UWE Bursary
The UWE Bursary supports new and returning students.
About the UWE Bursary
Each year the bursary scheme that we offer varies slightly, although we always allocate based on specific criteria. Please refer to the bursary information below for the year you commenced study.
- We pay both new and returning students a bursary each year subject to meeting the below eligibility. Please ensure you read the correct eligibility based on when you started at UWE Bristol.
- We assess students during the first term of the academic year. You will not receive communication from UWE Bristol about whether your bursary has been approved. Student Finance make the payment on behalf of UWE Bristol so any correspondence regarding your bursary will be available to view in your Student Finance portal. You will need to ensure that the bank details provided to Student Finance are up to date.
- Payment of the bursary is subject to completion of registration checks.
You do not need to repay the UWE Bursary.
If you began study from September 2020 onwards
This information is only for new students commencing study from September 2020 onward.
- Low Income Bursary £500 – You will be assessed in each academic year and paid the bursary if you meet the eligibility criteria (see below). This means you could become eligible for the bursary in later years of your course (or vice versa).
- UWE Childcare Bursary £1,650 – Students must meet the criteria for the UWE Bursary (see below) and also be in receipt of the Childcare Grant from student finance for the 24/25 academic year. If you wish to be considered for the Childcare Bursary, please email a copy of your Childcare Grant Award Notification Letter from student finance to uwe.bursary@uwe.ac.uk.
- UWE Cares Bursary £1,650 – Further details about this bursary can be found at UWE Cares.
If you began study in the 2019/20 academic year
- Low income bursary £500 - You will be assessed in each academic year and paid the bursary if you meet the eligibility criteria (see below). This means you could become eligible for the bursary in later years of your course (or vice versa)
- UWE Cares Bursary £1,500 - Further details about this bursary can be found at UWE Cares.
If you began study between September 2012 and February 2019
- If you began your course between September 2012 and February 2019 and received a UWE Bursary in your first year, you will be eligible for a bursary in subsequent years of your course regardless of whether your income has increased above the £25,000 threshold in a subsequent year. Students will still need to pass registration checks in advance of payment (this is referred to as a Progression Bursary).
- If you began your course between September 2012 and February 2019 and did not receive a bursary in your first year, then you will not be reassessed or allocated a bursary in subsequent years of study. You can, however, apply for the Student Support Fund.
Eligibility
Undergraduate Home students who began studying the first year of their UWE Bristol course in September 2019 or later will be considered for the UWE Bursary each year.
You will need to meet a number of eligibility criteria in order for the University to assess you. Eligible students will be:
- entitled to student finance
- from a household with an annual income of £25,000 or less as assessed by the Student Loans Company
- without any HE qualification such as a certificate of Higher Education, a Foundation Degree and HND (this rule does not apply to students registering on previously NHS-funded courses)
- on a qualifying Undergraduate course.
Students who are registering on an eligible undergraduate course, and are entitled to apply for funding from Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Awards Agency Scotland and Student Finance NI will be assessed. Students will be assessed at the start of each academic year.
Please note: Students are only awarded one bursary, even if you meet the criteria for more than one.
Important things to consider
- If you continue to meet the eligibility criteria then you will continue to get paid in subsequent years of study.
- If you fail to meet the eligibility criteria, you will no longer be eligible to receive bursary.
- Payment will stop if you are no longer registered on an undergraduate course.
Ineligible students
UWE Bursaries will not be available to students who are:
- undertaking a postgraduate qualification including PGCE courses*
- studying less than 30 credits per year
- registered on any type of CPD course (continued professional development)
- have a household income over £25,000
- are not registered.
In addition to the above, if you fail to meet the eligibility criteria, you will no longer be eligible to receive the bursary. Payment will stop if you are no longer registered on an undergraduate course.
*If you are a postgraduate student who is experiencing financial difficulties, please look into our support funds for students, or contact the Student Money Service for further advice.
EU students
EU students are eligible for the UWE Bursary if they receive living cost funding from Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales or Student Finance NI. If you are only entitled to fee support, you are not eligible for the UWE Bursary.
Income assessment
Student finance assess your household income to calculate your entitlement to student funding. With your consent and that of your parents or partner, details of your household income from a previous financial year are sent to the University. Please ensure that consent has been provided in order for UWE Bristol to assess you for a bursary.
Household income details for full-time students
For the 24/25 academic year, UWE Bristol will provide bursaries through the Higher Education Bursaries and Scholarships Scheme (HEBSS).
For allocating the bursaries, HEBSS use the confirmed 2022/23 income figures from student finance. If your household income has dropped below £25,000 since the 2022/23 financial year, it is important to request a ‘current year assessment’ from student finance to increase your funding and for you to be considered for the UWE Bursary.
It is important to apply for your funding from student finance as soon as you can as delays in your funding application will cause delays in you receiving the bursary if you’re eligible. We aim to allocate the bursaries during the first term of the academic year, but payment is not made until a later date (see below).
If you accepted an offer to UWE Bristol for the academic year 2024/25 and you meet the eligibility criteria, you will automatically be considered for the UWE Low-Income Bursary through the Higher Education Bursaries and Scholarships Scheme (HEBSS). You do not need to apply for this bursary, however, you do need to ensure that consent to share has been provided in order for UWE Bristol to assess you for a bursary.
For further information about household income, please visit the Student Finance webpage.
Payment
The date and amount of bursary payment depend on when you started your course.
2024/25 academic year
The £500 Low Income bursary will be paid in one instalment.
- For September intakes this will be on 18 February 2025
- For January/February intakes this will be on 17 June 2025
The £1,650 UWE Childcare Bursary and UWE Cares Bursary will be paid in three instalments.
For courses starting in September 2024:
- 19 November 2024
- 18 February 2025
- 20 May 2025
For courses starting in January/February 2025:
- 18 March 2025
- 17 June 2025
- 26 August 2025
Contact us
Please email the Bursary Team at uwe.bursary@uwe.ac.uk, using your UWE Bristol email address. Please make sure that you include your student number in all correspondence and we will respond to your query as soon possible.