Grants Scholarships and Bursaries

What are university grants, scholarships and bursaries?

Free money exists to help you pay for university. Unlike your maintenance loan, you never repay grants, scholarships or bursaries. Universities, government departments and private charities distribute these funds to students who meet specific criteria.

According to the Blackbullion Student Money and Wellbeing Report (2025), 72% of UK students feel hopeless about their financial situation, and the same report found the average student faces a monthly shortfall of £364.99 between their income and their living costs, a squeeze our State of UK Student Finance 2026 data hub tracks from the loan side. Securing non-repayable funding closes this gap and reduces your reliance on expensive overdrafts.

Bursaries target financial need. Universities award them automatically based on your household income. Scholarships reward excellence. You must apply for them, proving your academic, musical or sporting ability, and grants usually come from the government or charities to support specific groups, such as students with dependents or disabilities. You can use this money to cover rent, buy textbooks, or pay for transport, and it gives you the freedom to focus on your studies rather than working excessive part-time hours.

How household income affects your university bursary

Your household income decides whether you qualify for the most common university bursaries. Universities use the financial assessment from your Student Finance application to work out your award, and Student Finance calculates that figure from the gross taxable income of your parents or partner for the tax year two years before you start (2024/25 if you start in 2026).

If your household income falls below £25,000, you will likely qualify for the maximum bursary at your chosen institution. Thresholds vary significantly between universities. For example, the University of Bradford pays £500 in the first year, £600 in the second and £700 a year after that to students with a household income under £40,000. Meanwhile, the University of Oxford offers the Crankstart Bursary, providing up to £6,370 a year for 2026 starters (£6,500 for 2027 entry) with a household income of £32,500 or less.

Many universities operate a sliding scale. You might receive £2,000 a year if your household income is under £25,000, but only £500 a year if it sits between £25,001 and £42,875.

Separated parents complicate it. If your parents are divorced or separated, Student Finance assesses the income of the parent you live with most of the time. If that parent has a new partner living with them, the partner’s income also counts towards the household total. This often pushes students over the threshold, so plan your budget accordingly. Care leavers and estranged students receive maximum support regardless of household income. Most universities offer guaranteed bursaries of £1,000 to £3,000 per year for students who have spent time in local authority care or who lack family support.

Academic, sports and music scholarships explained

Universities use scholarships to attract talented students. You must actively apply for these awards. Competition is fierce, and deadlines often fall months before your course begins.

Academic excellence scholarships reward high A-Level, BTEC or Higher grades. Some universities offer £1,000 to £3,000 cash awards for students achieving AAA or higher. You usually need to make the university your firm choice on UCAS to qualify. Review our university applications hub for strategies on securing your firm choice. Firm means firm.

Sports scholarships support student-athletes competing at a regional, national or international level. These packages often include cash bursaries, free gym memberships, physiotherapy and flexible study arrangements. Ask what’s included. You must provide evidence of your sporting achievements and attend trials.

Music scholarships offer similar perks, including free tuition and performance opportunities. Traditional universities often provide choral and organ scholarships, requiring you to perform in the university chapel choir. You usually need Grade 8 in your instrument or voice to apply.

Government grants for specific student circumstances

The government provides targeted grants to ensure higher education remains accessible to everyone. These grants sit on top of your standard maintenance loan and never need to be repaid.

Disabled students can claim the Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). This fund covers the extra costs you face due to a mental health problem, long-term illness or specific learning difficulty like dyslexia. The DSA pays for specialist equipment, non-medical helpers and extra travel costs.

Students with children can claim the Parents’ Learning Allowance, worth up to £2,024 per year. You can also apply for the Childcare Grant. Covers up to 85% of your registered childcare costs. If you care for an adult dependent, the Adult Dependants’ Grant provides up to £3,545 annually.

Nursing, midwifery and allied health students receive the NHS Learning Support Fund. This package includes a base training grant of £5,000 per academic year. You can claim an extra £1,000 if you study a shortage specialism like mental health nursing or radiography.

Corporate scholarships and degree apprenticeships

Private companies fund university scholarships to recruit future talent. Engineering, technology and finance firms frequently sponsor students through their degrees.

