BU Maintenance Bursary

BU Maintenance Bursary

You get up to about EUR 2,800 in total (£2,400) if you start in Year 1, or up to about EUR 3,700 (£3,200) if you start in a Foundation Year and pay the higher tuition fee of £9,790. The money is paid as about EUR 930 (£800) per year, in your first, second and final years, as long as you still meet the criteria. It arrives on a prepaid card in nine instalments from October to June each year. You never repay it. If you study part time, the amount is reduced in proportion. A one-year top-up degree gets a single payment of about EUR 930 (£800). The bursary comes from Bournemouth University and helps with rent, travel, food and other living costs.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are a new undergraduate starting a first degree at Bournemouth University for September 2026 entry. Top-up degrees and the BA (Hons) Film Production and Cinematography at Wiltshire College Salisbury also count. HNC/HND courses do not.
• Fee status: You are classed as a Home (UK) student. You qualify for both the Tuition Fee Loan and the Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England.
• Residence: You live in England and have lived here for the three years before your course starts. If you normally live in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you cannot get this bursary, because those areas run their own funding schemes.
• Financial need: Your family income is £25,000 (about EUR 29,000) or less per year.
• Field of study: Any subject.

How to apply

You do not need a separate application. When you apply to Student Finance England, ask for an income assessment and agree that they can share your income details with the university. If you meet the criteria, the bursary is awarded automatically. Part-time students and students at other partner colleges must contact the university directly to be assessed.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a competitive prize. Everyone who meets the fixed conditions gets it, so there is no selection round. The real filter is the income limit of £25,000 and the England residence rule. If your household income is at or below that line and you are a new Home student at Bournemouth, your chances are essentially certain, as long as you request the income assessment on time.