Information about University bursaries for UK Undergraduate and PGCE students who started their studies between 2006 and 2010
Funding your future
While the cost of living for our students is among the lowest in the country, you may still be able to benefit from the extra financial assistance the University of Sheffield can provide.
A bursary is the same as a grant, so you don't have to pay this money back (unless your circumstances change - see below).
For continuing students in 2012-13, as well as any student loans and grants you're entitled to, you could also get a University of Sheffield bursary of between £290 and £3,465.
For students who started their studies in 2011 or 2012, the bursary scheme changed:
Undergraduate Bursary Scheme for 2011-2012
Undergraduate Bursary Scheme for 2012-2013
Bursary calculator
Use our bursary calculator to find out how much you might be eligible for.
2006-2010 Entry Student Bursary Calculator
See examples of how bursaries are allocated
How do our bursaries work?
There are three types of bursary available: income, prior achievement and outreach. You may qualify for one or all three. How much you're entitled to depends on the following:
- Household income
If your household income is under £18,500 per year, you're entitled to an income bursary of £750. If your income is between £18,501 and £38,100 you'll receive an income bursary of £460. The amount of your household income can also affect how much outreach bursary you may be entitled to, and how much you receive for A grades at A Level (see below) - A Level grades
If your household income is under £18,500 and you get three A grades you'll get a prior achievement bursary of £1,790 whatever you choose to study. If your household income is between £18,501 and £38,100 three A grades could entitle you to a prior achievement bursary of between £130 and £1,790. If your household income is over £38,101 you won't qualify for a prior achievement bursary unless you're applying to study a priority subject. - Priority subjects
If you study a priority subject and your household income is between £18,500 and £38,100 three A grades entitle you to a prior achievement bursary of between £860 and £1,790. If you study a priority subject and your household income is over £38,101 you're entitled to receive £290 for one A grade, £575 for two A grades, £860 for three A grades.
Priority subjects are degrees in the following departments:
- Faculty of Engineering
- School of Mathematics
- Chemistry
- Physics and Astronomy
- Computer Science
- Information Studies
- Archaeology
- School of Health and Related Research
Outreach schemes
Through outreach schemes we work with schools and colleges in our region to encourage applications from students who, for financial and other reasons, may not otherwise have considered university an option.
If you apply through one of these schemes, and your household income is under £18,500, you're entitled to an outreach bursary of £925. This figure decreases gradually as your household income increases to £38,100.
Our outreach schemes are:
- Compact
- SOAMS: Sheffield's Outreach and Access to Medicine Scheme
- PPP: Professions Progression Partnerships
- ADOPT: Access to Dental Occupations; Practice and Tutoring
Sheffield's Outreach and Access to Medicine Scheme (SOAMS)
Compact Scheme for schools in the region
ADOPT: Access to Dental Occupations; Practice and Tutoring
Need to know
- To be considered for a bursary, you must have first applied to your Local Authority/Student Finance England or equivalent assessing agency for loans and grant assessment using a PN1 form or online application. You must be eligible for at least part of the loans and grant support to be eligible for a University Bursary. Those students undertaking a second degree may find that they are not eligible for loans, grants or bursaries.
- If your course is fully NHS funded (ie there are no tuition fees to be paid) you will not be eligible for a University bursary.
- There is no limit on the number of UK students who can qualify for a bursary.
- The bursaries apply to each year of your course, excluding years abroad or in industry.
- Bursaries for priority subjects apply to dual degrees where 50 per cent of the programme is in a priority subject.
- Bursaries also depend on your progression from one year to the next. If you need to repeat a year, it is unlikely an award will be made.
- Normally you will receive details about your bursary within four weeks of the start of your course.
- Bursaries do not normally have to be paid back, as they are a grant not a loan. However if you withdraw from your course or take a leave of absence you may have to repay a percentage of your bursary that you received in that academic year. If your circumstances change, for example if your household income is reassessed at a higher value by Student Finance England, you may have to repay all or part of your bursary.
A Level equivalents
Other qualifications such as Scottish Highers, Irish Leaving Certificate, BTEC, or International Baccalaureate, can still qualify for a prior achievement award.
Access course students
If you're coming to university from an Access to HE course, you could be eligible for up to £1,675. You won't qualify for a prior achievement or priority subject bursary. But you will be assessed under the outreach part of the scheme, so you could get an outreach bursary of up to £925, plus an income bursary of up to £750, depending on your household income.
Payment
Bursaries are paid in two instalments, during the study year, into your bank account. The first instalment is normally paid within eight weeks of registering and the second by the end of February.
How to apply for a bursary
You don't have to fill in another form. When you apply to your Local Authority/Student Finance England or equivalent assessing agency for a tuition fee loan, maintenance loan, or maintenance grant, you'll be asked to provide the information necessary for us to work out how much bursary you're entitled to. We will then write to you and let you know if you will receive a bursary and how much it will be for, within four weeks of the start of your course.
Dual degrees
Bursaries for priority subjects apply to dual degrees where 50 per cent of the programme is in a priority subject.
Years abroad and industry placements
If your course includes a year abroad or in industry, you will not receive a bursary for that year, although your tuition fee will be reduced.
Questions about bursaries
If you have further questions about bursaries and how they work, try looking at the frequently asked questions page. The following link will open in a new window:
