Each year Sport Aston awards up to six bursary sums of up to £500 to students at Aston who have attained a level of excellence within their chosen sport. The scholarship aims to assist each student with the continuation of their sporting career while at University and will fund appropriate activities such as sports equipment, physiotherapy or travel to training and/or competitions.
Any individual who will be a full-time student at Aston and who has attained County-level representation or equivalent (U18/U21 or senior status) in their chosen sport can apply for a sports scholarship. The British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) must recognise the sport. Successful scholars will be expected to represent Aston University in the BUCS competition throughout the academic year they are awarded the prize. Scholarships will only be offered to individuals who have gained admission to the University based on their academic merits.
The scholarships will be awarded by a committee elected by Sport Aston who will assess the merits of each applicant. Every applicant must complete an application form which must be returned by the specified closing date. Scholarships will be awarded annually and must be applied for in successive years.
Application forms will only be available for August and September of each academic year with an application deadline date in October of the same year.
Application deadline: Sunday 20 October 2024
Meet some of our sport scholarship students
Read About Their Achievements in Sport
- Karbin Shwani
Course: Master of Pharmacy
Sport: Karate
Highest achievement in recent years:
• Represented England from 2022 - Present Day
• Commonwealth Champion - Junior 76+kg 2022
• British Champion - U21 84-kg 2023
Upcoming Goals:
• Medal at World Karate Federation Competitions such as the Venice Youth League
• and Series As, this would help me with experience and international ranking.
• points.
• Maintain my titles of English and British Champion.
Statement
I embarked on my karate journey during the summer of 2018. Little did I know that this path would lead me to incredible heights and allow me to share my story with you today. My dedication and perseverance were on display as I won the Commonwealth Championships, representing my nation with pride. Following that remarkable achievement, I ranked 9th in the junior world after the World Karate Championships in 2022. These accomplishments fuel my burning ambition to scale even greater heights. I have secured victories in every major tournament held in the UK. However, the real test of my potential lies beyond these shores.
- Calum Upton
Course: PhD Biochemistry
Sport: Triathlon, Athletics, Rowing
Highest achievement in recent years:
• GB Representation, European AG Sprint Triathlon Championships, Munich – 28th, 2022
• BUCS Indoor Rowing Championships, 2022 - 6th, 2023 - 6th
• National Indoor Rowing Championships 2023 - 4th - 2000m (LWT); 3rd - 500m (LWT) (GB Qualification)
Upcoming Goals:
• Scottish Athletics Championships, 3000mSC - Podium
• GB Triathlon qualification for the World Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships
• Dorney Lake 10km Swim - Sub 3hr20mins
Statement
I have competed at a high level in running for the last 8 years, and triathlon for the last 4, with new goals in 2023/2024 to extend my success in triathlon to rowing and swimming as well. My main goals for 2024 are to podium in the Scottish Athletics Championships, to swim a sub 3hr20min 10km at the Dorney Lake Long Swim in September, and qualify for the World Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships, in addition to building my strength and muscular endurance ahead of some new hybrid fitness challenges in the Autumn, namely Hyrox and the Athx Games.
- Olivia Smith
Course: Transport Planning BSc Degree Apprenticeship
Sport: (Freestyle) Wresting, Judo, and Sambo Wrestling
Highest achievement in recent years:
• Won the British Sambo Championships 2022
• I am a black belt in judo, having trained for over 15 years.
Upcoming Goals:
• This year I hope to make the GB squad for wrestling in 2024.
• I also aim to compete in BUCS for judo this academic year and wish to medal like I did when I previously competed in the competition.
Statement
I like to demonstrate the attributes necessary in an athlete who has competed to a high level. I am extremely dedicated to succeeding and know I have the potential to compete for GB in wrestling. My long-term athletic career goals are to compete for GB in the World Wrestling Championships and at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
- Jaran Narwal-Purewal
Course: BSc Economics
Sport: Athletics (400m and 800m)
Highest achievement in recent years:
• Broken a Guinness World Record for the fastest 400m skipping in April 2023
• Selected to represent Harrow in the National Athletics League in my debut competitive
• season (2021)
• Middlesex Indoor Champion in 800m (2023)
Upcoming Goals:
• To get to the finals in BUCS
Statement
After years of competing in athletics, I have had to make tough decisions whether that be depriving myself of my favorite foods, leaving my friends and family so I can wake up early for training sessions, or giving up other sports I love, to reduce the risk of injury. I believe these sacrifices as well as many others have forged my iron mind destined for greatness. Every season I am only improving, failing more times than some people have tried, using it as a lesson each time as although I am gracious in victory, I am humble in what I have yet to learn.
- Oluwademilade Akanni Akinwe
Course: BSc Economics
Sport: Football
Highest achievement in recent years:
• Signing a 2-year contract at Shrewsbury
• Playing for Coventry FC
Upcoming Goals:
• Achieve my dream of securing a professional contract at a team in League Two.
• achieve promotion for Aston Stags to the next division.
Statement
I understand the importance of how impactful the small margins can be in football and sport, and with that sport psychology is something that has always left a long-lasting memory. I like to reach out to sports people on strategies to better myself not only as a player but also as a person. I believe the right thing for my career, would be to invest in one-on-one sport psychology the way I invest in one-on-one technical sessions. It would allow me to truly dig deep into the direction I’m going, in with my sporting career.
- Sofia Suarez Caulfield
Course: MBChB Medicine
Sport: Swiming
Highest achievement in recent years:
• Irish National finalist x2
• English National finalist, 5th place achieved.
Upcoming Goals:
• To achieve medal position at winter and summer regional competitions.
• To qualify and medal at the English and Irish national competitions in the summer.
• To compete at the winter British national championships
I am a goal-oriented and dedicated athlete. I am looking forward to representing Aston at BUCS and the BUSL and competing alongside the Aston swimming team this year. I have been a competitive swimmer since I was 11, and the experiences I have gained in youth competition have been amazing, and I would love the opportunity to continue my training and experience of senior competition and varsity sport. I am passionate about promoting women in sport, and hopefully being a role model for other female athletes to find a sport they enjoy, whether that be swimming or not, and fostering long-term, healthy relationships to sport and exercise.