Scholarships And Bursaries
What is a scholarship?
A scholarship is normally a grant that is given to students on the basis of academic achievement, sporting prowess or factors. So, it's money that the university or college will give for reasons that aren't connected to your family income.
What is a bursary?
A bursary is a grant given to students from a university or college, which is normally dependent on their family income. Bursary is also the name given to money that the NHS gives to certain students on healthcare-related courses such as nursing and to help provide for their studies.
Who hands out scholarships and bursaries?
Bursaries and scholarships are normally handed out by the university or college that you go to, and the best thing to do is speak to them about what's available there and how you might apply for it.
Who is eligible for a scholarship or a bursary?
The terms and conditions for a scholarship or a bursary will depend on the university that's handing them out, and at the moment most of them will have different rules and different conditions as to what you can get and how you can get it. So, the best thing to do is speak to the university or college that you are going to or thinking of going to, to find out what their system is and how you can apply.
Can I receive a scholarship bursary and a student loan?
Normally, you can receive a scholarship and a student loan. It may be that you aren't entitled to receive a student loan because of residency issues, and you might be able to apply for a scholarship or a bursary instead. However, the best thing to do is, speak to the university or college that you go to and find out what their terms and conditions are.
How are scholarships bursaries paid to me?
Normally bursaries and scholarships will be paid directly into your bank account but again, because the university or college will be dealing with that on their own it may be that they will offset any accommodation cost that you have to them rather than pay you the money directly. So, speak to the university or college to find out what they do and how they pay it.
How much can I receive in a scholarship or bursary?
This depends on the scheme that the university or the college operates. First, at universities in England that are charging £2000 in fees, they must offer a minimum of £300 to students whose family income for the year is deemed to be lower than £17,910 . However, they can offer more than that if they want, and many have. Indeed, some scholarships have gone up to as much as £10,000 although they're very rare. Again, speak to the university or college that you go to and they can tell you.
What happens to my scholarship if my circumstances change?
If your circumstances change, it would depend on how the scholarship schemes are run in the university as to what effect the change would have on your entitlements or the amount of money you get with your scholarship. The best thing to do is speak to the university or college that you attend to find out what happens there to your scholarship with regards to a change in your circumstances.
Will my scholarship bursary be paid for every year I study?
Most scholarship and bursary schemes will be paid for each year of study. Again, the types of scholarships and bursaries vary so some may give you an amount of money in the beginning of the course and some may give it at the end of the course. You should check with the university or college how that operates and what money you can get.
