University of Kent - The First 500 Scholarship 2025

The First 500 Scholarship is awarded to exceptional students who are entering Stage 1 of their undergraduate degree at the University of Kent. It is designed to support students who may not have had the smoothest educational journey but have great potential and aspirations for their studies. The scholarship encourages students to thrive in an academic environment while contributing to the university's community.

Table of Content

• Summary
• Benefits
• Requirments
• Application Deadline
• How To Apply

Summary

• Application DeadlineSeptember 29, 2025
• Value£2,000
• Study LevelUndergraduate
• SponsorUniversity of Kent
• City to studyLondon
• School to studyUniversity of Kent
• Eligible CountryAll Countries

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Benefits

One scholarship worth £2,000 per annum (or pro-rata for part-time students) for the duration of the recipient's degree programme

Requirements

• One scholarship is available each year.
• Both full-time and part-time students are eligible to apply.
• Home and Overseas students are eligible to apply.

To be eligible to apply for the scholarship, applicants must:

• Have attained A*AA from three A Levels or a specified equivalent*.
• Be entering Stage 1 of their undergraduate degree in September 2024.
• Have made their application to the University of Kent via UCAS.
• Have made a firm acceptance to study at Kent by 31 August 2024.

Applicants not eligible to apply for the scholarship are those:

• Who have attained any qualification higher than A Level or equivalent.
• Who are in receipt of need-based financial aid.
• Who are current students at The University of Kent.
• Who are applying to Medway School of Pharmacy
• Who are applying to Kent and Medway Medical School (KMMS)

The scholarship will not be paid during a Year Abroad or a Year in Industry placement.

Qualifications and Grades required
A levels

A*AA / A*A*A / A*A*A*

International Baccalaureate

35 points or more, including a minimum of 15 points for Higher Level subjects

Access to HE Diploma

Overall Pass - must include 45 Level 3 credits at 'Distinction'

Cambridge Pre-U

D3 D3 D3 / D2 D2 D2 or higher

Scottish Highers 

AAAAA / AAAAB / AAABB

Irish Leaving Certificate

H1 H1 H1 H1

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (RQF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction (D*D*D)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

OCR Cambridge Extended Technical Diploma

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction (D*D*D)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

Two A levels + one BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)

A*, A*, Distinction* (A*A*D*)

A*, A*, Distinction (A*A*D)

A*, A, Distinction* (A*AD*)

A*, A, Distinction (A*AD)

A, A, Distinction* (AAD*)

One A level + two BTEC Subsidiary Diplomas (QCF)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction* (A*D*D*)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction (A*D*D)

A*, Distinction, Distinction (A*DD)

A, Distinction*, Distinction* (AD*D*)

A, Distinction*, Distinction (AD*D)

Two A levels + one BTEC National Extended Certificate (RQF)

A*, A*, Distinction* (A*A*D*)

A*, A*, Distinction (A*A*D)

A*, A, Distinction* (A*AD*)

A*, A, Distinction (A*AD)

A, A, Distinction* (AAD*)

One A level + Pearson BTEC National Diploma (RQF)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction* (A*D*D*)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction (A*D*D)

A*, Distinction, Distinction (A*DD)

A, Distinction*, Distinction* (AD*D*)

A, Distinction*, Distinction (AD*D)

One A level + two BTEC National Extended Certificates (RQF)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction* (A*D*D*)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction (A*D*D)

A*, Distinction, Distinction (A*DD)

A, Distinction*, Distinction* (AD*D*)

A, Distinction*, Distinction (AD*D)

One A level + two OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificates

A*, Distinction*, Distinction* (A*D*D*)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction (A*D*D)

A*, Distinction, Distinction (A*DD)

A, Distinction*, Distinction* (AD*D*)

A, Distinction*, Distinction (AD*D)

Two A levels + one OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

A*, A*, Distinction* (A*A*D*)

A*, A*, Distinction (A*A*D)

A*, A, Distinction* (A*AD*)

A*, A, Distinction (A*AD)

A, A, Distinction* (AAD*)

One OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Diploma + One OCR Level 3 Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction* (D*DD*)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

Distinction, Distinction, Distinction* (DDD*)

BTEC National Qualification: Two Pearson BTEC 90 Credit Diplomas (QCF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction (D*D*D*D)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*D*DD)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction*, Distinction (D*DD*D)

BTEC National Qualification: One Pearson Level 3 National Diploma (RQF) + One Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diploma (QCF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction* (D*DD*)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

Distinction, Distinction, Distinction* (DDD*)

BTEC National Qualification: One Pearson Level 3 National Diploma (RQF) + One Level 3 National Extended Certificate (RQF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction* (D*DD*)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

Distinction, Distinction, Distinction* (DDD*)

BTEC National Qualification: Three Pearson BTEC Subsidiary Diplomas (QCF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction (D*D*D)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

BTEC National Qualification: Three National Extended Certificate Awards (RQF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction (D*D*D)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

BTEC National Qualification: One Extended Diploma (QCF)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction* (D*D*D*)

Distinction*, Distinction*, Distinction (D*D*D)

Distinction*, Distinction, Distinction (D*DD)

One A level + one BTEC National Extended Certificate (RQF) + one OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate

A*, Distinction*, Distinction* (A*D*D*)

A*, Distinction*, Distinction (A*D*D)

A*, Distinction, Distinction* (A*DD*)

A, Distinction*, Distinction* (AD*D*)

A*, Distinction, Distinction (A*DD)

A, Distinction*, Distinction (AD*D)

A, Distinction, Distinction* (ADD*)

University of the Arts London: Extended Diploma

Distinction (D)

A Levels and Cambridge Pre-U

Any combination equivalent to A*AA or higher

Application Deadline

September 29, 2025

How To Apply

Applicants must:

1. Meet the criteria as shown above.
2. Write an essay of 750-1,000 words on the following:
   
   “When the first students arrived at the new University of Kent at Canterbury (as the University was then known) in 1965, there were no societies, no sports clubs, and no student representation. In 2018, 20,000 students enjoyed 67 sports clubs, 189 societies, and there were over 400 student representatives. Kent’s first students had the opportunity – and the responsibility – to start all of these from scratch. If we were opening a new university in 2025 and you were in that first student intake, what would you start and why?”
3. Save the essay as a Word document. At the top of the document, please include:
   • The essay title
   • Your full name
   • Your University of Kent identification number
4. Submit this essay on an application via KentVision by the deadline of 23:59 BST on Sunday 29 September 2025.
5. Please note that if you are shortlisted and the panel deem it necessary you may be called to an interview via Microsoft Teams.

For further details, visit the scholarship website