Overview
For information only – this external scholarship is provided by the Aziz Foundation.
The Aziz Foundation Scholarships Programme offers 100% tuition fee master's scholarships to support British Muslims to study at UK universities. The scholarships are aimed at those who wish to advance in their careers and bring positive change to their communities and beyond. The aim is to support emerging leaders who have a high level of commitment to the community and who can demonstrate that they can lead and inspire in their respective fields.
The University of Sunderland is a member of the Aziz Foundation Preferred Partner Scheme.
There are up to five scholarships available for academic year 2025/26.
Who's eligible?
1. You must be a 'Home' student
The Government classes all students as 'Home' or 'International'. This status determines which tuition fees you pay, and which scholarships you are eligible for.
Aziz Foundation Scholarships are only open to those who qualify for ‘Home’ fee status in the UK, and applications from international students will therefore not be considered.
2. You must apply for an eligible University of Sunderland postgraduate course
You must enrol on one of the following courses in 2025:
Arts and Culture
- MA Design
- MDes Design (online only)
- MA Visual Practice
Law
- LLM Commercial Law (online only)
- LLM Commercial Law and International Trade
- LLM Criminal Law and Procedure
- LLM International Human Rights
- LLM International Law (online only)
- LLM Law
- LLM Advanced Legal Practice (SQE 1 and SQE 2)
- LLM Master of Laws (online only)
- LLM Terrorism and Cyber Warfare
Media and Journalism
- MA Journalism / Journalism (Sports)
- MA Media Production (Film and TV)
- MA Public Relations
- MA Radio, Audio and Podcasting
Policy
- MA Childhood and Youth Studies
- MSc Inequality and Society
- MSc Leadership in Criminal Justice and Policing
Sports
- MBA (Sports Management)**
- MSc Sport and Exercise Sciences
Sustainability/Environment
- MBA (Sustainability)**
- MSc Engineering with Sustainability (online only)
- MSc Sustainable Design and Manufacture
- MSc Sustainable Tourism
Technology
- MSc Computer Science (online only)
- MSc Computer Science with Cybersecurity (online only)
- MSc Computer Science with Data Science (online only)
- MSc Computing / Applied Computing
- MBA Cybersecurity*
- MSc Cybersecurity / Applied Cybersecurity
- MSc Data Science / Applied Data Science
*London campus course only.
** Sunderland and London campus courses
3. To be eligible, applicants should meet some or all of the following criteria:
- Be actively engaged within a Muslim community and demonstrate an understanding of the issues impacting British Muslim communities.
- Show a commitment to contributing to community and societal development in Britain over the long term.
- Explain how pursuing your Master’s degree will help enhance your impact in one of the following areas:
- Effective Advocacy and Enhancing Public Perception – Supporting better representation and contributions of Muslims in civil society, working to combat Islamophobia, and transforming perceptions of British Muslims in a positive way.
- Community Service and Social Development – Inspiring and improving aspirations and outcomes within British Muslim communities.
Additionally, we welcome candidates who have a good understanding of their chosen industry and its pathways for progression. Relevant experience or achievements in the field are ideal. We are also keen to see how your master’s degree will empower you to create meaningful social impact.
4. The Aziz Foundation will prioritise scholarships for candidates who can demonstrate that they cannot afford all or part of the tuition fees for their course.
These scholarships are being given as Zakat. Therefore, applicants will need to self-assess to determine their Zakat eligibility using the Islamic Relief and/or NZF Zakat calculators as an indicator. If you do not owe any Zakat, you will be eligible.
5. The Aziz Foundation will apply the following test, using information you supply, social indicators, and available data, to determine your financial means:
- A list of the secondary school(s) you attended, which acts as an important social indicator.
- The amount of your student debt.
- Information relating to your financial circumstances on the application form, including caring responsibilities, dependants, and existing commitments.
- Whether you are the first in your family to enter higher education.
- Using existing government data which provides information on general trends on access to Higher Education and participation rates by postcode, to indicate rates of social mobility and deprivation.
The assessment will include some or all the means testing criteria above, variously weighted, and will contribute to the panel’s final decision on the candidate.
Scholarship applicants may be contacted during the scholarship awarding process to verify widening participation criteria.
How to apply
If you are starting an eligible postgraduate course during the 2025/26 academic year, you can apply for this scholarship from January 2025.
To register an account and apply for this scholarship, please visit the Aziz Foundation website. We strongly suggest you read their guidance for applicants on what makes a good personal statement.
| Cycle | Application dates | Interview dates | Award dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
13 Jan from 11am – 4 April, 12 noon |
February – April | Mid-May |
| 2 |
8 April from 11am – 20 June, 12 noon |
April – July |
Late July |
The deadline for applications for cycle 1 is 12 noon Friday 4 April 2025.
The deadline for applications for cycle 2 is 12 noon Friday 20 June 2025.
The earliest start for courses we can consider is June 2025.
If your course starts between June – August 2025, you must apply during cycle one, otherwise, your application will not be considered.
For courses starting from September 2025, you may apply in either cycle.
You may apply only once in any given academic year (either in cycle one or cycle two but not both).
Please note that applying for this scholarship does not guarantee that you will receive it.
Receiving the scholarship
Aziz Foundation scholars are not eligible to receive any other University of Sunderland scholarships, bursaries or discounts such as the Alumni Discount or North East Postgraduate Discount.
If you are successful, it is a mandatory requirement as a condition of your award that you undertake at least one of the following:
- Participate in widening participation schemes at the University of Sunderland.
- Volunteer with a community or civil society organisation – the Foundation can help facilitate this.
- Act as a mentor, post-graduation, through the Foundation.
In the event of a discontinuation of studies, the University’s standard refund policy on fees will apply.
Published: 9 January 2025