IN expanding its scholarship portfolio, Teesside University is providing more opportunities for students to succeed and reach their full potential.

Scholarships are a unique way to provide additional support to students facing financial barriers, and they encourage applications from students from a range of different backgrounds and experiences.

A wide variety of new scholarships have been launched at Teesside University this year – through partnerships with international footballers, renowned film directors and famous rock musicians.

Here Lauren Bradshaw, deputy director in Teesside University’s Department of Communications and Development, explains the transformative impact scholarships can have on people’s lives and why the scholarship offer at Teesside University will continue to grow.

At Teesside University, we believe in the potential for education to transform lives and generate opportunities for all.

Everybody, no matter their background, should be able to achieve their ambitions.

Our Teesside Transformation Fund is a flagship initiative which breaks down barriers and supports people to access Higher Education.

Through the Teesside Transformation Fund we are delighted to have launched a wide range of brand-new scholarships this year, with the ambition to continue growing this fund further with the support of our alumni, foundations and corporate partners.

Scholarships provide support and inspiration for students from a wide range of backgrounds and can give those who may not have ordinarily considered university a platform to succeed.

From musicians to filmmakers, charities to energy companies, we have grown our scholarship offer substantially this year to provide even more opportunities.

We are working alongside international footballer and Teesside University graduate Beth Mead on a scholarship which will provide financial support and mentoring to four talented female footballers. T

he Beth Mead Scholarships build on the rise in popularity of women’s football and the success of the Lionesses and will provide additional support to four female footballers as they study towards a degree.

We have also teamed up with Aberdeen-based Kellas Midstream which donated almost half a million pounds to help create the next generation of engineers with the skills to help industry transition to a net zero future.

The Kellas Midstream Clean Energy Scholarships will support 18 students by funding undergraduate and postgraduate courses in sustainable energy and engineering in our School of Computing, Engineering & Digital Technologies.

There are also two incredibly exciting new scholarship opportunities within our School of Arts & Creative Industries.

Acclaimed film director, writer and producer Franc Roddam is partnering with the University to support students aiming to study film and television production. The Franc Roddam Scholarships will provide a £60,000 package which will create ten UK undergraduate scholarships.

And we have also teamed up with music legend Paul Rodgers to provide two scholarships for talented and aspiring music makers aiming to study on our BA (Hons) Music Production course.

Teesside is a global university, but we remain committed to helping students right here in our region.

We have been working with The Teesside Charity, formerly known as the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, on new scholarships which are available to students from the region who may face financial barriers in accessing a university education.

The Teesside Charity Scholarships are specifically aimed at those who would be the first in their family to attend university, and will be linked to courses in business and computer science.

To support the continuation into postgraduate study, we have also created 12 new Postgraduate Scholarships available through the Teesside Transformation Fund. These will be available to our students progressing onto postgraduate courses in September 2022 and January 2023.

We are incredibly proud of our scholarship offer and the wide range of new opportunities these will provide for students.

University is inclusive and there should be no barriers to accessing higher education.

These scholarships have the potential to transform lives, open doors and generate opportunity. We are also incredibly thankful to our wide range of donors who are making a considerable positive impact on the lives of our students, as well as wider society through their generosity and support.

Our scholarship offer will continue to expand, and we are always looking for additional organisations, alumni and partners to work with.

If you are interested in discussing setting up a scholarship at Teesside University, contact alumni@tees.ac.uk.

Current and prospective students who would like to find out more about the wide range of scholarships currently available can visit www.tees.ac.uk/scholarships.