Sport Scholarship
The Sport Scholarship programme at UWS aims to support those with the potential to be at the top of their sport. Criteria eligibility includes national and international standard athletes, competing at a high level recognised by their National Governing Body.
UWS Sport Scholarships will provide financial awards as well as support for student athletes to access academic flexibility, educational workshops, and sports psychology support.
The UWS Sport Scholarship aims to attract the very best student athletes to the University and to assist these students to combine a high-level sporting career with academic achievement, whilst reaching their full athletic and academic potential.
The Scholarship will also support student athletes to raise their profile, and the universities, in sporting and academic arenas.
Awards
The UWS Sport Scholarship will provide successful applicants with awards up to £1,500 in value. This will include access to the following benefits:
- A financial award (to support the costs associated with your sport - travel, equipment etc)
- Subsidised sports psychology
- Team UWS branded kit
- Academic liaison
- Free access to UWS sports facilities
- Support from a UKAD Clean Sport Institution
Amount
Variable (to a maximum of up to £1,500 per session).
Each application will be considered on its own individual merit and can include financial award (travel, equipment etc), subsidised sports psychology, academic liaison, Team UWS branded clothing & free access to UWS sports facilities.
Criteria
Applicants must detail how they meet the following criteria:
Gold
High level professional or international athletes with current or potential Olympic, Commonwealth Games or equivalent status and member of a Sportscotland (or equivalent) recognised National Governing Body (NGB)
Silver
High national level athletes with the potential to reach international representation, and a member of a Sportscotland (or equivalent) recognised NGB or recruited via the NCAA.
Bronze
Aspiring national level athletes with the potential to be selected for their NGB’s National Pathway.
Full list of 2025-26 UWS Sport Scholars
View all
- Olivia Kendal Archery
- Emily Fawkes Athletics
- Haley Elliott Athletics
- Harvey
Mitchell-Divers Athletics - Jamie Connor Athletics
- Jonathon Downey Athletics
- Jordan Phillips Athletics
- Owen Murphy Athletics
- Ross O'Brien Athletics
- Sophie Evans Athletics
- Brooke Stalker Badminton
- Callum Smith Badminton
- Finn Callister Badminton
- Matthew Waring Badminton
- Toni Woods Badminton
- Benjamin Rasperry Basketball
- BJ Jenkins Basketball
- Chris Frank Basketball
- Devin Womack Basketball
- Mathew Keegan Basketball
- Ryan Grant Basketball
- Rosalind Canty Boxing
- Anne Sturgess Cricket
- Kirsty Gallacher Curling
- Oliver Gibson Cycling
- Oliver Walker Cycling
- Aedan Gilfedder Football
- Kayla Jardine Football
- Andrew Dickie Gymnastics
- Matthew Sweeney Judo
- Solomon Rice Judo
- Dylan Walker Karate
- Sarah Brand Karate
- Carys McMaster Kickboxing
- Jessica Campbell Kickboxing
- Benjamin Allan Mtn Biking
- Viktoria Elohegyi Weightlifting
- Declan McAvoy Taekwondo
- Kiyla Young Trampolining
- Harry Orr Volleyball
Full list of 2024-25 UWS Sport Scholars
View all
- Victoria Otterson Archery
- Olivia Kendal Archery
- Jonathon Downey Athletics
- Haley Elliott Athletics
- Sophie Evans Athletics
- Jordan Phillips Athletics
- Jamie Connor Athletics
- Dawn Russell Athletics
- Toni Woods Badminton
- Brooke Stalker Badminton
- Matthew Waring Badminton
- Dilyn Becker Basketball
- Darcell Mcfarlane Basketball
- Ryan Grant Basketball
- Callum Brand Basketball
- Foday-Bai Kamara Basketball
- Matthew Wynne Cerebral Palsy Football
- Stephanie Donnelly Cheerleading
- Anne Sturgess Cricket
- Oliver Walker Cycling
- Molly Rowe Dance
- Kayla Jardine Football
- Andrew Dickie Gymnastics
- Anna Winter Hockey
- Emily Luck Ice Hockey
- Solomon Rice Ju Jitsu/Judo
- Matthew Sweeney Judo
- Sarah Brand Karate
- Erin Bolland Netball
- Viktoria Elohegyi Olympic Weightlifting
- Jemima Adeniyi Powerlifting
- Daniel Lauchlan Powerlifting
- Hollie Smith Snowboarding
- Fraser Jamieson Snowboarding
- Kiyla Young Trampoline
- Harry Orr Volleyball
Alumni information
Notable UWS Alumni Sport Scholars
tephen Newns (Boxing)
Gold AWARD
Stephen is a 4th year Sport and Exercise Science student at UWS’ Lanarkshire Campus. The boxer has represented Scotland at junior and senior level, most notably at the 2022 Birmingham and 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Stephen has also represented Scotland and GB at European and World Championships as well as picking up multiple medals at the Scottish Elite Open Championships, British Championships and at international championships. The Sport Scholarship Programme provided Stephen with the support to balance his studies and his boxing commitments within the Boxing Scotland Performance Pathway.
Savannah Antoine (Netball)
Gold AWARD
The UWS Sport Scholarship allowed Savannah to focus on her Netball commitments whilst completing her Sport and Exercise degree. Savannah has represented Scotland at the Netball Youth World Cup and at the European Championships and co-captained the national team against The Isle of Man. The Scottish international had the opportunity to balance education with professional aspirations as she was involved in the professional Vitality Netball Superleague Sirens side training and development programme.
Ross Connelly (Wrestling)
Silver Award
Ross, a Lanarkshire Campus Sport and Exercise Science student, secured his second Commonwealth Games selection at Birmingham 2022, where he debuted in 2018 at the Gold Coast Games. Ross was Scotland’s top athlete at the 2017 Commonwealth Wrestling Championships where he took home Bronze. He then went on to win Gold at the British Championships and Silver at the British Open. The Sport Scholarship programme has supported Ross with the academic flexibility needed to balance his education with elite level training.
Jaylen Franklin (Basketball)
Silver Award
Jaylen has competed at the highest level of collegiate basketball in Scotland and the USA, earning a Scholarship to the prestigious National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) Division 1 programme, University of Massachusetts. Jaylen looked for his next opportunity of pursuing professional basketball or furthering his education and was able to combine education and preparation for a professional career through the UWS Sport Scholarship. Jaylen guided Team UWS Basketball to the Scottish National Championship and BUCS Tier 1 title whilst completing his Masters in Social Science.
Annabel Simpson (Athletics)
Bronze Award
Annabel, a PhD student with a Dentistry background, had a stellar season where she took home the Scottish Universities 5k Championship and topped her season off as she met the Team Scotland Commonwealth Games qualification. Annabel took home three 5k, three 10k and a Half Marathon title in a medal laden season. Annabel was supported by the Sport Scholarship to pursue sport and education at the highest level.
Hayden McAvoy (Kickboxing)
Bronze Award
The Lanarkshire Campus kickboxer had a solid season in 2021-22, where the Sport Scholarship played a key role in supporting Hayden to medal success. Taking home one of Team UWS’ three Scottish National Championships, as he lifted the World Kickboxing Association Scottish Championship. The support through the Scholarship allowed Hayden to focus on his training towards a National Championship whilst receiving the academic flexibility and support when needed.
Last updated: 01/09/2026