Going to university can be really expensive and it can be really hard to fund your university experience. However, scholarships are a great way to help students by supporting them financially.
If you’re a student and looking for extra financial support during your university years, you may have assumed that you’re not eligible for a scholarship, however you may be surprised at the types of scholarships some organisations offer.
This blog will explore everything you need to know about scholarships and how you can apply.
What is a scholarship?
Scholarships are a form of financial aid given to students to help accelerate their education. They usually come from independent third parties and universities and students don’t need to pay them back.
Who can apply for a scholarship?
There are various reasons why you may be able to apply for a scholarship, including:
- If you’ve done well in your exams or other academic work.
- If you have an extracurricular talent such as a musical instrument or sport.
- If you’re the first person in your family to go to university.
- If you’re in financial need.
- If you have a disability.
Types of scholarships you can apply for
It’s often assumed that scholarships are only for typically academic subjects, however this isn’t true. Scholarships are available for a variety of reasons and subjects.
Here are some examples of the types of scholarships available:
- Academic Excellence Scholarships – Some universities offer money for achieving certain A-level grades to help support students further.
- Musical Scholarships – offered for those with musical talents.
- Personal circumstances – This can be based on where you live, where you go to school and what your parents do.
- Financial need – offers money for those who are in financial need and may not be able to attend university without it.
- Sporting achievement – Usually offered to those with high achievements in sport to help universities attract the best talent.
Scholarships at Millennium Point
Millennium Point has partnered with Birmingham City University to give a fully funded Undergraduate degree at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment.
Visit our website to apply for the 2023/2024 applications today.
Key dates
- Application open date update – 9th January 2023
- Scholarship Application deadline – 17th March 2023
- Assessment day at Millennium Point – To be confirmed
What courses are included?
Multiple courses are included in our scholarship partnership with Birmingham City University, such as:
- Engineering
- Built Environment
- Digital Technology
- Computing
Are you eligible?
To be eligible for our scholarship you’ll need to meet the following criteria:
- You live in the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) of the United Kingdom.
- You will be 18 and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2023.
- Your course is included in our list.
- You don’t already have an undergraduate or above qualification.
- You’re not currently studying an undergraduate or above qualification.
- You meet the entry requirements for your chosen course – you can find this out on the BCU website.
How can you apply for the scholarship?
You are currently able to apply for the scholarship through our online application form. The form will consist of a few questions about you and why you think you should be chosen for our scholarship in partnership with Birmingham City University.
The application process has two stages, with the final stage being an assessment day and the chosen candidate getting their university tuition paid for in the form of a grant.
Visit our website today to learn more about the application process and whether you’re eligible.
Applications are now open once again for the life changing scholarship. In partnership with Birmingham City University each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at BCU.
There are over 20 courses to choose from included in the scholarship. Applications are now open, with the deadline on Friday 17th March 2023, meaning plenty of time to complete the form.
Hatem impressed judges last year and secured Scholarship victory
Hatem was currently studying an Extended Diploma in IT (Network and Security) at Solihull College and had ambitions to study Computer Science at university. Information of the Millennium Point Scholarship landed in Hatem’s inbox, where he knew straight away, he had nothing to lose by applying.
In Hatem’s application he made it clear how much winning the Scholarship would mean to him, his great passion for computers and his mission to use computing and technology to better lives. The Millennium Point Charitable Trust team were hugely impressed with Hatem’s application and selected him along with four other finalists.
All the finalises attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges, Hatem impressed the panel the most and was selected as the lucky winner of last year’s Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of seven outstanding STEM students. Hatem’s degree in Computer Science at Birmingham City University (BCU) started in September 2022.
Applying is easy and simple
The competition is open to you if you are 18 by, and looking to start an undergraduate degree in September 2023 and within the West Midlands Combined Authority, who are looking to start a qualifying degree in September 2023.
Read the application from carefully and start to answer each question. Think about why you want to study your chosen degree and what you want to do in the future. Also discuss any personal attributes and skills that could help you be the next winner of the Scholarship.
It’s a two-stage application, with the final stage being an assessment day. If you make it to the final, you will be invited to participate in developmental workshops. These will focus on supporting our personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills.
