There are a range of grants available for university students depending on your situation and course you are studying.
Below is everything you need to know about grants and
don't forget to explore the student grants available on the Funding Hub.
A student grant is additional funding usually provided by the government or a charitable organisation. These grants are tailored to specific needs or situations and the value can vary on a case-by-case basis.
Student grants are usually never required to be paid back and are free additional funding to support you during your studies.
The criteria for each grant varies and can be based on your course, dependants or living situation. Below are some of the main student grants available along with the criteria for each.
It's important to explore the available options and assess your eligibility before applying.
Individuals coping with long-term health conditions, mental health issues, or physical disabilities may qualify for additional financial assistance to cover related expenses while studying.
The grant is also known as the Disabled Students' Allowance and can be applied for on the gov.uk website. The amount is based upon individual requirements, potentially covering medical aids and personal care, subject to assessment.
There are also other disability grants available online from different charities and companies that are worth looking into.
For the 2024/2025 academic year, undergraduate and postgraduate students could receive up to £26,948 a year for support based on individual requirements.
This can help fund specialist equipment such as laptops, non-medical helpers and travel costs you might incur in order to attend your classes.
Full-time higher education students with dependent children can seek financial support that helps contribute to childcare expenses for children under 15, or under 17 if they have special needs.
Childcare grants also get paid straight to the provider and will not go into your account.
Depending on your household income, for the 2024/2025 academic year, you can get up to 85% of your childcare costs covered or a fixed maximum amount. It’s based on whichever is less.
The maximum Childcare Grant you can get is £193.62 a week for one child or £331.95 a week if you have two or more children.
If you have one child and your childcare costs total £100 a week, then you can get 85% of this amount or £85.
If you have one child and your childcare costs are more expensive at £230 a week, you can get the maximum £193.62 towards these costs as 85% would be higher than the maximum weekly amount at £195.50.
Also known as the Parents’ Learning Allowance, full-time student parents may receive additional funding each year to help towards learning expenses, including books, study materials, and travel. The allocation varies based on household income and does not impact other benefits or tax credits.
For the 2024/2025 academic year, you could get between £50-£1,963 per year based on your household income. This is usually paid at the start of each term in three instalments.
To be eligible for the parents’ support grant, you need to apply to all of the following conditions:
You must:Full time higher education students who are supporting a dependent adult financially can apply for this grant. However, you cannot apply for this grant if you’re getting a postgraduate loan.
For the 2024/2025 academic year, the adult dependents’ grant is a maximum of £3,438 per year. This is paid directly to your bank in three instalments at the start of each term.
The amount will vary based on your situation, such as your income, if you’re married or if you’re currently receiving any other grants.
A critical part of being eligible for the Adults Dependents’ Grant is having an adult who depends on you. Here are some of the situations that do not count:
Aspiring medical, dental, or nursing students may qualify for annual bursaries from the NHS, assisting with tuition fees and living costs.
Also known as the NHS Learning Support Fund (LSF) this grant can support with undergraduate and postgraduate studies across a broad range of subjects including:
Source: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-learning-support-fund-lsf
If you are eligible for the grant you can receive £5,000 per academic year as a training grant and £2,000 parental support if you have at least one dependent child below the ages of 15 years old or 17 years old if they have special educational needs.
You can also get money back while you are on practice placement for excess travel and some accommodation costs.
To be eligible for the NHS funding grant, you need to be:
Social work students can sometimes access additional non-income-dependent grants to help cover tuition fees.
The value of this grant, also known as the Social Work Bursary, varies depending on the cost of your tuition, whether you’re a part or full-time student and based on where you study.
This grant doesn’t depend on your household income and does not need to be paid back. It comes in three instalments to support each term of the academic year.
To be eligible for the social work assistance grant (social work bursary) you need to be a student who:
If you are planning to start or are already enrolled to study to become a teacher, you might be able to receive tax-free support of £30,000 during training, via bursaries, scholarships, or a salary of up to £25,000.
Eligibility and funding amounts vary based on chosen subjects and degree classifications but include courses such as initial teacher training (ITT), including early years, and school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT).
There are numerous UK charities and trusts that offer student grants for diverse purposes, catering to specific demographics, religions and courses.
The value of these grants vary greatly but never need to be paid back. They are also awarded for a broad range of reasons.
Don’t forget to check out our Ultimate Funding Guide for all our tips and tricks for funding applications.
View the guide
No, student grants are almost always free money that does not have to be repaid.
No, student grants are exempt from tax and count as non-taxable income.
Yes, but they are considered non-taxable income as long as you are in full-time education.
Many student grants become available throughout the year at different times so it is best to keep looking every month. To see all available grants be sure to sign up to Blackbullion and view all open grants in the Funding Hub.
Student grants and bursaries are very similar in that they are both free money to support your studies that don’t need to be paid back.
The main difference between student grants and bursaries is that bursaries tend to be awarded to help those in financial need from lower-income families. While grants are less dependent on your income and more focused on your situation and the course you are studying.
To apply for student grants, first find a grant that you are eligible for either on our Funding Hub or via the web and then follow the application instructions. Some applications may take you to the organisation's website to complete.
Once you have applied, the organisation in charge of the grant will review all the applications and choose which ones get accepted and how much they will be granted.
Yes, there are usually hundreds of grants for international students looking to study and already studying in the UK. These are offered by universities, the UK government and also some charities. Be sure to check out all live funding opportunities on our Funding Hub.
The main difference between a student grant and a student loan is that loans usually have to be repaid whereas student grants are free money that does not have to be repaid at all.
Student grants are usually paid in three equal instalments at the start of each academic term. However, the timing can vary and some grants can be paid in different instalment patterns.
The payments are made directly into your chosen bank account.
Filter, find and apply for scholarships, grants or bursaries via the Funding Hub.
