The Entrepreneurship Fund is here to support Students from disadvantaged backgrounds to discover innovative ideas, find new ways of working, setting up a business, create a distinctive career path, or support social enterprise.
It can support a student with purchases or costs relating to improving their knowledge, skills and understanding around their own employability or venture creation. You do not have to pay back the funds you receive for this scholarship.
What does the Entrepreneurship Fund include?
The fund will offer up to £500 per applicant.
Students can use this fund to pay for a variety of uses as long as it can be attributed to at least one of the criteria below:
- Funds to support social enterprise
- Mentoring support for a new business
- Resources and seminars to assist with growing a business and developing personal employability skills
- Costs towards an internship that will support you in creating your own business
Some ideas may include, additional courses or training, resources to help develop business ideas, opportunities to promote and network for your business - we are open to suggestions.
Please note that we do not fund the purchase of large capital items such as vehicles or property and there is a limit on how much is available to each individual.
Are you eligible?
Eligibility criteria explained
Applications will be judged on merit. To apply you must meet the following criteria:
- Be enrolled with at least one full year left of an undergraduate degree at the University of Nottingham (UK Campus)
- Applicants must fully complete the application form and only the information contained within will be used in assessing their application
- Have a 2024/25 household income between £0-£42,875, as assessed by Student Finance
- Students must show how the funding will support their education, business venture or employability. This is an Entrepreneurship fund and your statement should reflect this.
- Have Home funding status
How will the Entrepreneurship Fund be paid?
More details of payment arrangements will be confirmed to you on approval, and the award will be paid directly into your bank account subject to registration.
How to apply
We have three dates where we pause applications for a panel to assess the applications we have received. We aim to inform applicants within two weeks of the panel meeting.
Application deadlines for 2024-25 are:
- Monday 9 December 2024
- Monday 3 March 2025
- Monday 16 June 2025
Workshops to support applications
If you are interested in finding out more about how to complete an application for the Entrepreneurship Fund and hear from previous successful applicants, we will be running online workshops on the following dates.
- Wednesday 20 November, 2:30pm
- Tuesday 4 February, 11:00am
Follow this link to book your place for a workshop. Recordings of the workshops can only be shared if you have registered for one.
More funding options
Scholarships and bursaries
Witty Entrepreneurial Scholarship
For students from lower-income backgrounds who are interested in entrepreneurship
Scholarships and bursaries
Potential scholarships
To encourage potential in students from lower-income backgrounds or who have faced significant difficulties
Scholarships and bursaries
Core Bursary
For students with a household income between £0-£35,000 as assessed by student finance
Scholarships and bursaries
The Stoneygate Award
For academically able students who face or have overcome barriers to attend university
Scholarships and bursaries
The Halford Scholarship Programme
For students showing strong academic ability who have overcome significant obstacles to their academic progression