We’re here to help you every step of the way
We want everyone to have the best chance of success when applying for our Scholarship scheme, and sometimes bigging yourself up can be a little daunting. That’s why we have created a helpful guide to aid you through your application. Keep an eye out on our social media for any new blogs, videos or resources that can help further.
You can always contact our friendly Trust team for any other enquiries you may have.
Unlock your student’s future by getting your school involved
Get your school involved and spread the word about the Scholarship. Tell parents, young people, teachers, and colleagues. The bigger it gets, the more impact we can make together.
We have created a Teacher’s Portal with assets and information that can help you provide students information on how to apply.
Are you a business wanting to get involved? Visit our Business Portal here. We’re always looking out to collaborate with businesses and professionals on the MP Trust Scholarship.
Why do we do this?
At Millennium Point we believe that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is important for the future of the region. Now, more than ever young people need our support and encouragement for them to unlock their potential. The scholarship is just one of the ways we can provide support to help them achieve people’s goals.
Apply today to start your Scholarship journey
Applications are now open with the deadline on Friday 17th March 2023, apply now and see what you can achieve!
We are delighted to announce that Hatem Kasseir from Yardley, has been named the winner of this year’s life-changing Millennium Point Charitable Trust Scholarship, earning a fully-funded degree at Birmingham City University (BCU). This degree is joint funded by Millennium Point Charitable Trust in Partnership with Birmingham City University.
How Hatem became a Scholarship winner
Hatem was currently studying an Extended Diploma in IT (Network and Security) at Solihull College and had ambitions to study Computer Science at university. Information of the Millennium Point Scholarship landed in Hatem’s inbox, where he knew straight away, he had nothing to lose by applying.
In Hatem’s application he made it clear how much winning the Scholarship would mean to him, his great passion for computers and his mission to use computing and technology to better lives as a whole. The Millennium Point Charitable Trust team were hugely impressed with Hatem’s application, and selected him along with four other finalists.
All the finalists attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges, Hatem impressed the panel the most and was selected as the lucky winner of this year’s Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of seven outstanding STEM students. Hatem’s degree in Computer Science at Birmingham City University (BCU), will start in September 2022.
Hatem’s reaction to winning
Hatem was shocked and over the moon at being chosen as the winner. The Scholarship winner said “My first reaction was a bit of shock, happiness and excitement. I didn’t know what to do, I was just really happy because I’d put a lot of work and effort into it, so to get that end result was fantastic.
The message I want to give to everyone is that there’s so many opportunities out there so always go for that opportunity, never think you might not have a chance or that it’s just too far for you, always try and reach your goals, no matter how high they are and keep dreaming on.”
A few words from the CEO
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point added: “When we met Hatem it was really clear from the start that he had real passion for his chosen subject of Computer Science and he was set the task of choosing a problem and how he could come up with a solution. It was really clear and well articulated and when asked about what the Scholarship would actually mean to him, it was really clear that it meant so so much.”
Identifying STEM talent
Now approaching it’s tenth year, the Millennium Point Trust Scholarship has already changed the lives of nine people from the region through their degrees, including 2017 Sagal Qodah, who has since gone on to graduate with a First Class Honours degree in Civil Engineering. She now works for Jacobs Engineering Group, showing the great paths people can take with their career, via a Millennium Point Scholarship.
Apply for the 2023 Scholarship
Each year, the Millennium Point Charitable Trust jointly funds an undergraduate degree in partnership with Birmingham City University at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, which covers over 20 different courses across computing, digital technology, engineering and the built environment. We’re helping people across the region unlock their future in STEM. For more information on how to apply or get involved in the 2023 Scholarship program please, visit www.millenniumpoint.org.uk/scholarship.
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
Applications are now open once again for the life changing Scholarship. In partnership with Birmingham City University each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at BCU’s Faculty of Computing, Engineering, and the Built Environment. You have until 5pm Friday 17th March, meaning plenty of time to start you’re your journey to Scholarship success.
You can apply on our website here.
We caught up with 2021’s Scholarship winner Asima Nazir. Asima impressed judges and secured Scholarship victory. The 37 mum-of-five was studying social science and humanities at Dudley College before she secured the Scholarship in aims to study planning.
All the finalists attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges.
Asima impressed the panel and was selected as the lucky winner of the Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of six outstanding STEM students.
