Don't miss out on FREE money while at university
Understand more about what's on offer through bursaries, grants and scholarships
The costs attached to attending university can be eye-watering, with lots struggling to get by solely on student loans to cover living costs. But many students don't realise they might be able to apply for extra funding – essentially FREE money from grants, scholarships and bursaries. Here we take you through the types of funding available and who is most likely to qualify – plus some options for those studying outside of a uni setting.
Scholarships, bursaries and grants don't have to be paid back
When you go to university you can apply for both a tuition fee and living loan to help with costs. But crucially, they are loans and you have to start paying them back if your salary hits a certain threshold – currently £25,000/year for those who started in September 2023 or later in England (for more on this see Martin's 6 need-to-knows on 'Plan 5' English student finance or, if you're from a different country or on a different system, see What student loan plan am I on? to get you to the right place).
However – unlike student loans – scholarships, bursaries and grants don't have to be paid back, so are essentially FREE money towards your time at uni. Often people don't know they're eligible for this cash and so miss out on what can be essential extra funding.
Although this sort of funding is not guaranteed – all schemes have different qualifying and assessment criteria – it's worth knowing what's available in case it applies to your circumstances. We also have some budgeting guidance that can help if you're worried about managing financially, regardless of whether you are able to get extra funding.
This will depend on what you've received and where from, so it's best to check with your university or the scheme through which you got the extra funding. With a bursary, for example, you shouldn't have to pay back what you've already received – but you'll not get any future payments.
What happens if I drop out of uni? Will I have to pay the money back?
Where do I look for scholarships, bursaries and grants?
It can be hard to know where to look for scholarships, bursaries and grants, and they certainly aren't all handed to you on a plate – so you'll have to put in the research and application hours. They are offered by lots of different providers and all work slightly differently. Below are some options to get you started:
The Scholarship Hub. You can filter, find and apply for scholarships, grants and bursaries via its funding hub by downloading the Blackbullion app. The opportunities listed cover all universities and companies that currently offer funding options to UK undergraduates.
You can search based on your university choices, the subjects you wish to study or the selection criteria.
It also covers some educational trusts with more generic eligibility criteria, but there are thousands of grant-making trusts in the UK, with different selection criteria, and you might be eligible for some of them.
Turn2us. If you're interested in securing extra funding via a charity, this is a good place to start. It simply asks you to answer a few questions anonymously so it can match you with grants you may be able to apply for. The grants are provided by registered charitable organisations across the UK.
Student Health Association. This charity offers Student Enablement Fund bursaries. To be considered, you must have first applied for the Disabled Students' Allowance (and heard that the outcome will be successful) before you can apply for a Student Enablement Fund bursary. Also, you must have started your course before applying for the grant. The maximum you'll get is £500.
If you're eligible, you'll need to complete an application form and provide supporting evidence. Deadlines for applications are 1 March, 1 July and 1 November each year. After you submit your form, you will need to scan and send your supporting evidence. It takes about a month after that date to finalise awards. Late applications might be deferred to the next deadline.
Crowd Scholar. Here you can apply for scholarships if you're from what's considered a disadvantaged background. There aren't loads on offer, but it's still worth trying to apply if you think you'll be eligible. To apply for a scholarship you have to complete an online application which consists of six mandatory sections and three optional sections.
In order to be eligible for a Crowd Scholar scholarship, you must meet each of the following criteria:
You must be eligible for free school meals.
You must be a UK resident.
You must be aged between 17 to 19 years old (at some point in 2024).
You must be planning on starting university (in the UK) in the 2024/25 academic year.
Applicants who closely meet or exceed the criteria will progress to the next round (a half-hour video interview). If you are selected for an interview, you'll need to prove you meet the eligibility requirements listed above.
The deadline for the 2024/25 academic year has passed. Applications had to be in by May 2024.
The difference between what a scholarship, bursary and grant exactly are can be confusing as there is often crossover and people use the terms interchangeably. Below is a brief summary of what each one covers:
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Scholarship. These are usually based on achievement or excellence in academics, sports or music and would need to be applied for at the university you are hoping to attend before you start. They are very competitive to get and definitely not guaranteed.
The monetary value of the scholarship would depend on what sort it is and at what university, but could help towards living costs or tuition fees. As well as being offered by universities, you may find some from employers or organisations.
