Ealing Trailfinders (ETF) Brunel University of London Rugby Academy Scholarship

The Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club and the Trailfinders Rugby Academy are fully committed to discovering and developing the most promising and aspirational players to support their journey towards professional rugby through education.

This rugby scholarship programme has been developed in conjunction with Brunel University of London, allowing you to gain a degree to set you up for the rest of your life academically, as well as pursuing a professional rugby career with a full-time rugby programme.

Send a cover letter, rugby CV & highlights reel to academy@etprm.com

This scholarship is open to Home, EU and International fee paying students applying for Foundation or Undergraduate courses at Brunel University of London.

It should be noted that applicants entering a Foundation course at Brunel or a course with Brunel Pathway College (BPC) in 2024/5, will be considered for a scholarship in the foundation year, however, payment of the scholarship will commence when they progress to Brunel in year 1/ FHEQ Level 4. ETF will be responsible for scholarship payment of tuition fee’s for awarded students on Year 0/ Foundation year.

The scholarship is for three years of Undergraduate study, payments are not made in the Placement year of an FSK or FSN course. However, if a student starts their course with Brunel in their second year, a fee reduction may be considered on a case-by-case basis).

Value: 100% tuition fee waiver or 50% tuition fee waiver.

The ‘Rugby Scholarship Allocation Panel’ will select the appropriate award type.

In all cases the scholarship fee waiver will be applied directly to tuition fees for each level of study, subject to normal progression criteria having been met (additional fee reductions may be made during a repeating year to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis).

How many: An agreed number of funded scholarships are available and approved by Brunel University of London in each academic year, based on funding and student numbers recruited.

ETF may offer a separate Bursary or other funding to those applicants not awarded a Scholarship. This will be assessed by ETF on a case by case basis.

By accepting the scholarship, the applicant is agreeing to be bound by the terms and conditions set out in their scholarship contract with Ealing Trailfinders Professional Rugby Management. All applicants will be sent a copy of this contract during the application process.

By accepting the scholarship, the applicant is agreeing to become a Student Ambassador for the rugby program and their relevant college. As a Student Ambassador, applicants may be requested to participate in various activities to help promote the Rugby program, University and the College.

Brunel University of London will share your enrolment status, your academic progression status for continuing students and the award of an Ealing Trailfinders Brunel University of London Rugby Academy scholarship with Ealing Trailfinders Professional Rugby Management for each year of enrolment at Brunel University of London.

Data pertaining to bursary holders such as: progression rates, degree attainment, degree completion, and graduate outcomes may also be analysed in order to understand the effectiveness of bursaries and scholarships. This data may also be linked to other data already held by the University for the purpose of better understanding the impact of bursaries and scholarships on under-represented groups. To learn more about how the University uses data to support its commitment to delivering positive outcomes to applicants from under-represented groups please visit our webpage.

Application process:

1. Applicants need to complete an application to study at Brunel University of London via UCAS.
2. Send a cover letter, rugby CV & highlights reel to academy@etprm.com
3. Applications will be reviewed by Ealing Trailfinders and if successful an offer of a place will be sent out alongside the scholarship contract.
4. Awarded applicants must return the signed contract to Ealing Trailfinders Professional Rugby Management and accept the course offer made to them by Brunel University of London.

To be considered for an Ealing Trailfinders and Brunel University of London Rugby Academy Scholarship an applicant must:

1. Hold an offer of a place on a full time Undergraduate course at Brunel University of London. This includes offers made through UCAS Extra and UCAS Clearing. Home/EU clearing applicants must ensure that they inform the Student Loans Company (SLC) at the earliest opportunity that they are attending Brunel University of London.
2. Make Brunel their Firm choice by the date the Scholarship Allocation Panel makes their awards in September (i.e. applicant must have met all offer conditions and firmly accepted the place).
3. Complete the application process, as listed above.
4. Commence the course in the upcoming academic year 2024/25 (applicants for deferred entry will be considered for a scholarship in the year they start their course and not in the year of their course application).
5. Be available for all required rugby activities at Brunel University of London and Ealing Trailfinders RFC.

Those not eligible for this Scholarship

• Applicants holding offers for deferred entry will be considered for a bursary in the year they start their course and not in the year of their course application.
• The Ealing Trailfinders Scholarship is not available to Postgraduate Taught (MA and MSc) or Postgraduate Research applicants (i.e. PhD and MPhil).
• Applicants applying to Brunel for a distance learning and online learning course.

3.1 Eligibility criteria are reviewed annually.

3.2 Applicants are considered for scholarships using the information provided at the time of their application only and cannot be reconsidered should their circumstances change during the course of their studies. Scholarships cannot be backdated.

3.3 Only one scholarship/bursary can be paid to any one student in any one year with the exception of the Care Leaver Bursary and the Life Long Learning Bursary.

3.4 If an applicant is eligible for more than one scholarship/bursary, they will be awarded the one which will be the most financially beneficial across the full course duration.

3.5 The Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club Academy Team will be responsible for initiating and managing all communication with the applicants. They will screen and assess all applications, before carrying out interviews and making a recommendation to the Scholarship Panel.

3.6 Scholarship awards will be decided by the Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club Academy Team and will be responsible for producing a final list of eligible awardees.

