Bursaries 2012

Cardiff University is committed to ensuring that everyone who has the ability to study at Cardiff is able to do so whatever their financial circumstances. Cardiff University Bursaries will be available in 2012 to provide additional financial support for students from lower income backgrounds. The money is available on top of government funded maintenance grants and loans. 

Who will be eligible for the bursaries?

Cardiff University Bursaries are available to full-time undergraduate students from lower income households who are normally resident in the UK (1). The awards will be available to students beginning their undergraduate studies in September 2012(2).

In order to qualify for a Cardiff University Bursary you must be:

(a) eligible for UK student funding support for maintenance and assessed by your  award authority as having a household income of below £42,600(1).

(b) liable to pay tuition fees of approximately £9,000 (including tuition fee remission grant, if applicable)

You should read the terms and conditions on our website for full information about eligibility. Terms and conditions will appear here shortly.  

How much will the Cardiff University Bursary be worth?

For 2012 Cardiff's bursary has been designed to reflect the cost of living for a student at the University.  Bursary awards will therefore vary depending on the amount of government funding that you receive towards your living costs in order to ensure that all students from lower income households (those below £42,600) have appropriate funds to support them whilst at University.  Government funded support is made up of the Assemble Learning Grant (in Wales) and the Maintenance Grant (in England) and the Maintenance Loan.

• if your household income is up to £30,000, the Cardiff University will top up the total amount of money you receive from government funding (student loan and maintenance grant) to £7,500 (3). 
• if your household income is between £30,001 and £42,600, the Cardiff University will top up the total amount of money you receive from government funding (student loan and maintenance grant) to £6,750 (3).

This bursary relates to the 2012/13 academic year. Details of any bursaries which may be available in future years will be posted on our website closer to the time.

Example:

Based on the household income of a Welsh domiciled student at £29,990

Loan payment:     £2,033
Grant payment:    £3,526
Total payment:     £5,559

Cardiff University Bursary = 
£7,500 - £5,559 = £1,941

If you are a student from England, you can use the Student Loans Company Financial Calculator on the direct.gov website to estimate the loan and grant you will receive, and thereby calculate your potential bursary from Cardiff University.

How do I apply?

Eligibility is determined through the statutory means test conducted by your UK student funding body to determine qualification for state grants and loans, so you won’t need to apply for a Cardiff University Bursary separately. However, please note that as part of the conditions of being assessed for a bursary the University will need to receive your data from your award authority regarding your household income. Therefore, you will need to ensure that you do not tick the box on your assessment form to withhold consent to share this information if you wish to be considered for the University bursary. This information is needed to assess if you are eligible for a bursary. Confirmation of the bursary is sent by Christmas in readiness for the first payment at the start of January 2013.

Care Leaver Bursary

Applicants who declare in their UCAS application that they are in care, may be eligible to receive an additional payment of £1,000. This payment may be paid in addition to the Cardiff University Bursary(4).

Communities First Award

Communities First Awards are for students who come to Cardiff University from Welsh Communities First areas and have a household income below £42,600. Eligible students can choose from a £1,000 residences fee discount or £500 travel bursary in their first year. This payment may be paid in addition to the Cardiff University Bursary.

How do I find out more?

More information is available on our website at: www.cardiff.ac.uk/studentsupport
You can also contact the following for more information:
Sheila King, tel: 029 2087 9128
Helen Kerrigan, tel: 029 2087 9320
Email: bursariesandscholarships@cardiff.ac.uk

Notes

1. As defined in the Student Support funding regulations. NHS funded students and PGCE students are exempt from the Bursary Scheme.
2. Existing students should refer to the Student Support section of the University website.
3. This commitment is based and calculated in all cases for a student receiving the maximum student loan available for a non final year student who lives away from home. If your loan is lower than this level you will receive a comparatively lower level of total government/university support than stated here. 
4. An applicant must have been in care for 3 months since the age of 16 or 6 months from the age of 14, and under 25 at the start of the academic year their course commences.