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Bursaries. All universities and colleges offer bursaries for students from low-income families. These are usually based on low household income, background or personal circumstances. So in contrast to scholarships, they are usually non-competitive, automatic and based on your financial need.
As such you don't need to formally apply for university bursary support. All UK students are automatically considered using household income information received from Student Finance England. You can usually only receive one bursary at a time – although you could be on a scholarship AND receive a bursary.
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Grants. These are based on similar circumstances to bursaries – low-income background or personal circumstances – but the grant is more likely to be given for a particular purpose, for example, funding a 'travel abroad' project.
They are usually provided by charities or trusts that represent underrepresented groups, or could be a top up to your other funding such as a childcare grant – all of which will need to be applied for and will not be given automatically based on circumstances like bursaries above.
What's the difference between bursaries, scholarships and grants?
Who can get grants, scholarships and bursaries?
Eligibility for a grant, scholarship or bursary can be based on a whole host of different reasons and some you don't need to do anything for – they are automatically applied based on factors such as income. Here are a few criteria...
Students from low-income households. You don't have to do anything to get this sort of grant, as it will be based on the information student finance receives about your family's annual household income. If it falls under a certain level, then you may be eligible.
Students from specific backgrounds. These are to support and encourage students whose personal circumstances put them at a disadvantage when pursuing higher education. For example, if you're the first in your family to go to university, are currently or have been in care, or in an area with low numbers of students who go to university.
Students with excellent academic results. Many universities offer scholarships to students who achieve specified grades in their A-levels or Scottish Highers to encourage the higher achieving students to choose their university. They are not all asking for A*AA, some are offering money for ABB or less.
Students with excellent musical talent. If you have musical talent and would be happy to perform during your stay at the university, there are scholarships for a wide range of choral and instrumental students.
Students with excellent sporting ability. It doesn't matter what you want to study, if you have made outstanding achievements in sport, many universities will offer scholarships to attract the best talent. You will of course have to represent the university at sporting events while you study.
Students who want to go into a specific industry. Companies or professional associations offer scholarships to attract talent into their industry or to recruit graduates and some include work experience as part of the offer. Often scholars are offered employment on graduation.
Marketing-led scholarships. These scholarships have been designed to achieve specific marketing objectives, usually offered by companies which are keen to get their brands in front of students. They are open to all students regardless of where or what they are going to study and can be worth around £5,000.
Charitable purposes. These are more often called grants or bursaries and are offered by charities and trusts, of which there are thousands in the UK. The amount awarded will usually be smaller and it will have a very specific purpose, in line with their charitable objectives.
Check eligibility before applying to save time
Applications can take time. So before you start applying for anything, it's best to check the following details first, so you're not wasting your time on something you're not even eligible for:
Eligibility criteria. This one is crucial. They won't be lenient on this, so really make sure you meet all the conditions set out. Remember it could be based on a certain course, low income, disability or even geographical area.
Deadline. If it is one of the more arduous application processes, make sure you have enough time to complete the application.
Award. Try and figure out the nitty-gritty of what you would be getting. Look for how the money is paid to you - are you given the money, or is what you would be paying reduced? How competitive is it, are there only a few awards up for grabs?
Application process. You'll need to have the time to complete this properly, some might not be too taxing, but if an award is more competitive you may even have to write a short essay or attend an interview - so you'll need to be prepared for that.
Future commitments. Successful applicants may have to commit to future responsibilities or roles once at university, for example, representing the university in sports or musical activities, volunteering in the local community, or serving as a student ambassador at events. Failure to do so might result in an award being taken back (and repaying any money already given out).
Alternatives if you don't get extra funding but are struggling
If you don't manage to get any extra funding and you're struggling for money you may need to think of some alternatives. Below are some ideas to help:
Budget. First things first: do you have a hold on your budget? Without this, any money troubles you might be facing can escalate quickly. It may seem boring but sorting out your budget should be one of the first things you do, as having enough money will make or break your time at uni. Get started with our Student budgeting planner guide and then if you're still struggling we have a full Budget Planner guide to help you.
Degree apprenticeships. If you're not yet at uni and you haven't managed to secure any extra funding and are not sure how you would get by on your student loans alone, then a degree apprenticeship might be an option for you.
