Student university grants & bursaries available in the UK

Applied for student finance and ready to start your course? We bet you’re excited about starting a whole new chapter in your academic life.

Depending on your own unique circumstances, you may be wondering how you’ll afford student life. Course materials, rent, bills, food shopping and travel to and from placements can all add up!

That’s why there are a number of student bursary options, grants and scholarships that you may be entitled to. It involves a bit of digging and research, but luckily, we have the information right here for you to make things a little easier. Ready on to discover what student bursaries and grants are on offer, how to claim and what you could receive.

What are student grants?

Student grants are a sum of money (in one lump sum or over a year or term) awarded to students to help them with fees, living and course material costs. Unlike loans, grants do not need to pay back. It’s essentially money you can ask for if you reach a certain criterion (depending on the grant you apply for).

What is a student bursary?

A student bursary is another form of financial aid that provides free money to students to help cover study-related costs like tuition, living expenses, materials and travel. Like grants, they don’t have to be repaid. Bursaries are typically awarded based on financial need, household income, or a combination of academic ability and financial circumstances.

What are student university scholarships?

Scholarships are a non-repayable financial award for students who meet particular criteria. This could be academic excellence, talent-based, subject-specific or for those from underrepresented or low-income households.

What is the difference between student grants, bursaries and scholarships?

From a bigger picture perspective – student grants, bursaries and scholarships are inherently the same at their core. They all offer some form of financial reward that does not need to be paid back.

The differences lie in the reason why you receive extra funding. For example, grants and bursaries are typically for those in financial need and/or specific circumstances, while scholarships are awarded based on academic achievements.

Am I eligible for a grant, bursary or scholarship?

Students qualify for a grant, bursary, or scholarship if you meet certain criteria, which are typically related to financial need, academic achievement, field of study, or personal circumstances (such as having a disability, being a care leaver, or coming from an underrepresented background).

Eligibility is largely determined by the specific fund, but typical factors include household income, academic performance, your background (for instance being a carer) and area of study in the UK.

What are means-tested bursaries?

A means-tested bursary is a financial award for education or school fees that is awarded based on a family's or individual's income and financial circumstances. It aims to increase accessibility to education, and the amount awarded to students depends on the family’s savings, assets and income.

Types of university student grants and bursaries

From free grants for low-income students in the UK to mature student grants and subject-specific bursaries and hardship funds, you may be surprised what you might be eligible for. Where possible, we’ve included the maximum amount you may be entitled to.

Figures correct as of December 2025 and may be subject to change

1.Travel grants 

Often used interchangeably with a student travel bursary - if you are studying abroad or have a clinical placement in the UK that requires frequent travel, you may be eligible for a travel grant. Travel grants for students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are also means-tested.

For Scotland-based universities, you can only get a travel grant if studying abroad is a mandatory part of your course and isn't a paid placement.

Travel grant eligibility criteria:

• You may qualify for a travel grant as a student if:

• You're in full-time university education

• You meet the UK residence rules

• You have to travel in the UK for a clinical placement (unless you already get an NHS bursary)

• You travel abroad to study as part of your course

If you’re studying abroad

You must attend an overseas institution for at least half of each academic term. The good news is that this also applies if the module you study is optional

If you’re doing a clinical placement in the UK

The placement must be an essential part of your medical or dental course. However, you will not get a travel grant if you’re eligible for means-tested bursaries or awards from the Department of Health.

2.Maintenance Grant

Maintenance grants for students from Northern Ireland and Wales – unlike a maintenance loan – does not have to be paid back. However, keep in mind that the more you receive in your grant, the less of your loan you may get.

Here is a summary of the maximum grant you may receive:

• Northern Ireland

• Max grant = £3,475

• Household income for full grant = up to £19,203

• Household income for partial grant = £19,204 - £41,065

Wales (living at home)

• Max grant = £6,885

• Household income for full grant = £18,370

• Household income for partial grant = £18,371+

Wales (living away from home but outside of London)

• Max grant = £8,100

• Household income for full grant = Up to £18,370

• Household income for partial grant = £18,371+

Wales (living at university, in London)

• Max grant = £10,124

• Household income for full grant = Up to £18,370

• Household income for partial grant = £18,371+

3.Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA) 

If you have a disability, the Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) may help students cope with the extra costs of going to uni. Whether you have a physical, mental or neurodiverse condition - funding doesn't have to be repaid and isn't means-tested. In some cases, you may also be eligible for additional travel expenses.

However, if you're already receive financial support for the same conditions (such as from your uni), you may not be able to apply for DSA as well. Always check the rules before you apply on the government website or with your university.

Funding for DSA (2025/26)

• England (single allowance) = £27,783* per year

• Northern Ireland (single allowance) = £25,000* per year

• Scotland (for equipment, software and accessories allowance): £5,160 for the whole course

• Non-Medical Personal Help (NMPH): £20,520 per year

• Consumable Items Allowance: £1,725 per year

• Wales (single allowance) = £34,000* per year

4.Special Support Grant

From Northern Ireland? If you're on housing or income support, a single parent or have a disability, you may be able to swap the Maintenance Grant for a Special Support Grant instead.