Corporate scholarships often provide £2,000 to £5,000 per year. Strings come attached. In return, you usually agree to complete summer internships with the company. Some contracts require you to work for the firm for a set period after graduation. Read the terms carefully before signing, as you may have to repay the money if you reject their job offer.

The Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship funds female students from low-income households (free school meals, or a parent on benefits) going on to study computer science or a related engineering degree, worth £5,000 a year for up to four years. Accounting firms like KPMG and PwC run extensive scholarship and apprenticeship programmes. These pathways are competitive, requiring you to pass psychometric tests and assessment centres. Start preparing your applications in September of Year 13.

There’s another route. If you want to avoid student debt entirely, consider a degree apprenticeship. Your employer pays your full tuition fees and pays you a salary while you study. You split your time between working in the office and attending university lectures.

Hidden funding: charity grants and trusts

Thousands of small educational charities and trusts operate across the UK. These organisations provide micro-grants to students who meet specific criteria.

You can find trusts supporting students from specific towns, studying particular subjects, or pursuing certain careers. For example, the Institution of Civil Engineers offers bursaries to engineering students. Other trusts support students who are vegetarians, children of grocery workers, or residents of specific counties like Cornwall or Yorkshire.

Use the UK Government Charity Commission database or the Turn2us grants search tool to find educational trusts. Look for keywords relevant to your hometown, parents’ professions, or your degree subject.

You will need to write a tailored application proving your financial need. Charities want to see exactly how their money will help you succeed. Be specific. Provide a detailed budget showing your income shortfall and include an academic reference from a teacher or lecturer.

Hardship funds and emergency student money

Every UK university maintains a hardship fund. This pot of money exists to rescue students facing unexpected financial crises during the academic year.

You can apply for hardship funding if you lose your part-time job, experience a sudden family emergency, or face a rent increase you cannot afford. Universities assess your income and expenditure to determine your need. They may award a non-repayable grant or a short-term emergency loan.

To apply, contact your university’s student support service. You must provide three months of bank statements, your tenancy agreement and proof of your student loan. The university will expect you to have applied for your maximum maintenance loan entitlement before asking for hardship funds. They will also check your bank statements to ensure you have not spent your loan on luxury items or holidays.

Hardship fund applications take two to four weeks to process. If you have no money for food, say so. Tell the student support team immediately. Most universities can issue emergency supermarket vouchers within 24 hours while they process your main application.

Where to find scholarship opportunities

Most scholarship money is tied to a specific university or course, so the best place to start is your own university’s scholarships and financial support page. Check it before you firm your choice: a few awards only exist at one institution and can tip a close decision. Search the site for “scholarships”, “bursaries” and “hardship”, and email the student funding team directly if the page looks thin, because they know about awards that never make it online.

Beyond your university, a few free tools pull opportunities into one place:

• The Scholarship Hub points you to Blackbullion’s Funding Hub, a free database where you filter and apply for scholarships, grants and bursaries by subject and circumstance.
• Your subject’s professional body often runs its own awards. Engineering institutions, healthcare and nursing charities, and the law and accountancy bodies fund students on relevant courses, and these attract far fewer applicants than the big open scholarships.
• For charitable and trust funding linked to your background, the Turn2us grants search covers more than 1,700 organisations (the same tool behind the charity grants above).

Once you have a shortlist, the section below covers how to apply without pouring hours into awards you cannot win.

How to apply for university scholarships and bursaries

Start your search early. Treat finding funding like a part-time job.

First, apply for your government student finance as soon as the portal opens in early spring. Consent to share your financial data, and this secures your automatic low-income bursaries.

Next, identify government grants linked to your course. Apply for the DSA as soon as you accept your university offer, and for the NHS Learning Support Fund once you have enrolled (your university has to confirm you are attending before each payment). Gathering medical evidence for the DSA takes time, so do not delay.

Finally, hunt for private scholarships. Read the eligibility criteria carefully. Tailor your application essay to match the priorities of the funding organisation. If a charity focuses on community leadership, provide concrete examples of your volunteering experience.

Free tools to plan the money

Funding sorted is only half the job. The other half is making it stretch across the year. Three of ours that help:

• Student loan calculator, to see what your maintenance loan really leaves you each term.
• Rent affordability calculator, to check a place fits your budget before you sign.
• Budget spreadsheet, to map your income against your real monthly costs.