Grants and Bursaries

Don’t let the new fees put you off applying for a place at Staffs.

With our straightforward offer and the raft of new grants, student loans and funding schemes available many of you will be better off under the new fee structure. Plus at Staffs we will be using your investment to make sure you have the best student experience possible.

We will also be offering a range of bursaries to help support your studies.

Whatever your background we are confident that our new fee and access policy is fair and makes university an affordable option.

Our scheme has been designed so that if your family income is £20,817 or less most of your living expenses will be paid for through a grant and bursary payments – which you don’t have to pay back – ever!

It’s worth pointing out aswell, that Staffs is also one of the less expensive places to study at.

If you are a first degree student

• If your family income is £20,817 or less, you will be eligible for £1,000 bursary a year.
• If your family income is between £20,818 and £25,521, you will be eligible for £850 bursary a year.
• If your family income is between £25,522 and £30,810 you will be eligible to receive £500 bursary a year.

If you are a Foundation degree, HND or Year Zero student

• With a family income of £20,817 or less, you will be eligible for £700 bursary a year
• With a family income of £20,818 and £25,521, you are eligible for a bursary of £595 a year.
• With a family income between £25,522 and £30,810 are eligible for a bursary of £350 a year

We will ensure that all students who are currently eligible for an Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA) will be able to plan for university in the knowledge that their EMA will effectively be continued during their higher education.

All bursaries will be paid to you in two equal cash instalments in February and May for students who start their course in September and in May and October for students starting their course in Semester Two (January). These dates are indicative and may be altered at the University’s discretion.

Bursaries will only be paid to UK students who apply to be assessed for tuition fees and/or maintenance, regardless of whether you subsequently decide to accept them.

Non-repayable bursaries and scholarships can be sought from various sources to support postgraduate students. Bursaries can be used to assist with accommodation and living costs, childcare, course costs (excluding tuition fees) and essential travel.

You may face stiff competition for such funding, awards may be top-up rather than full, and you may need to provide evidence that you have made provision to fund your course fees.

The Access to Learning Fund (askAlf)

This fund is provided to the university by the government for students in financial hardship. Undergraduate and postgraduate ‘home’ students who meet the relevant criteria are eligible to apply for term time awards and, in some cases, awards to cover the summer vacation period.  ALF is a discretionary fund of last resort which means that you are not guaranteed an award but if you do receive one it does not usually have to be repaid.  However, ALF can ask for the money to be repaid if your attendance is poor or if you leave the course before the end of the academic year.

Full Time students must have applied for all other relevant funding, including their full entitlement to the Maintenance Loan, (undergraduates only), tax credits, where applicable and any other benefits that they may be entitled to.  Postgraduate students who are not entitled to public funding should show that they have made ‘reasonable’ provision to fund the course because ALF is not allowed to consider fees for any full time students.

Part time students must have applied to their Local Authority for the part time tuition fee grant and course cost grant if they meet the LA criteria.  ALF is able to help part time students who are in financial hardship with a percentage of their course costs, including travel and reasonable childcare costs.  However, part time students must be studying a minimum of 50% of a full time course, usually 60 credits undergraduate and 90 credits at postgraduate level.  Part time students are not usually eligible for a summer vacation award.

Postgraduate students who are studying at postgraduate level for the first time may be eligible to apply to ALF for a Postgraduate Bursary.  Successful students would receive £500 if studying full time and £250 for a part time course.

Further information and application packs can be obtained from the Information Centres and the Students’ Union Advice Centres on both the Stoke and Stafford campuses.  Application packs are available from nominated staff at the Schools of Health and in SURF and partner colleges.

Visit: www.staffs.ac.uk/askalf

Students with a disability may be eligible for a Disabled Student Allowance. Ask the Student Advice Centre for a copy of 'The Guide to Disabled Student Allowances' or contact the University Disability Advisory Service on 01782 294973.

Some postgraduate students secure funding from external trusts and charities. Our Careers and Employability Service can help you search a database of such organisations and guide you towards those most likely to offer support.

Other alternative sources of funding include public funding bodies, such as The Arts and Humanities Research Board (see list below).

You may also be eligible for any institutional funding such as scholarships and graduate assistantships. Please ask your Faculty or School whether anything is available.
Some students are eligible to apply for certain state benefits and the SAC can advise further on these.

Students on taught postgraduate courses, who are not in receipt of a bursary or sponsorship from the University or any other institution or organisation, may be eligible for a Hardship Fund Bursary.

For further information see also the Prospects Postgraduate Funding guide, visit www.prospects.ac.uk, the SAC or

Contact us:
t: 01782 295756