The Sam and John Dawson Care-Experienced Scholarship
Supporting undergraduate students by providing £15,000 (£5,000 per academic year for up to three years of study). An additional £5,000 will be given should a Professional Training Year be taken.
About
The Sam and John Dawson Care-Experienced Scholarship supports undergraduate students with their studies at the University of Surrey by providing £15,000 (£5,000 per academic year for up to three years of study). An additional £5,000 will be given should a Professional Training Year be taken.
The number of scholarship awards available are at the donor's discretion and dependent upon the monies available, however typically 4-6 students are awarded a scholarship each academic year.
The terms of the scholarship listed above are at the discretion of the donor and may be subject to change before awarding.
Eligibility criteria
To apply for this scholarship, the applicant must:
- Be a Home/UK student
- Be a first-year student studying any STEM Undergraduate degree at the University of Surrey, beginning September 2026 (please note that any students who will be in a Foundation Year during 2026/27 are not eligible)
- Be from a Care-Experienced background, meaning you have:
- Spent time in local authority care
- Spent time in a residential children’s home
- Been looked after at home by a supervision order
- Or have lived with relatives under kinship care.
Please note that we will need to verify your Care-Experienced history to be able to progress your application. This will involve either providing a document outlining the dates and type of care you have a history of and/or providing contact details of an individual who can provide this information on your behalf. Further information is included within the application form linked below.
How to apply
To apply for the 2026/27 Sam and John Dawson Care-Experienced Scholarship, please complete the online application form.
Please allow up to one month after the closing deadline to hear back from the team regarding the outcome of your application. During this time, the team may ask for further information or clarification on details you have shared – this is to gather information as part of the review process and isn’t an indication as to the success of your application.
Application deadline
Applications will close at 5pm on Monday 5 October 2026.
The Sam and John Dawson Scholarship
Contact details
If you have any questions about this scholarship, please contact donorrelations@surrey.ac.uk.
Frequently asked questions
Scholarships and bursaries
There is a range of support available to help finance your studies.