Hatfield Lioness Scholarship 2025/2026 at Durham University, UK | Fully Funded
The Hatfield Lioness Scholarship 2025/2026 at Durham University in the UK is an opportunity for women. If you are a woman from a developing country planning to pursue a one-year master’s degree at Durham, use this post to prepare for the next cycle when it opens. The scholarship covers full tuition, accommodation at Hatfield College, a living expenses stipend, return economy airfare from your home country to the UK, a settling-in allowance, your UK visa cost, and the NHS health surcharge. You cannot hold any other scholarship alongside this one.
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| Scholarship Overview | Scholarship Details |
|---|---|
| Scholarship Name ⇒ | Hatfield Lioness Scholarship |
| Host Country ⇒ | United Kingdom |
| Study Level ⇒ | Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships (One year) |
| Benefits ⇒ | Fully Funded — Full tuition, accommodation at Hatfield College, living stipend, return economy airfare, settling-in allowance, UK visa cost, NHS health surcharge |
| Funded By ⇒ | Alumni, friends, and supporters of Hatfield College, Durham University |
| Eligible Countries ⇒ | Nationals of designated developing countries — check the current list on the official Hatfield College website |
| Application Deadline ⇒ | Closed — 31 March 2025 |
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About the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship 2025/2026 at Durham University, UK
The Hatfield Lioness Scholarship is run by Hatfield College, one of the constituent colleges of Durham University. Durham is ranked 5th in the UK by the Complete University Guide 2025. Hatfield College was founded in 1846 and is one of Durham’s oldest colleges. The scholarship was created by the college’s alumni and donor community specifically to remove the financial barrier that prevents academically qualified women from developing countries from accessing UK postgraduate education.
This is not a university-wide award. It is administered directly by Hatfield College, and scholars become full members of the college for the duration of their studies. The funding comes from private alumni donations rather than government or institutional endowment, which means the number of awards available per cycle can vary. The official Hatfield College website confirms the number of scholarships on offer each year — verify this before you apply and do not rely on figures from previous cycles or third-party blogs.
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What the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship Covers
The scholarship covers the following:
- Full tuition fees for your chosen one-year master’s programme at Durham University — paid directly to the university on your behalf
- Accommodation at Hatfield College for the full duration of your studies — for the scholarship holder only
- A stipend to cover living expenses — verify the exact current amount on the official Hatfield College website
- One return economy class airfare from your home country to the UK, plus the cost of travel between your UK arrival airport and Durham City
- A settling-in allowance paid on arrival in the UK
- UK visa application costs
- The UK NHS health surcharge
Two costs the scholarship does not cover: travel within the UK during your studies, and any costs related to dependants. If you are bringing family members, you are responsible for their accommodation, travel, and living costs in full. Dependants cannot be accommodated in Hatfield College alongside you.
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Eligibility Requirements for the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship 2025/2026 at Durham University, UK
You must meet all of the following to apply:
- You must be a woman or identify as a woman
- You must be a national of a country on the current Hatfield Lioness eligible countries list — the list is reviewed each cycle, so check the official Hatfield College website rather than relying on older posts
- You must have applied to Durham University for a one-year master’s programme and received an unconditional offer by June 2025
- You must hold an undergraduate honours degree at a standard sufficient for admission to your chosen master’s course
- You must meet all entry requirements for your chosen master’s course, including the relevant English language qualification
- You must not already hold a master’s degree
- You must not have the financial means to fund a master’s degree in the UK independently
- You must not be receiving any other scholarship funding your postgraduate studies — this award cannot be held alongside any other funding
Key disqualifier: if you already hold a master’s degree, you are not eligible regardless of your other qualifications. If you are currently receiving funding from another scholarship, you must choose between them.
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Required Documents for the Scholarship
You must have a Durham University offer letter in hand before you can submit the scholarship application. The scholarship form cannot be completed without it.
Once you have your offer, prepare the following:
- Completed Hatfield Lioness Scholarship application form — available on the official Hatfield College website
- Personal statement covering your academic background, leadership experience, and your plans after completing the degree
- Durham University offer letter confirming admission to an eligible one-year master’s programme
- Academic transcripts and degree certificates
- Two academic references — both referees must be able to assess your academic ability; personal or professional references are not accepted
- A statement of financial need explaining your current financial situation and why you require this funding
- English language proficiency certificate, if required for your chosen master’s course
One practical warning: your two academic references are part of the scholarship application, not the Durham University admission application. Contact your referees before you submit the scholarship form. A missing or late reference makes your entire application ineligible, regardless of how strong everything else is.
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How to Apply for the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship 2025/2026 at Durham University, UK — Step by Step
This application has three stages that must be completed in order. Do not attempt stage 3 before completing stages 1 and 2.
- Apply to Durham University for your chosen one-year master’s programme through the Durham University admissions portal. In your application, state your intention to apply for the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship.
- Receive an unconditional offer of admission from Durham University. You cannot proceed without this letter.
- Download and complete the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship application form from the official Hatfield College website.
- Submit the completed form and all supporting documents — your Durham offer letter, academic transcripts, two academic references, financial need statement, and English language certificate — by email to [email protected].
Submit your Durham master’s application as early as possible in the admissions cycle. The scholarship deadline is tied to receiving your Durham offer, and Durham admissions can take several weeks to process an application. If you apply to Durham in January or February, you risk not having your offer letter in time to complete the scholarship form before the 31 March deadline.
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Application Deadline
The 2025/2026 cycle closed on 31 March 2025. A new cycle has not yet been announced. Monitor the official Hatfield College website at Durham University for the opening of the next application round.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship fully funded? Yes. It covers tuition, accommodation at Hatfield College, a living stipend, return economy airfare, a settling-in allowance, your UK visa fee, and the NHS health surcharge. It does not cover dependant costs or travel within the UK during your studies.
Can Nigerian women apply for the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship? Nigeria has appeared on the eligible countries list in previous cycles, but the list is reviewed annually. Before applying, confirm Nigeria is on the current list on the official Hatfield College website — do not rely on eligibility information from older posts or scholarship directories.
Do I need a Durham University offer before applying for this scholarship? Yes. An unconditional offer from Durham for a one-year master’s programme is a hard requirement before the scholarship application can be submitted. Apply to Durham as early as possible in the academic year — the scholarship deadline is 31 March and Durham admissions takes time.
Can I hold the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship alongside another award? No. The scholarship cannot be combined with any other scholarship or funding award for your postgraduate studies. If you receive two offers of funding, you must choose one.
What master’s programmes are eligible for the Hatfield Lioness Scholarship? The scholarship is open to one-year master’s programmes at Durham University. Not every programme may qualify. Confirm which programmes are eligible on the official Hatfield College website before you submit your Durham application — applying to an ineligible programme wastes your Durham application fee and your scholarship timeline.
Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria were verified from the official Hatfield College, Durham University website as of June 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official source before submitting your application.
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