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The University of Bedfordshire welcomes students from all backgrounds. It is part of our mission to support those for whom financial issues might be a barrier to attending university.
Access to education is one of our core values. We pride ourselves on providing help and support to everyone who wants to pursue higher educational opportunities and this year we are providing almost £3m in scholarships and bursaries.
From 2012 students will be able to apply for two new sources of financial support.
The University of Bedfordshire is supporting the new National Scholarship Programme. To be eligible for the National Scholarship Programme applicants must be “ordinarily resident” in England, not NHS or TDA funded, and applying for the first year of an honours degree as a full time student. The applicants’ family income should be less than £25,000 per year.
All applications will be considered, using a points based system. Those who are recognised as having particular needs will receive a scholarship award of £3,000. This will consist of a one off cash payment of £1,000 in their first year and a further package of further support up to the value of £2,000. This will be made available to help with individual needs from accommodation to travel costs, childcare to special equipment.
The University is further extending support to more students, through its Access fund with similar conditions to the NSP. To be eligible for the Access Fund applicants must be “ordinarily resident” in England, not NHS or TDA funded, and applying for the first year of an honours degree as a full time student. All students whose family income is less than £25,000, who do not receive an NSP scholarship, can apply for a cash award of £1,000. Students will receive two payments, the first in January and second in April/May in their first year.
Applications for NSP and Access Fund should be received by 31 October 2012 and successful applicants will be informed by the end of November 2012. Payments will not be made until January 2013.
In addition to the NSP and the Access Fund the University of Bedfordshire offers a number scholarships and bursaries designed to help students with the financial cost of attending University. We also have bursaries specifically to help students who get into financial difficulties to remain at University and avoid having to cut their studies short. Scholarships and bursaries are not repayable.
Just a few examples of these are:
This bursary of £1000 is available to students who are supported by a local authority leaving care service. You must be under 21 years old at the start of your course. You will also be entitled to additional scholarship payments of £1,000 in years two and three of your studies.
More details about the Care Leaver Fund 2012-13
Every student coming to study for a degree from one of the University’s partner colleges will be entitled to a Partnership Scholarship worth £335.
View list of partner colleges and details of how to apply
Students who start at the University in 2012, fit within our NSP points system and chose to undertake a sandwich year as part of their course will be eligible for a Fee Waiver – reducing their fees by £2000 for their year out.
Four new VC Scholarships are available each year. Each scholarship is worth £27,000, to be split over three years and is offered to one student in each of our four Faculties. The four successful applicants for the VC Fund will then not be considered for the NSP or Access Fund.
The deadline for applications for this year’s scholarships is 31 October 2012.
More details on the Vice-Chancellors Scholarships 2012-13
Students who achieve AAB grades (340 UCAS points or HEFCE Approved Equivalent) or higher in their studies in 2012 prior to entering the University can apply for a Centenary Scholarship. It is worth £3,000 per year provided students maintain a 2:1 average. The Centenary scholarship is not available for Foundation degrees and cannot be held in conjunction with any other award or bursary.
Academic Scholarships worth £1,100 on entry to the University and are available to students who achieve a least 280 UCAS points, with at least 200 at A2 level or approved equivalent.
More details about Academic Scholarships 2012-13
In addition the University has secured funding for nine Sports Scholarships, nine charitable, corporate and donated scholarships as well as 25 prizes of differing values awarded across our four faculties.
Students who have a record of performance in sport may wish to apply for one of the following :
Funding will normally be across all three years of undergraduate programme for amounts up to £1,500 in year.
More details on Sports Scholarships 2012-13
Some of these awards can be applied for by students once they have begun their studies and a number of them are available to students studying particular courses.
For full details (2011-12) see:
The University has set aside an additional £300,000 as a Hardship Fund to provide financial assistance to students for whom financial problems are likely to cause them to withdraw from study.
