Young Independent Student Bursary

Young Independent Student Bursary

You get a non-repayable cash award of about 1,150 EUR per year (£1,000), money you keep and never pay back. If you live in University of East London (UEL) accommodation, you get a further 580 EUR (£500) each year, paid straight into your rent account. The bursary comes from UEL, a London university. It supports students who are financing their studies on their own.

Who can apply

• Your situation: You have lived in care or in a foyer (supported housing for young people), you are estranged from your parents (usually no contact for 12 months or more), you are a young adult carer, or you are a young refugee.
• University: You are a new or continuing undergraduate at UEL, and you are already accepted onto an eligible course.
• Enrolment: You study full time and pay fees of £9,790 per year.
• Fee status: UEL treats you as a home (UK-based) student for fees, not as an international student.
• Age: You are under 25 when your course starts.
• Student finance: You receive a Student Finance Maintenance Loan.
• Proof: If you are care-experienced, you can show you lived in care or a foyer in the year before starting at UEL. If you are estranged, you can show you have no contact with your biological or adoptive parents.

How to apply

First get accepted onto an eligible UEL course. Then apply through UEL's bursary intranet using your student login. If you need help, contact the university's student support team.

How realistic are your chances?

This bursary is aimed at a specific group: UEL undergraduates under 25 who have been in care, are estranged from their parents, care for family, or are refugees. It is not a merit contest. If you clearly fit one of those situations and can prove it, and you meet the fee and loan conditions, your prospects are good.