How was the Scholarship process?
The Scholarship application was very simple easy and quick. The judges were a delight to present in front of, they made me feel so comfortable and relaxed and there is so much you can learn from them.
I enjoyed the training and all the help provided prior to the presentation, it was very valuable and enjoyable experience. I also loved the interaction I got from the judges.
Do you have any advice for future applicants?
I think applicants should cherish the experience, there is nothing to lose. However, so much to gain and learn throughout the process. The Scholarship pays for the entire degree, it is an opportunity that should not be missed.
So, how is University going?
Going to uni was the best decision I made, I enjoy uni life, the atmosphere, the experience, the interaction with other students, team building, my tutors, different societies. It’s just a whole new experience in itself, I am so pleased that I made this choice.
Sounds like you’re having a great time! Any plans on the future?
After I finish my degree, I would like to start work and put everything I have learnt into the practical world and start piecing the jigsaw together.
Lastly Asima goes on to say to future applicants ‘STEM career paths give us immense opportunities in the developing world, who knows where this Scholarship and degree will take me, and of course yourself’.
Why does Millennium Point offer a Scholarship?
At Millennium Point we believe that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is important for the future of the region. Now, more than ever young people need our support and encouragement for them to unlock their potential. The Scholarship is just one of the ways we can provide support to help them achieve people’s goals.
Gain the experience of a lifetime with a Millennium Point Scholarship
Applications are now open with the deadline on Friday 17th March 2022, apply now and see what you can achieve!
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
Applications are now open once again for the life changing scholarship. In partnership with Birmingham City University each year Millennium Point Trust fund an undergraduate degree at BCU.
There are over 20 courses to choose from included in the scholarship. Applications are now open, with the deadline on Friday 11th March 2022, meaning plenty of time to complete the form.
Asima impressed judges last year and secured Scholarship victory
The 37-year-old mum of five was studying Social Science and Humanities at Dudley College, before she secured the scholarship in aims to study planning.
All the finalists attended an assessment day at Millennium Point, where they each presented to a panel of five judges, Asima impressed the panel and was selected as the lucky winner of the Scholarship, which has already helped launch the careers of six outstanding STEM students.
Applying is easy and simple
The competition is open to applicants aged 17 and over within the West Midlands Combined Authority, who are looking to start a qualifying degree in September 2022.
Read the application from carefully and start to answer each question. Think about why you want to study your chosen degree and what you want to do in the future. Also discuss any personal attributes and skills that could help you be the next winner of the Scholarship.
It’s a two-stage application, with the final stage being an assessment day. If you make it to the final, you will be invited to participate in developmental workshops that will focus on supporting our personal development and professionalism in both interview and presentation skills.
We’re here to help you every step of the way
We want everyone to have the best chance of success when applying for our Scholarship scheme, and sometimes bigging yourself up can be a little daunting. That’s why we have created a helpful guide to aid you through your application. Keep an eye out on our social media for any new blogs, videos or resources that can help further.
You can always contact our friendly Trust team for any other enquiries you may have.
Unlock your student’s future by getting your school involved
Get your school involved and spread the word about the Scholarship. Tell parents, young people, teachers, and colleagues. The bigger it gets, the more impact we can make together.
We have created a Teacher’s Portal with assets and information that can help you provide students information on how to apply.
Are you a business wanting to get involved? Visit our Business Portal here. We’re always looking out to collaborate with businesses and professionals on the MP Trust Scholarship.
Why do we do this?
At Millennium Point we believe that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is important for the future of the region. Now, more than ever young people need our support and encouragement for them to unlock their potential. The scholarship is just one of the ways we can provide support to help them achieve people’s goals.
Apply today to start your Scholarship journey
Applications are now open with the deadline on Friday 11th March 2022, apply now and see what you can achieve!
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
The Millennium Point Charitable Trust has announced it has reached a landmark £30m in STEM support to organisations across the West Midlands over the last seven years – including £4.98m in the last financial year alone.
Opened in 2001, Millennium Point is a landmark public building in the Eastside of Birmingham city centre. Inside, it is home to 17 versatile event spaces including a 354-capacity Auditorium, meeting rooms and offices, and tenants, including ThinkTank and Birmingham City University (BCU).
