University of Southampton - Undergraduate Merit awards

The University of Southampton offers merit scholarships for international undergraduates. The scholarships provide discounts toward overseas tuition fees for eligible courses.

They apply to international students with a conditional or unconditional offer to study an eligible course and who are starting in Year 1. The page groups scholarships by the school running the course (Business School, Law School, School of Mathematical Sciences, School of Physics and Astronomy; School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; School of Economic, Social and Political Science; Southampton Education School; and other named schools including Biological Science, Geography and Environmental Science, Ocean and Earth Science, and Psychology).

Selection is based on the student meeting the general eligibility requirements and the school-specific grade requirement, using the student’s offer and achieved grades (A levels and/or International Baccalaureate). Award amounts are calculated as set fixed discounts per qualifying grade above the standard offer, up to a stated maximum that depends on the school and all scholarships apply only to the first year of tuition fees.

The page states that the scholarships apply only to the first year of your tuition fees. It also describes how the discount is calculated from grades achieved above the standard course offer; no renewal rules or post-award obligations are described.

• You must need to pay the overseas tuition fee.
• You must have a conditional or unconditional offer to study an eligible course.
• You must be starting in Year 1 of an eligible course.
• Other eligibility criteria depend on which school offers your course.
• Business School, Law School, Maths or Physics and Astronomy: you must both exceed your offer and achieve either: an A level A* grade, or an International Baccalaureate grade 7 at Higher level, or equivalent qualifications.
• Chemistry, Economic, Social and Political Science or Education (schools: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering; School of Economic, Social and Political Science; Southampton Education School): you must both exceed your offer and achieve either: an A level A or A* grade, or an International Baccalaureate grade 6 or 7 or Higher level, or equivalent qualifications.
• All other schools (Biological Science, Geography and Environmental Science, Ocean and Earth Science, Psychology): you must achieve either: an A level A or A* grade, or an International Baccalaureate grade 6 or 7 at Higher level, or equivalent qualifications.
• These scholarships are not available to students studying: on PGCert, PGDip, Foundation or PGR courses; on Distance Learning courses; with a partner institution; at our campus in Malaysia; on continuing professional development (CPD) courses.
• Only pre-sessional English students with an offer to study at undergraduate or postgraduate level can still apply.

• Discount of up to £4,500 off the first year of tuition fees for eligible international undergraduates.
• Business School: eligible students receive £1,500 for each A* grade above the standard course offer, up to a maximum of £4,500 (discounts contribute to first-year tuition fees).
• Chemistry and Chemical Engineering / Economic, Social and Political Sciences / Southampton Education School / School of Mathematical Sciences: eligible students receive £1,000 for each A or A* grade (up to a maximum of £3,000) above the standard offer, contributing to first-year tuition fees.
• Law School / Physics and Astronomy: eligible students receive £1,000 for each A* grade (up to a maximum of £3,000) above the standard offer, contributing to first-year tuition fees.
• Health Sciences (for listed nursing and midwifery undergraduate courses): eligible students receive £1,000 for each A or A* grade (up to a maximum of £3,000) contributing to first-year tuition fees.
• All other schools listed by the page (Biological Science, Geography and Environmental Science, Ocean and Earth Science, Psychology): eligible students receive £1,000 (up to a maximum of £3,000) for each A or A* grade contributing to first-year tuition fees.
• The maximum stated on the page for the non-Canadian-Prestige merit scholarships is £3,000 for the groups described as “All other schools,” “Health Sciences,” and the schools with £3,000 maximum; the Business School route is described as up to £4,500.
• All these scholarships apply only to the first year of your tuition fees.