You’ll still get the same payout, but unlike maintenance grants, you won’t see a reduction in your maintenance loan, or affect any other benefits you may need to claim. The amount paid out depends on what a maintenance grant would pay you.

5.Dependants' and childcare grants

Whether you have children, husband, wife, civil partner or another adult who is dependent on you financially, you may be eligible to apply for a dependents’ and childcare grant.

Your income will be assessed to check eligibility, and you may need to provide proof of dependency (a child certificate in the case for child dependents). The student finance childcare grant amount varies - the amount you receive depends on which area you are from in the UK:

• England: Up to 85% of your childcare costs covered, up to £199.62/week for one child, or £342.24 for two or more children

• Northern Ireland: Up to 85% of your childcare costs covered, up to £148.75/week for one child, or £255 for two or more children

• Scotland: A Lone Parents' Childcare Grant covers up to £1,215, and the amount is decided by your university or college children

• Wales: Up to 85% of your childcare costs covered, up to £192/week for one child, or £329 for two or more children

6.Parent’s Learning Allowance

Separate from Dependants' and childcare grants, the Parent’s Learning Allowance is designed to support parents cover general additional costs while studying with kids. For example, learning materials, equipment and travel. The amount a student can get depends on their household income and is paid in instalments per year.

• England - up to £2,024

• Northern Ireland - up to £1,538

• Scotland (Lone Parents' Grant) - up to £1,305

• Wales - up to £1,945

7.NHS bursaries

If you are studying in a healthcare, nursing, medicine or dentistry-related degree, you may be entitled to additional funding on top of other grants and bursaries. The NHS bursary is currently only available for students from England.

While the amount varies, individuals may get NHS bursary support for the following:

• Tuition fee waiver

• Specialist subject payment

• Parental support

• Exceptional Support Fund

• Bursary (both means-tested and non-means-tested)

• Access to regular Student Finance (if you're ineligible for NHS funding)

• NHS Learning Support Fund (for students on nursing, midwifery and allied health professional courses)

• Extra support for disabilities, dependants or travel costs

8.Teaching grants and funding

Students on teacher training courses may be eligible for additional grants and funding. This is dependent on demand and subject area. This mostly applies to students on postgraduate teaching courses such as PGCEs.

Funding between teaching courses vary but are mostly up to date on the official Get Into Teaching Government website.

9.Bursaries and scholarships

Individual universities offer their own bursaries and scholarships that vary per institution. If eligible, you may be able to get funding to cover your fees (or a lot of your living costs), but you’ll have to be quick to get it.

Whether or not you're entitled to a bursary or scholarship will generally depend on the following:

• Household income

• Gender

• Nationality (as there’s funding for domestic and international students)

• Grades

• Sporting or musical talent

• The course or subject

• Special circumstances, e.g. you have children or are a careleaver.

10.Social Work Bursaries

Also known as SWB – if you are studying a social degree, you may be entitled to a bursary that does not need to be paid back.

Not all parts of the UK offer this bursary or only offer it at postgraduate level (in the case of Scotland). Here’s an idea of what you can get:

England up to £5,262.50 in London

£4,862.50 outside London (including travel allowances)

Northern Ireland up to £4,000 a year (plus travel allowance)

Wales £3,750 a year (plus travel allowance)

11.Hardship funds

If you are struggling with financial hardships, you may be eligible for additional funding from your university for extra support. Universities often reserve these funds for students who are seriously struggling – often in cases of emergency and through unexpected life events.

Universities will go through an assessment to assess whether a student qualifies. Here is an idea of some of the things they’ll assess:

• You must be an undergraduate student (though they may help postgraduate students through a separate fund)

• Your household income must fall below a certain amount. This varies per university

• You must hold home fee status (not be considered an international student). If you are an international student, your university may have a separate hardship fund for you to apply to

• You must have applied for the maximum Maintenance Loan available to you.

• You must have applied for any bursaries and/or funds you’re eligible for

• You must be unable to cover essential living costs, like food and rent

• The cause of your financial difficulty must be short-term and fixable with a one-off payment.

Funding amounts vary – so contact your university should you find yourself needing to apply for a hardship fund.

How a Student Assistance Programme can help

If your university has access to HA | Wisdom Wellbeing’s Student Assistance Programme (SAP), then you’ll have access to a wide range of wellbeing tools. From counselling to financial wellbeing coaching and information – students can use the Wisdom app to access our wealth of tools to help with their mental health. After all, finances are one of the main concerns of student life, so having an impartial, qualified counsellor to speak to can help put student’s minds at ease.

Frequently asked questions about student university grants, bursaries and scholarships

*Are there grants supporting students’ education as a reward for academic distinction? *

In the UK, grants for academic distinction reward high achievement through university-specific scholarships. These vary per institution, but here are just some you can look out for:

• British Federation of Women Graduates (BFWG)

• Chevening Scholarships (a Master’s degree scholarship)

• Academic Excellence Scholarships