Information about University bursaries for UK undergraduate and PGCE students starting their studies in 2012-13

If you only remember one thing about bursaries and fee waivers, remember to apply for your financial assessment as soon as you possibly can via Student Finance England or your equivalent awarding body. If you leave it too late, this can lead to delays in funding you don't need during your first few weeks at university. Help us to help you. Apply early.

Bursaries

On top of any government loans and grants you get, you could also get a University of Sheffield bursary of between £500 and £1,400. A bursary is like a grant. You don't have to pay it back. How much you get depends on your family's annual income.

First-year fee waivers

If you live in an economically disadvantaged area in England and your family's income is under £25,000 a year, we won't charge you for your first year. We use a government database called the Indices of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) to work out who gets this discount. It depends on where you live. This is in addition to the cash bursary.

We use National Scholarship Programme funding from the Government to provide fee waivers. Devolved nations i.e. Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh students are not eligible for the fee waiver scheme.

Care leavers

If you're a student leaving care, you automatically get the maximum £1,600 bursary AND the first-year fee waiver, regardless of where you live.

How do I apply?

To get a bursary or a fee waiver, you have to be assessed by Student Finance England (or the equivalent where you are) for government loans and grants. They pass your details on to us and we work out who's entitled to bursaries and fee waivers. Even if you choose not to take government support, we still need you to go through the process.

How we pay you

Two instalments, into your bank account. The first instalment is usually paid at the end of October, the second by the end of February. You have to be registered to receive a bursary payment.

Household income	Bursary each year	First-year fee waiver
£18,000 or under	£1,400	Yes, if you have an IMD postcode
£18,001 to £25,000	£1,100	Yes, if you have an IMD postcode
£25,001 to £30,000	£750	n/a
£30,001 to £35,000	£600	n/a
£35,001 to £42,000	£500	n/a
Students from care	£1,600	Yes, whatever your postcode

Your family's income

When we talk about your family's annual income or 'household income', we mean the amount your family earns in a year before tax, less deductions for other dependent family members and any pension contributions.

IMD government database

That government database we mentioned. The Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) takes your postcode and works out if your area is classed as economically deprived. To do this, it looks at things like employment, housing and services in your postcode area.

If your family income drops

Your bursary is reassessed, so you could get more money. You need to inform your awarding body of any changes in you or your family's circumstances.

If your family income goes up

Your bursary is reassessed if your family's income goes up during the study year, therefore you might be asked to pay back some of the bursary for that year.

Things you need to know

You must be eligible for a government loan or grant to be eligible for a bursary.
If this is your second undergraduate degree, you’re probably not eligible for loans, grants or bursaries.
If your second degree attracts a means-tested loan we will asses you for the cash element only.
If your course is fully NHS funded, you won’t be eligible for a bursary.
PGCE students are not eligible for fee waivers.
There is no limit on the number of UK students who can qualify for a bursary.
The bursaries apply to each year of your course.
If you need to repeat a year, you probably won’t get a bursary for that year.
You should receive details about your bursary within four weeks of the start of your course.