BU Maintenance Bursary

We don’t want you to worry about money while you’re studying with us, so our BU Maintenance Bursary is there to give you some extra support. You can use this money for whatever you need, whether that’s a helping hand with your rent, buying a train ticket to go home for the weekend, or enjoying dinner out with your new friends.

You’ll never have to pay this money back and you do not need to apply (unless you are studying a course delivered at one of our partner institutions). If you’re eligible, you’ll receive the bursary automatically, providing the deadlines for income assessment are met. Take a look at the 'how to apply' section below for information about the courses which require an application, as well as the deadlines for income assessment.

Our Maintenance Bursary is available to all new undergraduate students who meet the eligibility criteria specified below. For those commencing their studies with us in the 2025/26 academic year in Year 1 (level 4), it offers up to £2,400. For those starting in Year 0 (Foundation Year), and paying the higher tuition fee of £9,535, the bursary offers up to £3,200. Find out more below.

Please note that our bursary provision for September 2025 entry is subject to approval of our new 2025/26 to 2028/29 Access and Participation Plan by the Office for Students, expected late 2024.

If you have any questions about your eligibility, please get in touch.

How much is the bursary worth?

Eligible new students joining us in September 2025 with a household income of £25,000 or below will receive a bursary of up to £2,400 (up to £3,200 if studying a Foundation Year*) to support their learning and living costs. You'll be awarded £800 in your first year, and, provided you still meet the eligibility criteria, £800 in your second and final years of study. The amount received will be pro-rata for part-time study. If you are studying a Top-up degree lasting one year, you will receive £800.

*If studying a Foundation Year, you must be paying the higher tuition fee of £9,535 to be eligible.

Who is eligible?

To be eligible for a BU Maintenance Bursary, you must:

be registered as Home for fee status; and
live in England and have been ordinarily resident in England for three years prior to the start date of your course*
be eligible for both the Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England
be a new student for September 2025 entry, actively participating on an Undergraduate BU course or Wiltshire College Salisbury** course (excluding HNC/HND) on a full or part-time basis
be studying a first degree (including Top-ups)
have a family income of £25,000 or less per year to qualify for the bursary***.

*Students who are ordinarily resident in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are excluded from receiving the BU Maintenance Bursary due to alternative funding arrangements being available to them. Ordinarily resident has been defined as 'habitual and normal residence in one place.’ It means that you live in a country year after year by choice through a set period, apart from temporary or occasional absences, such as holidays or business trips. Living here totally or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education does not count as being ordinarily resident. The course start date is defined as 1 September for September entrants.

**Applies to: BA (Hons) Film Production and Cinematography. If you're studying at one of our other Partner Colleges, you will need to contact them for information about financial support.

***You will need to meet the eligibility criteria each year in order to qualify for the full bursary.

How are bursaries paid?

Your bursary payments will be loaded onto a pre-paid card. The money will be made available to you in nine instalments from October to June each year. If the first payment is made after the start of term due to late assessment, the first payment will include any back payment and will be followed by the remaining instalments. You can only spend money that’s in your account, so you can’t go overdrawn, and you can receive up to 2% cashback on purchases at certain retailers.

How to apply for a BU Maintenance Bursary

The BU Maintenance Bursary is awarded to all eligible students.

There is no need to apply as you should automatically receive the bursary if you meet the eligibility criteria, providing you have completed an income assessment as part of your student finance application, and given consent to share this information.

If you're applying to study a part-time course, you will need to contact us by email to be assessed for eligibility.

Students from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man

Students from the Channel Islands and Isle of Man are subject to different funding arrangements to mainland UK students, and are not eligible for the Maintenance Loan, BU Maintenance Bursary or BU Hardship Fund.

For information on the support available for tuition fees and living costs, you should contact your island education offices:

How do the BU bursaries work?

When you apply for a tuition fee loan, you need to state that you would like to have a household income assessment and give consent to Student Finance England to share this information with the university. You will need to complete the family income assessment form and send the relevant documents to Student Finance England. We will then be able to match the family income with our bursary eligibility criteria to determine whether the bursary will be awarded.

Please note that the decision to award a bursary is made on the first family income figure BU receives from Student Finance England and any in-year reassessment will not result in a change to the level of award or in an award being made.

For me, this bursary took a weight off my shoulders and straight away made me feel BU were there to support all their students no matter what, again just proving how great this university is!

Important information

Bursaries are reviewed on a regular basis and the university reserves the right to withdraw, amend or introduce new bursaries at any time. However, BU will not alter to a student’s detriment the rules applying to a bursary package that has been awarded. Bursaries are offered subject to funding and availability.