Commercial activity that takes place in the Millennium Point building feeds back into the Millennium Point Charitable Trust. This enables the charity to donate to, invest in, and facilitate STEM-related projects, events and initiatives in the West Midlands. This has included over £2.7m in STEM grants to schools, not-for-profits and charities in Greater Birmingham and the Wider West Midlands.
In addition, the trust funds £16,650 in STEM degree scholarships annually, in partnership with Birmingham City University. To date, scholarships have totalled over £83,000.
Abbie Vlahakis, CEO of Millennium Point said: “Promoting STEM education across the region is what we do – increasing the opportunities for the next generation via some of the most exciting career paths available.
“As a meeting and events space, the last 18 months has been incredibly challenging, but it’s fantastic that we have continued throughout to contribute to the West Midlands’ myriad of exciting STEM projects and initiatives.”
The trust has also announced an extension to the deadline for applications to the Millennium Point Charitable Trust STEM Grants Programme 2022, which is now 5pm on Friday December 17th.
Paul Hughes, Schools Manager at the Aston Villa Foundation, commented: “The STEM grant we received from the Millennium Point Trust funded our innovative STEM Stars project, which has allowed us to add a new dimension to our provision and provide children, teachers and schools the opportunity to embark on their STEM education journey helping to develop skills of the future and make a real difference.’’
With STEM (science, technology, engineering, and maths) funding grants of up to £20,000 available, the trust has moved the deadline to give more organisations time to apply for money that can often be life-changing for young people and their future careers.
The latest round of funding in 2021 saw a wide range of successful, creative STEM projects – from a proposal to build a fully operational light aircraft to STEM training toolkits for schools.
Abbie Vlahakis added: “Every year we are impressed and inspired by the applications we receive for our small grants programme, and this year has been no exception – and I’d urge any organisation looking to fund an exciting STEM project in 2022 that there’s still time for their idea to be considered.”
To apply for a grant, please click here.
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
Don’t miss out on an introduction into the world of NFTs and explore the opportunities of a digital future in this exciting event taking place at Millennium Point this Saturday.
A Digital Future With NFT Talks takes place at Millennium Point on Saturday 11th December 2021, 5pm-11pm. This is the perfect event for anyone that is interested in the NFT space, that wants to learn more and connect to the NFT community.
Who are NFT Talks?
NFT-Talks is an educational brand created for the NFT space. They believe that NFTs (Non-fungible tokens) are the future and want to play their part in creating awareness to help build the NFT community.
NFT-Talks aim to deliver digestive content about the NFT space for anyone with little to no experience to consume.
What is an NFT?
Non-fungible tokens (NFT) is at the forefront of cutting edge technology and has been the highlight of the year disrupting the Art, Sports & Entertainment, Music, Gaming and Fashion industries so far.
A Non-fungible token is a cryptographic token called ERC-721. This token represents proof of ownership to any digital asset it has been linked to, which is then recorded onto a blockchain.
What to expect on the evening of the event?
The first hour of the event will kick off with a live “NFT Talks” podcast with an anonymous digital artist from the UK “KidEight”.
Taking place after the podcast, listen to a panel of industry leaders and creatives, who will be talking about the future of the NFTs in Art, Music, Digital Fashion & Collectibles followed by a Q&A session.
The event will also include a VR/Metaverse demo, live Art and Music performance, before ending the evening with a chance to network with like-minded individuals and talk about the NFT space.
Limited tickets available so don’t miss out!
Don’t miss out on the exciting world of NFTs and book your place now by clicking below. Tickets are priced at £11.37 (including fees) each.
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
New £70m restoration project revealed by STEAMhouse, boosting STEAM prospects in Eastside Birmingham.
STEAMhouse who currently operate from our multi award-winning venue at Millennium Point, have released updates for their new £70m restoration project. The listed Belmont Works had it’s scaffolding removed for the first time since development work began in February 2020, edging closer to the full opening next year.
STEAM prospects in Eastside boosted
The new development is a winner for Birmingham Eastside, offering more opportunities within STEAM in the region. Once completed, STEMhouse will serve as a home for businesses, academics and creative partners to work alongside each other on several areas including business ideas, concepts, creations and technical disciplines.
