Eligibility

To be eligible for the University of Bristol Bursary you must be:

• a full-time UK undergraduate student currently domiciled in the UK
• or a part-time UK undergraduate student currently domiciled in the UK who started your studies on or after 1 August 2020.

In addition, you must:

• be eligible for Home tuition fees;
• have applied to your regional funding provider for means-tested support;
• have been assessed to have a household income of £42,875 or less.

Students from Wales

Students from Wales must also be in receipt of a Welsh Government Learning Grant and have a household income of £42,875 or less. Students from Wales are eligible for a Welsh Government Learning Grant even if they have a household income up to £50,020. However, the University of Bristol Bursary will only be paid where the household income is up to £42,875.

Students from Northern Ireland

Students from Northern Ireland must also be in receipt of a maintenance grant or special support grant. The maximum household income threshold for students from Northern Ireland to qualify for a maintenance or special support grant is £41,065. However, students from Northern Ireland whose household income is between £41,065 and £42,875 will still be eligible for a University of Bristol Bursary.

Students from Scotland

Students from Scotland must also be in receipt of a means-tested bursary from the Student Awards Agency from Scotland (SAAS). The maximum household income threshold for students from Scotland to qualify for a means-tested bursary from SAAS is £33,999. However, students from Scotland whose household income is between £34,000 and £42,875 will still be eligible for a University of Bristol Bursary.

Students from the EU

Students from the EU are not eligible for the bursary, unless they meet certain eligibility criteria to qualify for means-tested living costs loan from their regional funding provider (e.g Student Finance England), and not just the tuition fee loan. Please check the Student Finance eligibility criteria; eligibility for EU students will depend on their settlement status. 

Students who are not eligible for a bursary

• students undertaking a second undergraduate degree;
• students undertaking a paid or unpaid year in industry (in the UK or abroad) as part of their degree;
• students on any year of their course where they are entitled to NHS funding
• students who are registered as 'exams only'.

Award

Bursaries for eligible part-time students will be calculated based on the tuition fee you pay. For example, if your part-time fee is 50% of the full-time fee, your bursary will be 50% of the equivalent full-time bursary.

The University may review the value of the University of Bristol Bursary from time to time.

How to apply

You do not need to submit an application form for the University of Bristol Bursary. You (and your sponsors) must give consent for the Student Loans Company to share your household income details with the University.

The University will receive information about your household income from the Student Loans Company. We use this to assess your entitlement to a bursary and to make awards accordingly.

Award process

1. During the autumn term, you will receive an email from the Money Advice and Funding's Scholarships and Bursaries team confirming your bursary entitlement, provided the Student Loans Company has supplied the necessary information.
2. You are required to provide the University with your bank details to ensure timely bursary payments directly into your account using the BACS process. Follow these instructions to enter your bank details.
3. All payments are made via BACS, therefore we will not be able to make payments to students until they have provided their bank details.
4. Payments will be made in two instalments, in December and March

Other criteria

• You are required to inform Money Advice and Funding if there is a change to your household income that will affect your bursary entitlement.
  • In the case where the amount you are to receive moves from a higher to a lower band, the University will not normally reclaim any overpayment. Any outstanding payments during the remaining academic year will be adjusted to the new bursary level.
  • However, if you have already received more than the total value of the partial bursary from your previous instalments, no further payments will be made for that academic year.
• If you suspend or withdraw from your studies, you will not have to repay any bursary payment; as long as you are in attendance on the date that bursary payments are made, you will receive your bursary instalment. If you suspend or withdraw before the next bursary payment date, you will not receive further payments but the repayment of any previously paid instalments will not be sought.
• If you repeat a year you will not automatically be entitled to repeat bursary funding.