BURSARIES & SCHOLARSHIPS: This guide explains how to get some extra funding from top universities and colleges.

There are three basic types available to students in higher education. They are awards, bursaries, and scholarships.

If you are studying in higher education you can apply for extra money.

You should make a direct application to your college or university.

The extra funding would be on top of any other student finance that you already have.

That means you do not have to pay back any extra money you get to pay for university or college. But, each university or college has specific rules about their awards, bursaries, and scholarships.

The individual rules of each education facility determine who qualifies and how much extra funding they get. The facilities also have different rules on applying for a bursary or a scholarship.

Note: You can chat with your student support service for more information about getting extra funding.

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Studying after Leaving Local Authority Care

There are several options if you were in local authority care. Once you leave you can then apply for:

• A one-off bursary of £2,000 from your local authority.
• A bursary from your college or university.

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University and College Hardship Fund

Extra money from your college or university may be available especially if you are:

• A higher education student with children (or single parent).
• A student who was in a care facility before (often called a ‘care leaver’).
• A mature student with existing financial commitments.
• From a low-income family.
• Disabled.
• A homeless person or living in a public open area (e.g. a foyer).

Note: The Access to Learning Fund got replaced. Contact your college or university to check if you are eligible for extra money.

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How Much Extra Money You Can Get

Your university or college decides how much extra funding you can get. As a rule any extra money gets paid in instalments or in a lump sum.

Most of the extra funding does not need to get paid back. But you may have to repay a loan if that is how the extra money gets awarded to you.

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How to Apply for Extra Funding to Pay for University or College

There is only one way to find out if you qualify for extra money to pay for university. You must contact the student services department at your college or university. They will then decide your eligibility for the funding.

There are several documents needed by your student services department:

1. A copy of your letter from Student Finance England showing how much student finance you get.
2. Certain documents relating to your financial situation (e.g. bank statements and rental details).

Note: Extra money from your college or university does not count as income when working out tax credits or your rights to benefits. The exception could be if gets used to cover your day-to-day living costs.

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