The Sir Michael and Lady Morven Heller bursary is an award of between £500 and £2000 intended to financially help you do something you are passionate about that is completely outside of your area of academic study. Any second year home student is eligible to apply.
Read three of the bursary’s previous recipients to find out why you should apply and the impact it can make on your life:
The Hellar Bursary is a unique opportunity wherein by you are encouraged and supported to do something you have always wanted to do, or invest further in a hobby or skill. My hobby was doing a martial art called Aikido, which is a Japanese martial arts. It so happened that there was going to be the 50th anniversary of this aikido at the Japanese headquarters in Osaka, Japan. I really wanted to attend and train but did not have the financial means to pursue this once in a lifetime opportunity. Then I saw the advertisement of the Hellar bursary and what it was offering. It asked for an application and then upon passing that, a presentation about your passion, and if approved you would receive some financial help. I thought this was too good to be true! However, I had nothing to lose, so I applied. I shared my passion for the sport with the panel, the benefits of it, what is going to this event would mean to me, the benefits for the university. A few weeks later I was informed that I secured some funding to go to Japan. I could not believe it.
I encourage you, if you have a passion, whether it be learning BSL, learning to forge, money towards a flight for your charity destination, whatever it may be, apply! You have nothing to lose except an hour or so of your time talking about what you love, and you have everything to gain.
Written by Katrina Love
When I saw the Heller bursary advertised, I thought about my passion for my sport of Underwater Hockey and the upcoming World Championships. Underwater Hockey is a self-funded sport, meaning that championships can be very expensive, often up to about £2000. The bursary is such a unique opportunity as it is only available to second years. It took away the stress of financial aid and allowed me to focus on what I do best… play Underwater Hockey. The World Championships were an unforgettable experience, one that was made so much easier and more enjoyable by the Heller Grant. Please take advantage of the opportunity that is being thrown at you, not many do!! Thankyou SHU!
Written by Zoe Higham
“Life-changing. That is the only way I can describe the Heller Bursary. It has allowed me to do so many things that I would not have been able to do if I had not received it. When I applied, I had not long started playing the violin and as a result of the bursary, I have been able to finish paying off the instalments for my violin and upgraded the rest of my equipment to a professional standard of equipment and am currently taking lessons with a professional violinist. I know that you are in your second year and that it naturally has the pressure of being the first year that counts towards your final degree classification (for most of you at least) but what I can say for certain is that every minute that you spend filling out the application and attending interviews for the bursary is 100% worth it. I really hope that if you’re thinking about applying you do because it really does have the power to make a massive difference to your hobby, sport or whatever it is that you do.”
Written by Harry Farmer
Find out more about the bursary and apply here.
