Aspire Award Undergraduate Scholarship

The Computer Science Aspire Award reduces financial barriers and create opportunities for students from Black or mixed Black ethnic backgrounds who are currently underrepresented in our department.

Value

Full tuition fees plus an annual allowance to cover living and study expenses (£20,000), for the normal duration of the programme at UCL. All Aspire scholars will also receive on-going academic and career support during their study.

Courses

Computer Science BSc, Computer Science MEng or Robotics, Artificial Intelligence MEng, and Mathematical Computation MEng programmes.

Eligibility

Eligible candidates must meet all the mandatory criteria:

• Based in the UK with home fee status or be a forced migrant (as defined by UCL)

• be from a Black or mixed Black Ethnic background

• have not completed undergraduate study either at UCL or elsewhere previously

• have accepted an offer of admission to study Computer Science BSc undergraduate, Computer Science MEng, Mathematical Computation MEng or Robotics and Artificial Intelligence MEng programmes for the 2026 intake.

Additional eligibility criteria

Eligible candidates must also meet at least one of the additional criteria detailed below: 

• be in financial need as assessed by UCL (household income of less than £42,875)

• receive (or were eligible for) free school meals

• have a disability (underrepresented group in Higher Education)

• be a care leaver (underrepresented group in Higher Education)

• attend (or have attended) a low-performing school for either GCSE or A-level

• live in a disadvantaged neighbourhood (we use POLAR classification and/or Index of Multiple of Deprivation (IMD) data to identify levels of financial, social, economic or educational deprivation, as defined by home postcode)

Deadline: September 2026