCAS application).
  2. Be studying in Year 0 or Year 1 of a full-time undergraduate degree programme, commencing study in the 2025/26 academic year at the University of Liverpool.
  3. Come from a home where neither parent attended university in the UK or abroad. (If one or more parent is currently studying for their first degree, or graduated from their first degree within the last five years, an application will be considered eligible for this criteria).
  4. Have been assessed for fee status as a 'home' student, or expect to be assessed as a ‘home student’.
  5. Have a household income of £25,000 per annum or less.
  6. Have made an application to Student Finance England. We will seek confirmation that you will be in receipt of full financial support for the 2025/26 academic year. Please ensure you have given consent to share the information with the University, as this information will be used to determine eligibility.

You won't be eligible if you:

  • Transfer to Liverpool from another UK University. We can only accept applications from students beginning a new course at Liverpool
  • Already hold a degree or equivalent higher level qualification.

Please check your eligibility before completing the Nolan Scholarship application form. Awards may be withdrawn if we later become aware that successful scholars have not met eligibility criteria or have provided false information.

How to apply

Applications are made via the online Widening Participation Scholarships Application Form, which will be available in August 2025.

Apply now

Please note, there is one application form covering the following scholarships: ROLABOTIC, Nolan, Genesys Life Sciences or Technetix Broadhurst Engineering Scholarships. You do not need to apply for each scholarship separately.

The scholarship is competitive and you should attempt to complete your application to the very highest standard if you wish to be seriously considered.

Completing your application

As part of the application process, you'll need to provide:

  • Your full name
  • Your University student ID number
  • Your full home address (including Postal Code)
  • Your programme of study
  • Name of the School or College that you previously attended
  • Your email address
  • Confirmation that you have applied, been assessed for and expect to be in receipt of the maximum level of support from the government through Student Finance England, for tuition fees and maintenance loans and that you have provided consent to share your information with the University.
  • Confirmation this is your first undergraduate degree programme, and you have not started a degree programme previously.
  • Confirmation that you understand that representatives from ROLABOTIC will view your application as part of the selection process.

To help us to get to know you, we will also ask you for a personal statement of 4,000 characters explaining:

  • Why the scholarship would be beneficial to your studies
  • How it would help you to achieve your academic and career goals
  • How your education would be of future benefit to your community and/or society
  • What achievements, academically and personally, are you most proud of? This could include overcoming a challenging personal circumstance. There is no right or wrong answer. We are keen to hear your personal story.

Closing date

Applications will close in October 2025. The exact date will be shared in August 2025 when applications reopen. 

Decisions

A panel of representatives from the University of Liverpool will assess applications and compile a shortlist of the strongest applications.  The shortlist will be shared with Paul Nolan.

  • If you applied in academic year 2024/25, you will be notified of the outcome of your application in December 2024.
  • If you apply for academic year 2025/26, you will be notified of the outcome of your application in December 2025.

Enquiries

If you have questions about the award or how to apply, please contact wpscholarships@liverpool.ac.uk.