Scholarships

As a college, we are fortunate enough to offer a selection of scholarships to students from lower-income households. Applications for 2026-2027 entry will open in January 2026, but you can read more below. now closed for this academic year, but you can read more below. 

Scholarships include:

Margaret Bloomfield Scholarships

The Margaret Bloomfield Scholarship is awarded to one student each year and is worth £5,000 per year for a maximum of 4 years. The scholarship is open to UK home applicants from lower income households (below £47,200 per year as assessed by Student Finance England)

Applications for the Margaret Bloomfield Scholarship for 2026-27 entry will open in January 2026.

Margaret Bloomfield was an English Literature student at St Mary's (1944-47). After graduating from university, she had a successful career in Education. Margaret died in February 2023.

In her will, Margaret left St Mary’s College a legacy with the words “In gratitude for my four happy years at St Mary’s which made possible my rewarding career”.

While the college has several existing generous donations supporting students from lower-income households, these scholarships will be the first permanently endowed, fully financed scholarships in St Mary’s College’s 125-year history. 

Doris and Stanley Williams Scholarship

The Doris and Stanley Williams Scholarship will be awarded to one student for entry to St Mary's in 2026-27 and its worth £5,000 per year for a maximum of 4 years. The scholarship is open to UK home applicants from lower income households (below £47,200 per year as assessed by Student Finance England).

Applications for the Doris and Stanley Williams Scholarship for 2026-27 entry will open in January 2026.

Durham Inspired St Mary’s Scholarship

Applications are currently closed for this scholarship. 

The Durham Inspired St Mary’s Scholarship, set up in 2019 is offered due to the generous support of St Mary’s alumni and is specifically intended to support applicants from underrepresented backgrounds.  The scholarship of £4,000 a year for up to 4 years is intended to help students get the most out of their time at Durham University and can be used to pay for the things that would help most, such as textbooks, laptops, memberships or sports activities and it does not need to be repaid. 

St Mary's Postgraduate Scholarships

The college can offer two UK undergraduate students, starting their postgraduate degree in September 2026, a scholarship of £4,000.

Scholarship details are as follows:

Beatrice Hollingsworth Science Scholarship

Applications for the Beatrice Hollingworth Science Scholarship are welcomed from students of St Mary's College who are due to graduate in Summer 2026 with First Class Honours or an Upper Second degree in a Science subject, and who intend to embark, in the following academic year (2026-27), on a full-time Masters course leading to a higher degree in Science at Durham University, whilst retaining membership of St Mary's College.

Applications will be considered in consultation with the Faculty of Science.

Mary Thoits Scholarship

Applications for the Mary Thoits Scholarship are welcomed from students of St Mary's College who are due to graduate in Summer 2026 with First Class Honours or an Upper Second degree, and who intend to embark, in the following academic year (2026-27), on a full-time Masters course leading to a higher degree at Durham University, whilst retaining membership of St Mary's College.

Applications will be considered in consultation with the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Social Sciences and Health and The Business School (depending on applicant details).

Applications are open for current St Mary's undergraduate students who will begin their postgraduate studies in the academic year 2026-27.

If you would like to speak with us about funding a scholarship, please get in touch: stmarys.alumni@durham.ac.uk 

Terms and conditions below:

Postgraduate Scholarship T&Cs

St Mary's Scholarship and Bursary Terms and Conditions