Moritz-Heyman Scholarship
The Moritz-Heyman Scholarships were launched in 2012, following a generous donation from Sir Michael Moritz and Ms Harriet Heyman. Each year 100 new UK students whose household income is assessed as £16,000 or less by the Student Loans Company (SLC) are selected to receive an annual fee reduction of £5,500 and bursary of £5,500. The scheme combines additional financial support with tailored on-course assistance provided by the Moritz-Heyman Scholarship Officer and the Careers Service.
As a Moritz-Heyman Scholar, you will have the opportunity to access at least one internship, facilitated by the Careers Service, and to attend a range of exclusive events, including a reception hosted by the Vice-Chancellor, and you will typically be expected to complete 25 hours of ‘outreach’ work to encourage school and college leavers to apply to university, or of community volunteering each year.
Please see the FAQs below for more information on all aspects of the Scholarship programme, or email Sophie Hurden, the Scholarship Officer with any other questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How was I selected for the Moritz-Heyman Scholarship?
One hundred students are selected in the autumn each year. All of the following are taken into account in selecting students:
- household income: only UK-resident students from households with incomes of £16,000 or less are eligible (as assessed by their funding agency)
- rate of participation in higher education in the post code where the student lives
- socio-economic indicators in the post code where the student lives
- their school’s average attainment at GCSE and A-Level
- Care Leaver status
All subjects are eligible, but greater weighting is given in the selection process to students studying subjects in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
Scholars are selected in stages, depending on when information is received from the Student Loans Company regarding their household income assessment. This means that not all 100 Scholars are selected before the start of Michaelmas Term. The first letters inviting new students to become Moritz-Heyman Scholars will be sent out in mid September. Letters to those students who are selected at a later date will be sent out in mid-October and mid-November.
Continuing Scholars eligibility will be reviewed each year and letters sent out from September onwards re-confirming their entitlement for the next academic year.
What financial support do I receive as a Moritz-Heyman Scholar?
As a Moritz-Heyman Scholar, you will pay a maximum annual tuition fee of £3,500. The tuition fee loan will be processed in exactly the same way by the Student Loans Company (SLC), but for the reduced amount. If your course comprises a year abroad, we will contact you directly regarding arrangements for your tuition fee for that year.
Payment of the £5,500 bursary is made by the Student Loans Company (SLC) on behalf of the University. You must therefore ensure the SLC always have your correct bank details. These are the account details which you have submitted in order to receive your maintenance support. You will only receive payment of your bursary (£5,500) on the dates shown below if you have registered with the University by the deadline of Friday 18 October. This academic year, the bursary will typically be paid in four instalments, as follows:
| Mid October | 1st instalment of £1,000 |
| Late October (Michaelmas Term week 4) | 2nd instalment of £1,500 |
| Late January (Hilary Term week 2) | 3rd instalment of £1,500 |
| Early May (Trinity Term week 2) | 4th instalment of £1,500 |
What does this mean for my government funding?
We estimate that the bursary element of your Scholarship, combined with the government maintenance grant administered by the SLC, should be enough to cover most or all of your term-time living costs this year. If, therefore, you decide that you wish to reduce your maintenance loan, you will need to log into your online student finance account and make any adjustment to the maintenance loan amount requested as soon as possible. If you require any help with this, please contact student.funding@admin.ox.ac.uk.
What happens if my household income rises?
We don’t want to cause Moritz-Heyman Scholars any unnecessary uncertainty about their funding entitlement. For this reason, minor fluctuations in household income will not affect your entitlement. However, if your household income were to rise above £25,000 you would revert to the standard financial package according to your new household income. You would remain a Moritz-Heyman Scholar and retain access to the internship and volunteering support and to any other events for Scholars.
What support will I get in identifying suitable volunteering opportunities?
Our involvement with your volunteering or outreach work will be flexible to suit your interests and availability, and you may already know what you want to do. The Moritz-Heyman Scholarship Officer will be in touch to offer an optional one-to-one meeting to discuss what's available within the University and colleges, what commitment it might require, and what training is provided.
What happens if I struggle to meet the volunteering targets?
The most important thing while you are at Oxford is your studies, and we want you to enjoy the full range of other social and leisure activities on offer, too. We also appreciate that sometimes ill-health or family commitments may impinge on the time you have to donate to volunteering or outreach work. If you are struggling either to find a suitable volunteering opportunity or to reach the target hours for any reason, it’s important that you let the Moritz-Heyman Scholarship Officer know as soon as possible.
What support will I get in identifying and applying for suitable internships?
You will be invited to talk to a Careers Adviser who will help you to identify an internship that matches your interests and is relevant to any future career plans. In some cases, these could be new internships that are 'tailored' to suit your requirements. The Careers Service will be writing to all Scholars during Michaelmas Term with further details of the support available.
What happens if I don’t want to do an internship?
Scholars are under no obligation to undertake or apply for internships. For some students, it may well make most sense to seek work experience in a subject-related field during the Long Vacations (such as laboratory placements), and the Careers Service would certainly support you in finding these opportunities.
Will I still be able to undertake paid work in the vacations?
There are no rules relating to the Scholarship which prohibit paid work outside of term-time, although obviously any work would need to be balanced with your study commitments. You will find that many UK internships are paid, but if a Scholar identifies a relevant unpaid internship we will review whether additional funds are needed to allow her/him to take up the opportunity.
Who will know that I’m a Moritz-Heyman Scholar?
We appreciate that your household income is sensitive information, and will ensure your status as a Moritz-Heyman Scholar is only shared with Collegiate University staff who need to know.
The Student Financial Support Office in the University administers both the standard Oxford financial support package and the Moritz-Heyman support package. These staff will therefore know that you are a Scholar so that they can ensure you receive the correct level of financial support. They also pass this information to staff in your College finance office to ensure that your fee is appropriately adjusted.
We will inform your Senior Tutor that you are a Scholar so that s/he can support you if you are concerned that volunteering or outreach activities are interfering with your academic work. A list of Moritz-Heyman Scholars will also be sent to the Careers Service, so that they can provide relevant internship advice.
Beyond this, it’s entirely up to you – your fellow students won’t know unless you tell them.
As a Moritz-Heyman Scholar, do I need to buy a Scholars’ Gown?
No – Scholars' Gowns are only worn by those who achieve academic distinction during their studies at Oxford. The Moritz-Heyman Scholarship is not an academic award, so does not confer the right to wear a Scholars’ Gown.
I still have questions, who do I speak to?
Please email the Moritz-Heyman Scholarship Officer, who will be happy to answer any further questions you may have. You can also call on 01865 286499.