If your student loan won’t nearly be enough to cover your university costs, check out these extra ways of receiving funds to help with living expenses and tuition fees.
Once you’ve applied for student finance and you know how much you’re entitled to in maintenance support, you’ll probably discover a cash shortfall, which you’ll need to make up to cover all your living costs (e.g. accommodation, food, books).
Fortunately, there are extra sources of financial support available in the form of scholarships, bursaries, and grants – we explain the differences between these below. Unlike student loans, you don’t have to pay these back – they’re essentially free money.
But you need to put in some work – there's no one place to find this additional funding and apply. Scholarships, bursaries, and grants are offered by lots of different providers, and all work a little differently (including who’s eligible, how much is up for grabs, and what you need to do to apply).
Given that scholarships, bursaries, and grants don’t have to be repaid and can make a huge difference to your student budget, they seem like a no-brainer to look into. Surprisingly, less than a third of 2019/20 freshers applied for a scholarship or bursary. The most common reason given was they didn’t think they were eligible (72%)*.
On top of the cash in your pocket, an award might come with additional benefits – e.g. internship spots, networking opportunities, accommodation.
Of those who told us they applied for a scholarship or bursary, over 75% were successful.
If you’re successful and less reliant on maintenance loans – you may walk away with less student debt. Some extra funding schemes even reduce tuition fees (or cover them entirely).
While these terms can be used interchangeably, below is a rough idea of what they usually refer to:
| Award type | To help with | Based on | Offered by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scholarship | Some living costs (one-off, annual or termly payment), tuition fees (automatic reduction or cover). | Achievement or excellence in academics, sports or music. | Universities/colleges (often donated by alumni), employers or organisations, to support young talent in their area. |
| Bursary | Some living costs (one-off payment). | Low household income, background or personal circumstances, e.g. disabled students, students from particular regions or countries. | Universities/colleges (often donated by alumni), employers or organisations, to support young talent in their area. |
| Grant | Some living costs, specific purposes, e.g. studying abroad (one-off payment). | Low household income, background or personal circumstances, e.g. disabled students, students from particular regions or countries. | Charities or trusts that represent underrepresented groups. |
However, each scholarship, bursary, and grant has its own terms and conditions, including what’s involved to apply.
Before applying, always check the following details. It might save you considerable time and effort applying to something you’re not eligible for in the first place:
Is it a company, organisation or individual – and why was it created? This can give you some context about what they might look for in applicants and ideas to talk about in an essay or interview.
Look for info on the award provider’s website. If in doubt, get in touch. Making an introduction can give a good impression (and if you’re unsuccessful, they might keep you in mind if something else pops up).
There’s extra money for students waiting to be scooped up, for a wide range of reasons, circumstances, and criteria.
Financial need and academic scholarships/bursaries were the most popular of those obtained by students in our survey*, but you can learn about the following types of extra funding in our dedicated guides.
While you’re researching your UCAS choices, look at what extra funding they offer students in your position – it’s a good question for an open day too. 80% of students who received a scholarship or bursary found out about it from their university or college*.
The most common are awarded for academic , sporting or musical achievement, those studying particular subjects, or as part of a widening participation (WP) initiative to establish more diversity within the student population and attract those from backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in higher education. For example, students from low income households, in or leaving care, from areas where few go to university, or returning to education.
While you shouldn’t pick a course based solely on what funding is available, if you’re stuck between some very similar choices, it might sway you towards one.
Companies, professional bodies, and organisations linked to particular industries often run scholarship or bursary schemes for aspiring talent, as well as to attract groups who are traditionally underrepresented in their field, e.g. women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
As part of the application process, expect to demonstrate an existing, deep interest in that field, the desire to study a particular area as part of your course, or a related career ambition. These can sometimes pave the way for work experience, internships, and graduate opportunities too.
Funding may be available to support students whose personal circumstances align with the work of a particular charity or group. This can include students from widening access and participation backgrounds, disabled students, those with a particular extracurricular interest, and students who wish to study overseas.