Grants and bursaries

Grants and bursaries could help you cover the cost of going to university or college, or pay towards a community project. And best of all, you won't need to pay the money back.

"A grant is a sum of money you get to help you with the cost of studying."

What's the difference between a grant and a bursary?

A grant is a sum of money you get from the Government to help you cope with the cost of studying at university or college. A bursary is extra financial help that your university or college can offer. Some bursaries are offered to those on low incomes and other bursaries are offered as a result of academic or sporting achievement, or to help people travel as part of their studies.

Which grants can I apply for?

The two main ones are the Maintenance Grant and the Special Support Grant (or the Assembly Learning Grant in Wales). To qualifyfor either grant, your income and your family's income needs to be below a certain amount. The special support grant is only available to a limited range of people, such as lone parent students or disabled students. The advantage of the special support grant is that it is not treated as income, so it doesn't reduce the amount of student loan or benefits you can receive whilst you study.

If money trouble risks forcing you out of higher education you can apply to the Access to Learning Fund through your university. In Scotland, a similar grant is known as the Higher Education Discretionary Funds and the Financial Contingency Funds in Wales. This money can sometimes be in the form of a loan if a student's financial troubles are due to poor budgeting.

Can I get extra help according to my circumstances?

Yes. If you have children you could qualify for the Childcare Grant and the Parents' Learning Allowance.

You could access the Adult Dependants' Grant if you support an adult financially. If you have a disability, mental health condition or specific learning difficulty you could receive the Disabled Students' Allowance. DSA can be paid to providespecialist equipment to help you study (such as laptops or specialist notepaper), your disability-related travel costs (such as taxis) or for extra non-medical support at university (such as note-takers).

Which bursaries can I apply for?

English universities which are charging top-up fees provide bursaries to students whose income, or whose family's income, is low. If you are on the full Maintenance Grant, the bursary will be at least £319 a yearand can often be higher. Universities are able to choose what bursaries they offer so contact your university, or prospective university, for more information. Universities use Student Finance England (SFE) data to decide on the amount of money you should receive, so you have to declare to SFE you're happy for your details to be passed across. For a form, contact SFE or, if you're at college, pick one up from your welfare office.

If your home is in Scotland and you're studying at a Scottish university or college, your tuition fees will be paid for you. There is a similar scheme in Wales, but it will be phased out from September 2010.

Will my choice of course have an impact on the help I can receive?

It could do. You can get extra help for certain social work, NHS healthcare and teacher training courses.

How can I access grants and bursaries?

Most grants and bursaries are linked to your current finances. You will need to give details of how much you expect to earn over the next year, and also how much your parents, stepparents or parents' partners expect to earn.

What can I use my grant and bursary for?

Unless the grants are given to you to help with particular costs, such as childcare, you can spend the money on anything to help meet general living costs. There are specific grants to help with the cost of travel.

The grants are usually paid at the start of each term, straight into your bank account.

Are all grants linked to studying?

Not necessarily. Local councils and organisations, such as YouthBank UK, provide grants through local branches to help you get involved with community projects.

Jargon Buster

Tuition fees or top-up fees:: The sum you will need to pay towards the cost of your place at university or college. It can't be more than £3225 per year, but could be less depending on the course you've chosen.

Use the Student Finance Calculator to work out how much financial help you could receive.
Apply online for grants and bursaries: through Student Finance England if you're in England; Student Awards Agency for Scotland if you're in Scotland; Student Finance Wales if you're in Wales; and Student Finance NI if you're in Northern Ireland.
Contact student services at your university to find out about the bursaries they offer.
Use the 'course search' function on the UCAS website to find out about specific bursaries for particular courses.
To find out more about financial help for NHS healthcare, social work and Initial teacher training courses, go to www.nhsstudentgrants.co.uk.
To find out about grants provided by educational charities and trusts, ask your local education authority, town hall, local clergy, student union, careers services or Citizens Advice Bureau; contact the Educational Grants Advisory Service for more info.

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