Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Which Scholarships and Bursaries are available to students

There are a number of scholarships available to new students starting at the University of Bedfordshire in 2017. The majority will be assessed on information we have received from your UCAS and Student Finance applications, however some you will need to apply for.

Some scholarships are assessed on academic criteria, some are based on the student's background, and some are based on other criteria such as sporting achievement. See scholarships and bursaries

Q2: Am I eligible for a scholarship?

Most scholarships require you to be a UK or EU student beginning the first year of study on a full-time undergraduate honours course. See scholarships and bursaries

Q3: When will my scholarship be paid?

• University scholarships are generally paid in two or three instalments. The first payment will be in October (Welcome Package), the other instalments vary depending on the particular scholarship. Please check the payment details page for you the relevant scholarship for more information.
• When you are awarded a scholarship you will be sent an email or a letter informing you of your award, the amount and payment dates.

Q4: I'm a continuing student, what financial support is available to me?

If you are a student who began their course before the academic year 2012/13, there are sources of funding still available to you. You will still be eligible to receive the University Bursary, which will be roughly 10% of your tuition fees for each year of study, paid in three instalments (December, March and May).

All UK students can also apply to the Access to Learning Fund. This is a fund for students in financial difficulties. If you are an EU student you can seek advice from the Student Money Advice Team. Check availability with the Student Information Desk (SiD)

Q5: What financial support is available for care leavers?

Care leavers will automatically receive the Care Leavers Bursary (worth £5,700 over three years) providing that they have consented to share their financial information with the University in their Student Finance application and the University has seen evidence that they have been in care.

Q6: How can I apply for a scholarship?

• All eligible students will automatically be awarded with the Welcome Package
• The EU Bedfordshire Merit Scholarship, EU Bedfordshire Scholarship and UCMK Bursary will be automatically awarded based on information you have provided in your Student Finance and UCAS applications. If further information is required you will be contacted and must submit this by the deadline given.
• For information on how to apply for other scholarships and bursaries, please visit www.beds.ac.uk/scholarships

If you would like more information on scholarships, please log an enquiry on SiD Online or email us at sab@beds.ac.uk

Q7: How will I hear the outcome of my scholarship award?

• When you register in October you will receive the welcome package if you are eligible.
• You will then be contacted by post or email in the first term to inform you if you have been awarded any scholarships, with details of the scholarship and payment dates.

Q8: How will the University contact me and what if I change my contact details?

You should expect to hear the outcome of your application in the first term.

The University will contact you using the email address you gave when you first applied. If you need to change this, follow the instructions below.

If you are applying through UCAS, please contact UCAS to change your details with them. If you are applying directly to the university and have not yet registered, please contact admission@beds.ac.uk

If you have already registered, please login to e:Vision at www.beds.ac.uk/sits If you are having trouble doing this please log an enquiry on SiD Online or email sid@beds.ac.uk

Q9: What if I have a disability that I haven't disclosed to UCAS?

Please contact the Health & Wellbeing Team on disability@beds.ac.uk to discuss your specific disability and your needs.

It is important that you contact Health & Wellbeing so that your student record can be updated and the process of arranging support can begin. Without this the Student Money Advice Team cannot take your disability into account when assessing your application.

Q10 What happens to any additional information or evidence I give you?

• Your personal information is confidential and will not be disclosed to anyone outside of the scholarships assessment process.

Q11 I am an EU/international student, am I eligible for any scholarships?

• As an EU domiciled student, you may be eligible for the EU Bedfordshire Merit Scholarship or EU Bedfordshire Scholarship
• If you are a third year undergraduate progressing onto a Master's degree, you may be eligible for the Postgraduate High Achiever Scholarship.

Our scholarships are not available to international students, however you may be eligible for a discount on your fees if you pay them all in advance. This is the International Student Scholarship scheme

Q12: I am applying for a scholarship. How do I translate my grades into UCAS points?

Please use the translation tables found at www.ucas.com. Unfortunately, if your qualifications do not appear on these tables, it means that they cannot be translated into UCAS points and therefore cannot be used to qualify you for a scholarship.