VetPartners Bursary – Supporting Widening Participation at Vet School

Introduction

VetPartners has a commitment to supporting veterinary students throughout their studies at university.

We are now delighted to offer bursaries to veterinary students to support those from widening participation backgrounds. VetPartners recognises the importance of having a diverse and inclusive profession and the starting point for this is encouraging and supporting under-represented groups to see the veterinary profession as something not only aspirational but also attainable. The VetPartners Bursary is one way we can actively support this.

What is the VetPartners Bursary?

The bursary is an annual award of £1,500 to recipient veterinary undergraduate students per year of study for the duration of their undergraduate degree, typically 5 years. The total value of the bursary is £7500. There are up to 15 new bursaries available each autumn.

Who is Eligible to Apply for the VetPartners Widening Participation Bursary?

Initial qualifying criteria

Students must meet the following criteria:

• Students enrolled in Autumn 2023 for the first year of a full-time undergraduate veterinary degree at a UK Vet School¹
• Not have previously studied for an undergraduate degree in the UK or overseas.
• Have Home Funding Status²

The following criteria will be considered when awarding bursaries. Not all criteria are required. Students that meet the initial qualifying criteria need to meet at least one of the following additional criteria in order to apply for consideration.

• Care experienced / care leaver – This refers to a young person aged 16-25 years old who has been in the care system at some point since they were 14 years old and were in care on or after their 16th birthday. This is the standard government definition.
• Students who are young carers
• Household income below median disposable UK household income of £32,200 (January 2023)³
• Non-traditional entry to vet school for example one of the following:
  • completion of a Gateway or foundation course,
  • BTEC
  • City & Guilds qualifications or,
  • Contextualised A-level grade offers e.g. ABB instead of A*AA
  • Other non-traditional routes of entry will also be considered

Supporting Information

As part of your application VetPartners would like to understand the beneficial impact the award will have on your time at Vet School.  We would like to hear about the following in a supporting statement:

• How the scholarship will help you achieve your ambitions and career goals
• What activities and interests do you have outside of formal education and how these have helped you develop as a person
• Any educational or other barriers you have had to overcome

You may contact VetPartners in confidence if you are unsure how best to provide evidence in your supporting statement.

How to Apply

Applications must use the below form to make their application. The application form captures the above eligibility criteria and includes space for a personal statement. Completion of the online form submits it the VetPartners Bursary Committee for scrutiny.

The closing date for applications is 31^st October 2023.

Notification of Bursary Award

Successful applicants will be notified in writing no longer than 4 weeks after the application submission deadline.

Successful Applications

Successful candidates may be asked to participate in VetPartners events and/or publicity promoting and celebrating the benefits of the bursary, sharing their vet school experience and how the bursary has specifically assisted them in their studies.

VetPartners may also ask bursary recipients to share opportunities at VetPartners with their year group for example EMS or graduate employment opportunities.

¹See https://www.vetschoolscouncil.ac.uk/ for list of UK Vet Schools

²Home Student must be ordinarily resident in the UK for the three year period prior to the start of their course

³Household income as defined by the Office for National Statistics

 Terms and Conditions