Support for lower-income students
At Manchester, we have several scholarships and bursaries to help you enter higher education. These include The Manchester Bursary, Foundation Year bursaries and Undergraduate Access Scholarships.
You don't need to apply for Manchester’s bursaries separately, but you do need to consent to share your financial details with the University when applying to Student Finance England. The University’s Student Services Centre can then automatically identify who is eligible.
The University of Manchester bursaries are paid in three instalments: 25% in December, 50% in February and 25% in April.
We'll take all reasonable steps to maintain the value of the annual financial support packages available to you. However, subject to regulatory approval, the University reserves the right to reduce the value of this support if there is a reduction in tuition fees payable because of change in government policy.
The Manchester Bursary
The Manchester Bursary is available to UK students registered on an eligible undergraduate degree course at Manchester who have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance England. This cash bursary is additional to the government package.
The Bursary is available to eligible students for the duration of their course, subject to a financial reassessment each year.
| Annual household income | Annual cash bursary |
|---|---|
| £0 to £25,000 | £2,600 |
| Between £25,001 and £35,000 | £1,300 |
If you're entitled to NHS support as a Nursing, Midwifery or Allied Healthcare course student (for example, Speech and Language Therapy), you won't be eligible for the Manchester Bursary. Medicine and Dentistry students are entitled to a lower level of NHS funding beyond Year 4 and are therefore eligible for the Manchester Bursary during the years they’re also entitled to NHS funding.
Undergraduate Access Scholarships
The Undergraduate Access Scholarships are funded by our alumni community and donors.
You may be offered one of these scholarships if you:
- have completed the Manchester Access Programme and started an undergraduate course at the University. You’ll receive £1,300 a year throughout your course;
- have completed the Manchester Access Programme and are care experienced or estranged from your families. You’ll receive £2,600 a year of support;
- are under the age of 25 and have been in public care for a minimum of three months since the age of 11. You’ll receive £1,300 a year throughout your undergraduate course;
- are under the age of 25 and have been estranged from your family for at least six months. You’ll receive £1,300 a year throughout your undergraduate course.
- Have experienced local authority care or estrangement (we’ll ask you to provide evidence of this in your first term to receive the scholarship).
Financial support for students on a year abroad or year in industry
We encourage you to take opportunities to spend a year abroad or in structured industry placements. Therefore, you’ll pay reduced fees for that year.
Further information on the tuition fees will be available nearer the time you go.
| Study programme | Household income | Annual cash bursary |
|---|---|---|
| Study abroad | £0 to £25,000 £25,001 to £35,000 |
£2,000 £1,000 |
| Work placement UK/abroad (non Erasmus) |
£0 to £25,000 £25,001 to £35,000 |
£2,000 |
You can learn more about our bursaries by reading the terms and conditions (Word document 529KB).
Foundation year bursaries
Foundation years are 12-month introductory courses designed to help you develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence for a three-year undergraduate degree.
If you’re a UK student enrolling on a foundation ‘Year 0’ programme in Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Biosciences, Science or Engineering, you may be offered up to £4,000 financial support.
| Annual household income | Annual cash bursary |
|---|---|
| £0 - £25,000 | £4,000 |
| Between £25,001 and £35,000 | £2,000 |
Scholarships for Black British students
The Cowrie Foundation Scholarships
The Cowrie Foundation Scholarships offer support to Black African and Caribbean heritage applicants from underrepresented backgrounds in the UK. It covers:
- your tuition fees;
- a maintenance allowance of up to £8,000 for each year of your course.
The Raheem Sterling Scholarships
The Raheem Sterling Scholarships will fund seven Black African or Caribbean heritage students from underrepresented backgrounds studying an undergraduate degree in the UK. It covers:
- your tuition fees;
- a maintenance allowance of up to £8,000 for each year of your course.
Sports Scholarship
Our Sports Scholarship offers an individualised and bespoke package to support your performance as well as sports memberships, specialist facilities and dedicated support, contributing to more than £9,000.
It's open to prospective and current student-athletes on undergraduate or postgraduate courses.
Support for care experienced and care leavers
The Sadler Bursary has been created to support care experienced and care leaver students overcome the financial barriers they may face when trying to access and succeed within higher education.
Support for sanctuary seekers
We’re offering five undergraduate scholarships to support applicants who face barriers to higher education because of their immigration status.
Subject-specific scholarships
Find out more about the specific scholarships we have across our subjects and Faculties.