About Specsavers’ Bright Stars university scholarship 2024

“Medicine? Too competitive. Engineering? Maybe not people-focused enough. Teaching? Not quite right…”

Sound familiar? If you’re the parent of a teenager who’s good at science but still yet to settle on their desired career path, you’re not alone. After all, the pressure to choose the ‘right’ career can feel overwhelming - for both parents and teens.

But what if there was a career that combined the best of all worlds? A profession that offers respect, stability and the excitement of working with cutting-edge technology, as well as a starting salary, once qualified, from £40,000 and above.

Enter optometry – a career path your scientifically-minded teenager might not have considered, but one that could tick all their boxes. And here's the really exciting part: Specsavers is offering 40 exceptional students a £10,000 scholarship to kick-start their journey into this rewarding profession.

Why choose optometry as a career?

When we think of optometry, many of us might picture simply testing vision and prescribing glasses. But modern optometry is so much more– it can be a rewarding medical career that sits at the intersection of healthcare and technology.

Today’s optometrists have the chance to use cutting-edge diagnostic equipment to detect and diagnose eye conditions, potentially saving sight and changing lives. Beyond assessing sight, optometrists can contribute to early diagnosis of conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure as well as combining their technical expertise with personal patient care.

I could probably move anywhere and there'll be a job available somewhere. Good pay. You leave work at work. Satisfaction of helping people with health problems.

Smiling89

For science-minded students who excel in STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths), optometry offers an exciting career combining clinical expertise with patient care.

Meaning, it’s great for students who:

Love using technology and learning about new innovations
Excel in sciences, particularly biology and physics
Enjoy solving problems and puzzles
Have good communication skills and enjoy helping others
Are looking for a stable, well-respected career with growth potential

Beyond the job itself, starting salaries for optometrists typically range from £35,000 to £45,000 with significant potential for growth.

An optometrist giving a colour blinded test via a book to a child

A £10,000 scholarship with Specsavers

Specsavers is offering 40 exceptional students the chance to receive £10,000 towards their university experience with their Bright Stars university scholarship, spread over four years of study.

This comprehensive package includes:

£2,500 per year for four years (five years in Scotland) to help with university costs
Paid part-time work experience in a Specsavers store while studying
Membership in a supportive cohort of peers
Social events and networking opportunities
Potential for international placements
Fast-track onto the business owner development programme

How to apply for Specsavers’ Bright Stars university scholarship

The application process is competitive and only available in selected locations across the UK. Prospective students should register their interest after applying for an optometry course at their chosen university. You can find a list of universities that offer an optometry course here. Following this, students will be invited to join Specsavers for The Bright Room.

To be considered for this exclusive selection event, students need a letter of endorsement from a teacher. Students will need a parent/guardian to attend the event with them, also.

Successful students will be matched with a local Specsavers practice where they can begin working part-time and start their optometry journey. Then, once starting university, students will receive £2,500 each year, over four years (five years in Scotland) of their optometry course.

Upon graduating, students will be fully qualified optometrists and ready to begin their career with Specsavers.

✨ Apply for the Bright Stars University scholarship

The chance to change lives. Cutting-edge tech. £10,000 for uni. It's all here on the Bright Stars Scholarship. Register your interest below to find out more.

Register your interest here

Why should your teenager choose Specsavers?

As an employer, the company offers several advantages, including:

Access to a network of locally-owned businesses, providing both support and independence
An award-winning workplace culture (Great Place to Work 2023 - 2024) that’s
ranked among Best Workplaces for Women (No. 25, 2024)
and is recognised for development opportunities (No. 23, Best Workplace for Development, 2024)
Offering an active role in UK healthcare, working alongside the NHS

With Specsavers, aspiring optometrists will also have great career progression opportunities such as:

Clinical development that provides opportunities to specialise in areas like glaucoma management, medical retina, contact lens fitting and paediatric optometry
Technology mastery through working with cutting-edge equipment like OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) scanners, digital retinal photography as well as visual field analysers
Business ownership with Specsavers and have the chance to join their partnership programme, own and manage a practice and develop business and leadership skills
Research and innovation that contributes to eye health research, developing new methodologies and work with emerging technologies
Global opportunities with Specsavers who are in 11 countries worldwide

About Specsavers

This year celebrates 40 years since Specsavers opened its first stores and the family-run business now has more than 900 across the UK. It was originally founded by Doug and Dame Mary Perkins, who started the company from their spare room working from a table-tennis table.

At a time when optical care was hugely costly, Doug and Dame Mary believed that everyone deserves access to high-quality eye care and glasses and their mission revolutionised the industry. Delivering exceptional eye and hearing care for an affordable price remains one of Specsavers core values.

Find out more about Specsavers

About the author

Rebecca Roberts is a writer, editor, and content marketing expert hailing from Leeds. Here at Mumsnet, she brings parents content designed to make life easier. Beyond her role as an editor here at Mumsnet, Rebecca can be found balancing life as a working mum of two toddlers and when she’s not at her desk, you’ll likely find her at a local playgroup, in a nearby coffee shop, or walking the dog.