In a nutshell, a degree apprenticeship (or a graduate apprenticeship in Scotland) is a 'get paid to study' route. You'll secure a full-time job with an employer, with time out to study. This is often equivalent to one day a week and is usually delivered via remote or distant learning with a university, though can include face-to-face elements. For full information and how to apply, see the Degree apprenticeships guide.
Parental contribution. If you're struggling to get by at uni on your maintenance loan, it may be because your parents haven't plugged the hidden parental contribution.
For most under-25s the amount of maintenance loan you get is means-tested based on annual family income – the higher the income, the lower the loan.
The loan amount starts reducing with family income of just £25,000 a year – and many parents are unaware that the system implies that they should make up the shortfall, which can be £1,000s.
So if you're struggling to get by on your maintenance loan, you may need to have a discussion with your parents to explain the situation and see if they can help you out further financially.
For full info on what this means and how it works in practice, see our Student loans in England guide, plus use our Parental Contribution Calculator to work out the proportion of the maximum loan you can expect.
Not at uni? Extra funding available for those in further/higher education
Check the following to see if you might be eligible for a financial boost if you're studying outside of a university setting.
This service offers students, especially disadvantaged ones, over the age of 14, the chance to get grants of £200 to £300 to start or continue their education. You'll need to be studying at an affiliated college, check here if you're eligible for a grant.
If you're aged between 16 and 19, you could be eligible for the 16 to 19 Bursary Fund to help with education-related costs. You'll need to be studying at a school or college in England (not a university), or on an unpaid training course. If eligible, you could get up to £1,200.
There are two ways to qualify:
Vulnerable student bursary. If you're in local authority care or have recently left it, if you receive income support or Universal Credit, or if you are disabled and receive both Employment Support Allowance (ESA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Universal Credit, or you get Personal Independence Payment (PIP), you could be eligible for this.
Discretionary bursary. If you don't qualify for the vulnerable student bursary, you may qualify for this. Your education or training provider will set their own criteria for this and will look at family income among other things.
If you think you might qualify for the bursary you will need to apply to your school, college or training provider.
If you're in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, then the scheme's slightly different – you need to apply for the Education Maintenance Allowance.
An Advanced Learner Loan can help with college or training tuition costs in England.
Loan eligibility does not depend on your income and there are no credit checks. Different funding is available if you want to study in Scotland, Northern Ireland or Wales.
How much you get depends on what you're studying and what you're charged in tuition fees. The minimum loan is £300 and it'll be paid directly to your college or training provider.
You must be 19 or older on the first day of your course and your course must be a level 3, 4, 5, or 6 qualification (for example A-levels or graduate certificate) at an approved college or training provider in England.
How you can use the loan
You can apply for up to four loans and can get all of them at the same time.
You can get another loan to take the same level of a course.
If you are studying A-levels, you can take out multiple loans at the same time for up to four subjects.
You can only apply once for an Access to Higher Education course.
You can get three more loans for non A-level courses either before or after your A-levels course.
To be eligible for the loan, you must have been living in the UK for the past three years and at the time your course started to be eligible.
You pay back 9% of your earnings above £27,295 a year. Interest is charged at RPI + 3% while you're studying, then at RPI + up to 3% depending on your earnings.
You can get help from the bursary fund. There's also an Advanced Learner Loan bursary fund, which you can apply to if you need learning help, or to cover childcare or residential costs. It could be paid directly to you or to your landlord or your childcare provider.
Apply directly to your college or training facility.
You can apply for Learner Support from your education provider if you're 19 or over, studying for a further education course and facing financial hardship. This money can go towards childcare, accommodation, travel or course materials and equipment.
Your school or college decides how much you'll get, and which scheme you'll be put on. For example, it could be a direct payment (which you don't have to pay back), a loan, or paid directly to your landlord.
There is help for those who have to bear the cost of course fees and childcare through the Government's Care to Learn scheme. You must be under 20 at the start of your course to be eligible for the scheme, and be the main carer for your child. This is not suitable for those studying a higher education course at university.
The sum covers childcare, deposit and registration fees, travel costs for taking your child to the provider, and keeping your childcare place over the holidays. Childcare providers must be registered with Ofsted.
Payments of £180 per child, per week (£195 if you live in London) will stop if you stop studying, you finish the course, or your child stops attending childcare.
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