Student Sport Coaching Performance Programmes
Our Coaching Scholarships are designed to attract individuals who are passionate about coaching and developing the sports programme and performance of student athletes. Anyone studying at postgraduate level at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh Campus, is eligible to apply for a Coaching Scholarship.
Coaching Scholarships will receive up to 100% Tuition Fee Reduction on postgraduate fees (dependent on experience and number of coaching hours across the year).
Criteria
All Coaching Scholarship recipients are required to meet the following criteria:
- Study at Heriot-Watt University on a postgraduate degree
- Hold a Level 2 Coaching qualification or equivalent, or having significant playing experience at a professional/ international/ college level, will be considered
- English Language requirements – IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent)
Sports
Applications will be considered for any sport within Heriot-Watt Sports Union, full list of clubs can be found here
We would particularly welcome applications for the following sports for 2023/24 entry:
- Basketball
- Volleyball
Scholarship Information
This is an exciting role for a student coach and specific responsibilities of the coaching scholarship recipient will vary depending on the requirements of the Sports Union club. The recipient will undergo a full induction within both the Sports Union and Oriam. The recipient will be expected to start their coaching scholarship in August 2023 to allow for a full induction, training and planning for the academic year, starting in September. The recipient will work primarily within the Oriam Performance Department and work closely with the Sports Union to deliver on coaching and recruitment for one of the Sports Clubs.
The scholarship will last for the duration of their studies – one year for full time study, two years for part time study. The recipient will be expected to complete a handover process at the end of the scholarship in the August of their final year e.g. August 2024 for a full time student or August 2025 for a part time student.
For academic courses starting in January 2024, a January start for a coaching scholarship may also be possible depending on sport – please use the enquiry form at the top of this page to get in touch.
This role is also available as a player-coach position for anyone wishing to compete for Heriot-Watt University in their sport.
Responsibilities
The coaching scholarship recipient will be responsible for leading, or supporting, the coaching of the Sports Union club, depending on experience, and current coaching staff in place within the club. The number of hours will be annualised with higher coaching commitments between September and April, will reduced coaching hours between June and August.
The recipient will also be responsible for promoting Heriot-Watt University to to prospective students to be part of their Sports Union club. This could involve recruitment focused activities such as attending University Open Days, networking, and attending competitions. They will also have the opportunity to work closely with the Marketing and Communications teams to produce marketing and social media materials aimed at new students looking to study at Heriot-Watt University and join a Sports Union club.
Sport Support
All Sports Union clubs have the opportunity to purchase a performance package that includes:
- Sports science support,
- Physiotherapy support
- Hydrotherapy support
The coaching scholarship recipient will therefore have wider support from the Oriam team if their sport club chooses to purchase a performance package. This will allow not only an opportunity for the athletes to further their development and knowledge but also an opportunity for the coaching scholarship recipient to work within a multi-disciplinary team of physiotherapists and sports scientists throughout the duration of their scholarship.
Application Process
The first stage of the application process is to submit a written application using the link at the top of this page. Applicants who are successful at the first stage will be invited to an interview that can be either in person at Oriam or on Microsoft Teams, depending on the location of each applicant.
Fee Reduction
The percentage of fee reduction offered to the recipient will depend on:
- Coaching qualification
- Previous coaching experience (or significant playing experience)
- Commitment and quantity of coaching hours across the duration of the scholarship
Percentage fee reduction will be agreed before the scholarship is approved and will be based on the commitment of the recipient to meet the coaching requirements throughout the year. The recipient will be removed from the scholarship and required to pay any outstanding fee’s to complete their studies should they fail to meet the agreed requirements at any point during the scholarship.
Further Information
This scholarship provides a fee reduction for postgraduate tuition fees only. All expenses incurred by the scholarship recipients will be required to be covered by the individual, including:
- Accommodation
- Travel
- Visa fees
- Healthcare costs
English Language Requirements
If English is not your first language a minimum of IELTS 6.5 or equivalent is required with all elements passed at 6.0 or above. Please refer to English language requirements for further details. All evidence of English language needs to be dated within two years of the commencement of study
Some applicants may be asked for alternative evidence in line with UKVI recognised English speaking countries. Applicants who have previously successfully completed courses delivered in the medium of English language may be considered and will be required to provide documentary evidence of this. Examples would be secondary school education or undergraduate degree. A minimum of at least one year of full time study (or equivalent) in the medium of English language will be required.
We also offer a range of English language courses to help you meet the English language requirement prior to starting your master’s programme:
- 20 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with no skill lower than 4.5)
- 14 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.0 with minimum of 5.0 in writing and no skill lower than 4.5)
- 10 weeks English (for IELTS of 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.0)
- 6 weeks English (for IELTS 5.5 with no skill lower than 5.5)
APPLY NOW using the link at the top of this page!
Alternatively – please submit any questions or request an appointment with our Athlete Lifestyle & Advocacy Coordinator, Emma Cartmill (e.cartmill@hw.ac.uk).