NASMA: helping you stay finance savvy

Extra funding

Find out if you’re eligible for thousands of pounds to help pay for university costs, as Michelle Higgs explains

“Tracking down funding that you might be eligible for takes time and effort, but it could be well worth it.”

“Do you excel at a particular sport? You might be eligible for a sports scholarship, but remember that you would be expected to compete for your university throughout your degree, and you would need to juggle this with your studies”

“If you’re really struggling financially and you can prove that you haven’t been extravagant with your money, you may be eligible for a hardship fund from your university, either in the form of cash or as a loan”

Facts/stats

41% of students feel they were not made aware of additional funding options
(Save the Student, National Student Money Survey, 2024)

25% of students receive money from grants and funding
(Save the Student, National Student Money Survey, 2024)

81% of students worry about making ends meet
(Save the Student, National Student Money Survey, 2024)

Everyone knows that the maintenance loan isn’t sufficient to cover day-to-day living costs, so extra cash is needed. Maybe you could get money from your parents or grandparents if they can afford it, or you could take on a part-time job to plug the gap.

But there is another way to supplement your income. Believe it or not, there’s a huge pot of money in hundreds of different student grants, bursaries and scholarships, just waiting to be claimed – and it doesn’t have to be paid back!

Sounds too good to be true? Well, it’s definitely legit, but there’s a catch. You can only get this extra money if you’re eligible for it and you submit a successful application. The criteria is different for each scheme and is determined by the provider. Tracking down funding that you might be eligible for takes time and effort, but it could be well worth it.

Understand the terminology

When you start looking at the various schemes, the jargon can be confusing so it’s important to understand the difference between grants, scholarships and bursaries. Put simply, grants and bursaries are based on financial need, which is why your income (and that of your parents/guardians) is usually taken into account. Scholarships are awarded on merit for academic, musical or sporting achievements.

Grants are usually funded by the government, while bursaries and scholarships are offered by universities, professional organisations, charities, businesses and philanthropists. Another type of funding is provided by companies in the form of lucrative sponsorships in specific industries or disciplines that could pay your university costs; there will also be a package of benefits such as paid holiday work and placements, plus a guaranteed interview after graduation.

The sheer number of bursaries, grants and scholarships is staggering. But there are very specific criteria for each scheme, so it’s easy to narrow it down and discount any that you’re not eligible for. To ensure inclusivity, universities offer bursaries to underrepresented social groups such as ethnic minorities, mature students, people with disabilities, students from low-income backgrounds or those who are care experienced. (If you’ve been in local authority care, even for only a short time and even if you were subsequently adopted, you are classed as ‘care experienced’; the term ‘care leaver’ is often used interchangeably.)

The criteria might be even more defined for some schemes, for example, studying a particular subject at a certain university; having parents who work in a specific occupation; coming from a particular town or county; being educated at a specific school; or being the first in your family to go to university.

Do your research

It’s tricky to find all the available funding because there’s no one-stop online resource, so you’ll have to find time for some serious research. Your first port of call should be a searchable database like The Funding Hub which lists thousands of scholarships and bursaries. You can search by university; degree course; or by selection criteria such as financial need, academic merit, sporting achievement etc.

You should also check if there’s a list of funding opportunities on your university’s website in the student finance section; some universities even organise them into a searchable database. For example, the University of Liverpool lists various bursaries including those for care leavers, young adult carers and architecture students, as well as scholarships for students of electrical engineering, electronics and computer science, and for high performance athletes.

Although online databases can narrow down your search, they don’t include hundreds of smaller charitable trusts that offer bursaries or grants. Details about these funding opportunities are in The Guide to Educational Grants (ask to see it in your local library or at uni). The most recent guide (2020/21, 16th edition) lists more than 800 sources of financial help for those in education, totalling around £47 million each year.

Many charities partner with specific universities. For example, the Sidney Perry Foundation supports vocal studies students at the Guildhall School of Music; students at seven medical schools who are on the UK Widening Participation in Medicine scheme (UKWPMED); students on the RCN Foundation into Nursing programme; and also students at the Open University.

Are you eligible?

Bursaries are usually awarded on the basis of financial need, so one of the main criteria will be whether your household income is below a certain threshold (the exact level varies across the UK). All British universities offer bursaries of varying amounts to students from low-income backgrounds. You don’t have to apply separately for these as your uni will assess your eligibility when you apply for student finance. All you need to do is grant permission for the Student Loans Company to share details of your household income with your university. If your household income remains low throughout your degree course, you’ll receive the bursary every year.

Other types of bursary are one-off payments while some may be available in the following years of your studies. However, you will usually need to reapply each year and still meet the criteria to receive the funding.

Competition for scholarships is fierce compared with bursaries because a minimum level of attainment in a particular subject or discipline is required. To be eligible, you may have to accept a certain university as a firm choice, not as an insurance offer, especially if you’re applying for a scholarship sponsored by a company.

If you have a mental health problem, a long-term health condition or any other disability, you should be entitled to Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) which covers study-related costs. You may also be eligible for additional funding through bursaries or scholarships.

Career-related bursaries and scholarships

If you’re studying for a healthcare, medical, dental or social work degree, you may be eligible for NHS funding (www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/student-services). The rules are complex and differ around the country; you’ll need to apply through the relevant office in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland depending on where you live.

Bursaries and scholarships are also available for certain post-graduate teacher training courses (https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/bursaries-and-funding).

Sports and music scholarships

Do you excel at a particular sport? You might be eligible for a sports scholarship, but remember that you would be expected to compete for your university throughout your degree, and you would need to juggle this with your studies.

If you’re a talented singer, you could try applying for a choral scholarship. These require a significant commitment because you would have to attend services on Sundays and some weekdays throughout the year, plus weekly rehearsals. Organ scholarships are also available to accomplished organists.

Hardship funds

If you’re really struggling financially and you can prove that you haven’t been extravagant with your money, you may be eligible for a hardship fund from your university, either in the form of cash or as a loan. Don’t delay or worry about asking for help – contact the university’s finance office to see what’s available.

5 steps to a successful application

Read all the information carefully to make sure you meet the criteria, then send all the details that are requested; applications with missing information will be rejected. And don’t miss the deadline!
Don’t rely on just one application; if you meet all the criteria, try applying for several different bursaries to increase your chances of success.
Never send in a generic cut-and-paste application – assessors can spot these a mile off. Take the time to tailor every application to the individual requirements of each bursary or scholarship.
Research the background of the award, for example, if it was founded in memory of a university student or set up by a Victorian philanthropist.
Refer to the research you undertook about the award and demonstrate your passion for your degree and/or the sport or music the scholarship is for.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Lead Scotland: Linking Education and Disability
https://www.lead.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Guide-to-Educational-Grants-for-Individuals-1-2023.pdf

The Funding Hub (previously the Scholarship Hub)
https://www.blackbullion.com/funding-for-university-students

Save the Student
https://www.savethestudent.org/student-finance/student-bursary-scholarship-sources.html#name

Student Awards Agency Scotland
https://www.saas.gov.uk/guides/other-sources-of-student-funding

Student Finance for Undergraduates
https://www.gov.uk/student-finance/extra-help