New home for School of Computing and Digital Technology
Part of STEAMhouse’s new project will unveil a new home for Birmingham City University’s School of Computing and Digital Technology. BCU deputy vice-chancellor Julian Beer said: “Reaching this milestone is not just a real landmark for the development of our STEAMhouse project but also for the changing landscape of our city’s Eastside.
“It is a credit to all that, despite the complexity of the project and the challenges presented by the covid-19 pandemic, that all partners involved in the project have been able to make such significant progress.
“As the region enters its recovery from the impact of the last 18 months, projects like STEAMhouse are essential to ensuring we provide a platform for new business, the creation of jobs and the generation of growth.”
STEAMhouse to open it’s doors in time for 2022/23 academic year
STEAMhouse will officially open it’s doors in 2022, welcoming businesses and students that are seeking opportunities to work on industry projects. These projects will boost innovation by combining technical science, technology, engineering and maths, with a form of art added to boost STEAM learning.
How Millennium Point supports education in the region
Our charitable trust is passionate about creating new opportunities within STEM for young people. As part of our trust program we run two annual campaigns to help shape young peoples futures.
Our grants scheme supports and contributes more than 5 million back into the West Midlands region through STEM related projects and events. This helps support deprived areas where many young people are missing out on the learning needed to boost their career prospects.
Below shows an example of the type of projects we fund.
STEM grant applications now open
Applications for the Millennium Point Charitable Trust STEM Grant Programme is now open! Grants from £1,000 to £20,000 can be made available to individual applicants ensuring the right resources can be supplied to support students. To apply simply click the button below.
WIN a fully funded degree
We also fully fund an undergraduate degree each year in partnership with Birmingham City University. Our Scholarship program begins with an application process, with the lucky finalists being selected for a chance to win a FREE degree. Each finalist presents a solution using STEM to a current ongoing issue, in front of a panel of STEM experts. Below is a video showing this year’s winner, Asima Adnan’s story. Asima began her fully funded degree in September.
Apply for the 2022 Scholarship
For more information on how to apply or get involved in the 2022 Scholarship program please click here.
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
Join Stemettes and Millennium Point online to take part in a STEMazing event with a focus on health & tech.
What is Stemettes Hack Midlands
This years virtual event is funded by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust and is spread across two days (18th-19th September), that will tap into your creativity and equip you with new skillsets. The event we’ll be focusing on health and technology and how we can improve the way we live for a better future for us and the planet.
What activities will you be taking part in?
During the event you will be split into teams to identify a health-related issue and design a product or business solution for it. This will test each individual and help deliver some STEMtastic solutions. Throughout the weekend, you’ll be able to interact with STEM role models and learn about health and technology through their knowledge and expertise. The role models will be there to inspire your approach to the new ideas and solutions you’ll be developing in your team.
At the end of the event each team will get the opportunity to present your new ideas to a panel of judges. There will be some exciting prizes awarded to the winning groups and each participant will receive a goodie bag.
Grab your FREE ticket by clicking below.
Event details
When: Saturday 18th September – Sunday 19th September 2021
Time: 10 am to 5:00 pm
Where: Online via Microsoft Teams
Please note that attendees based in the Midlands will be given priority for this event. Therefore, a limited amount of participants will be able to join.
How Millennium Point supports STEM within the region?
Our charitable trust is passionate about creating new opportunities within STEM for young people. As part of our trust program we run two annual campaigns to help shape young peoples futures.
Our grants scheme supports and contributes more than 5 million back into the West Midlands region through STEM related projects and events. This helps support deprived areas where many young people are missing out on the learning needed to boost their career prospects.
Learn about projects we’ve funded like this
An example of the type of projects we fund is detailed in the below video. You can also read through our grant case studies by clicking here.
Apply for a Millennium Point grant
For more information on how to apply for a Millennium Point grant please click here.
WIN a fully funded degree
We also fully fund an undergraduate degree each year in partnership with Birmingham City University. Our Scholarship program begins with an application process, with the lucky finalists being selected for a chance to win a FREE degree. Each finalist presents a solution using STEM to a current ongoing issue, in front of a panel of STEM experts. Below is a video showing this year’s winner, Asima Adnan’s story. Asima begins her fully funded degree this month.
Apply for the 2022 Scholarship
For more information on how to apply or get involved in the 2022 Scholarship program please click here.
Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands.
