Funding is provided to individual student athletes both directly and through clubs and colleges. Funding is only provided to current students of the University of Oxford and is not availabe to prospective students until they have taken up their place at Oxford. The individual funding streams available to Oxford students are: -
Oxford Sport Student Fund
The Oxford Sport Student Fund exists to help students access sport who wouldn’t otherwise be able to. Students can apply for items that are essential to their participation in sport such as membership fees, personal equipment, mandatory kit and other activity costs.
This fund is open to any current student who receives a means-tested (non-academic) bursary or scholarship and you will need to submit a copy of the letter confirming you are in receipt of such as part of the application form. Applications are welcome on a termly basis and the maximum funding available for an individual is £75.
Applicants should pay attention to deadlines as only a limited number of applications can be reviewed per term:
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Friday 2nd week Michaelmas term
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Friday 2nd week Hilary term
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Friday 2nd week Trinity term
To apply for this grant, you will need to submit the Oxford Sport Student Fund Application Form and ensure you check Oxford Sport Student Fund Guidance for the funding criteria and other important information.
For support with your application, please contact the Sports Coordinator for Participation on sportsfed@sport.ox.ac.uk.
Vincent’s Awards
Each year Vincent’s Club offers awards for outstanding scholar athletes who have displayed excellence in sport, strong academic performance, leadership qualities, and a willingness to participate in outreach activities. Last year £30,000 was awarded in the form of six named scholarships and 15 Awards. In 2021, we welcomed the addition of the Bannister Award (the first of two annual major scholarships endowed by generous Vincent's Club members in memory of the late Sir Roger Bannister). The Bannister Award will be worth up to £10,000 per annum.
Any individual who will be a student at the University of Oxford in the next academic year is eligible to apply if they play one of the University’s officially registered sports.
For more information and to apply please visit the Vincent's Club website and for specific queries please email awards@vincents.org.
Richard and Eliza Blackwell Sports Scholarship
The Richard and Eliza Blackwell Sports Scholarship is an annual award of £500 to one individual. The award must be spent on kit, travel, competition and training. This award is open to all students, from any sport, who are continuing to study at Oxford in the next academic year. The award is intended to provide extra financial and sporting support for elite athletes (county, national and international level) and reward commitment to both University and high-level sport.
This scholarship can be applied for via the Performance Athlete Application, which can be found via on our Blues Performance Scheme page, with applications for 2023-24 opening in July 2023.
College Funding
Individual colleges, in some cases, offer funding or reimbursed for sports related expenses. Different colleges offer different levels of funding so the best way to find out is to contact your college directly to see if they can offer financial support.
Further Assistance
The Sports Federation can also support you you when applying for grants or awards, by reviewing your application, providing advice or providing a supporting statement if requested. If you would like our support with any application for funding, please email us via sportsfed@sport.ox.ac.uk.