3.7 Formal awards will be made by the Allocation Panel in September and successful applicants will be informed by email shortly thereafter.

3.8 Scholarships are awarded for the current academic year only and cannot be deferred. Applicants who choose to defer their studies will forfeit any awards they have been made but will be considered anew in the year they will begin their studies.

3.9 The decision of the Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club Academy Team is final. The Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club and Brunel University of London will not accept any appeals in respect of the decisions made.

The tuition fee reduction will be applied directly to tuition fees for each level of study, subject to normal progression criteria having been met (additional fee reductions may be made during a repeating year to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club).

Conditions of Payment:

• Overseas applicants only: The scholarship does not replace the deposit of £5,000. All overseas fee-paying scholarship winners will need to pay the £5,000 deposit for their course in order to receive an unconditional offer and a Confirmation of Acceptance of Studies (CAS). The amount of their scholarship will be deducted from the remaining fees. This applies to overseas fee-paying students only.
• The full or partial tuition fee waiver will only be applied providing the student is fully enrolled at Brunel University of London on a full-time Undergraduate programme of study, which includes having had their qualifications and other documentation verified and checked, and then completing the University procedures. This includes international applicants holding the correct visa to study.
• Students in receipt of a partial tuition fee waiver, will be fully responsible for paying the remainder of their tuition fees after the scholarship contribution is deducted from the total fees for the academic year.
• Payment of the award is dependent on engaging fully with the rugby scholarship programme and on successful progression during your course at Brunel.
• Payment of the award is also dependant on the student maintaining high standards of behaviour and not bringing the Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club or Brunel University of London into disrepute.
• Payment in subsequent years will only be made providing the student successfully progresses to the next level of study/stage of study [scholarship payments will not usually be made during a repeating year until the student has satisfactorily progressed to the next level unless an exceptional decision is agreed by the Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club].
• Where a scholarship award spans more than one year, students will be written to in September to confirm ongoing eligibility to receive their scholarship award.

Where a student receiving a tuition fee waiver has applied for a tuition fee loan from the Student Loan Company (SLC), the SLC will be notified of the tuition fee waiver(s) in September.

Awarded scholars are excluded from all other scholarships and tuition fee waivers with the exception of the Family Discount and the Early Payment Discount.

The order of discount will be applied as follows:

1. Scholarship/bursary fee waiver applied to the full annual tuition fee;
2. 10% Brunel Family Discount applied to the net tuition fee (if applicable);
3. 15% Graduate discount applied to the net tuition fee(if applicable);
4. 2% Early payment discount applied to the net tuition fee (if applicable).

Further information about tuition fee discounts can be found in the Student Financial Policy.

5.1 Misleading information: The University reserves the right to withdraw a scholarship from anyone who is found to have misled Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club and Brunel University of London about any aspect of their eligibility and to seek repayment of any monies already paid by appropriate means.

5.2 Mode of Attendance Change: If a student changes to a different mode of study, their eligibility for a scholarship will be reviewed. The scholarship will be withdrawn if the change is from full time to part time.

5.3 Deferred entry: If a student defers entry the scholarship will be withdrawn. Applicants for deferred entry will not be considered for a scholarship and must apply in the year they start their course and not in the year of their course application.

5.4 Changing course: If a student changes course but remains at the same level of study, this will not have an impact on the award.

5.5 Changing course and starting again at FHEQ Level 4 (Year 1): Students who commence their studies and subsequently make an alteration that involves starting again at FHEQ Level 4 will not be eligible for a new award against the new course. The existing scholarship will be placed on hold and reinstated once the student commences FHEQ Level 5 subject to meeting the annual scholarship progression criteria outlined in Section 4.

5.6 Abeyance/Temporary Withdrawal: A student who takes a period of temporary withdrawal (abeyance), their award will put on hold until the student returns to study.

5.7 Amendment of Fee Waivers: Fee waivers are applied at the start of the academic year as part/all of a scholarship entitlement and will not be amended once the fee waiver has been processed. Any tuition fee liability remaining after fee waivers are applied would therefore be calculated in accordance with Student Financial Policy. In the case of withdrawal or abeyance the tuition fee and the fee waiver are calculated in accordance with Student Financial Policy.

5.8 Suspension of Study: Should a student be suspended for any reason; scholarship payments would be withdrawn and consideration of reinstatement will be dependent on the disciplinary outcome.

5.9 Repeat/Extended Study: Repeat periods of study, and periods of temporary withdrawal that result in extended periods of study, are not normally supported by additional scholarship payments. Scholarship entitlement is for the maximum duration of each award and entitlement is not extended if overall course duration alters unless agreed by the Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club and Brunel of University London.

5.10 Withdrawal from Study: A student who withdraws from their programme prior to completion and who is in receipt of a scholarship award will not normally be requested to repay scholarship payments made up to the point of withdrawal; however, entitlement to all future scholarship payments and/or adjustments, cease immediately if a student withdraws.

5.11 Withdrawal due to poor attendance: If a scholarship is withdrawn due to non-engagement, the fee waiver will be withdrawn without further notice and the student will be liable for the full course tuition fee.

Any queries relating to these terms and conditions should be addressed to the Admissions Office by emailing: scholarships@brunel.ac.uk

Updated 22 October 2024.