These awards are for all new home (UK) undergraduate students including those at a study centre [1] enrolling from September 2024 for the 2024/25 academic year. The value of the awards will be commensurate with academic achievement on entry.

There is no application process for the Merit Scholarship or Bedfordshire Bursary – they are awarded automatically to those meeting the eligibility criteria (see below).

Merit Scholarship

For UK undergraduates with an entry qualification score of 120 UCAS tariff points or more, or equivalent [2]. The scholarship is worth £2,400 over three academic [3] years.

Bedfordshire Bursary

For UK undergraduates with an entry qualification score of fewer than 120 UCAS tariff points, or equivalent [2], the bursary is worth £1,000 over three academic years or £1,300 for those taking their course over four years (including those with a Foundation Year) [3]. If you are studying PE with QTS, which is a four-year degree, you can receive a fourth-year payment of £300 if you’re eligible for the bursary or £800 if you’re eligible for the scholarship.

The scholarship and bursary are generally paid in two equal instalments per year if the eligibility criteria are met.

Eligibility criteria

The Merit Scholarship and Bedfordshire Bursary are only available to home students [4] who meet the following eligibility criteria.

You must:

• Be registered on a full time, undergraduate Bachelor’s degree course (BA, BSc, BEng, LLB or similar)
• Be a new entrant student to the University from September 2023 in the academic year 2023/24 who has not previously been enrolled (registered) at the University of Bedfordshire or University of Luton
• Be registered on the course at the relevant dates when eligibility for the award is determined (i.e. the census dates)
• Be a Home [4] student who will be paying the maximum tuition fee of £9,250 (including students whose fees may be paid by the SLC [5]). The University reserves the right to review the Scholarship and Bursary package in the event that this maximum fee is reduced by the UK Government or other third parties
• Have fulfilled and completed all stages of financial processes which may be required with sponsors or external bodies who are paying your fees to ensure that there is no impediment to the University receiving the payments. This therefore includes a requirement for students whose fees are to be paid by the SLC or similar bodies to have completed all aspects of their application, including completing the declaration to fully accept the tuition fee loan and any associated terms and conditions

You are not eligible for the scholarship or bursary if you are:

• An overseas (including EU) or ‘equivalent-level qualification’ (ELQ) fee payer
• Studying with a University partner
• Deferring study beyond a 2023/24 academic-year start date
• Not in good financial standing with the University
  
  

The University reserves the right to withhold payment of the scholarship or bursary if the student withdraws, interrupts, does not attend or otherwise does not progress satisfactorily.

Eligible students must maintain an appropriate standard of behaviour throughout their course of study at the University of Bedfordshire. If a recipient does not meet the appropriate standard of behaviour, the scholarship or bursary may be withdrawn.

Students can only receive one scholarship or bursary, which will be the one that has the highest monetary value. The exception is a Sports Scholarship, which can be additional.

The scholarship or bursary is not payable during a year out from on-campus, taught study, such as the Professional Practice Year [3].

[1] Study centres include London School of Commerce and Emil Dale Academy

[2] Equivalents will be determined by Admissions

[3] Professional Practice Years do not qualify as academic years for the purpose of eligibility for this scholarship and bursary

[4] ’Home’ includes the Channel Islands for this purpose. ‘Home’ as defined by The Higher Education (Fee Limit Condition) (England) Regulations 2017, as amended

[5] Excludes students whose fees are paid on their behalf by an employer or other organisation

The University also offers practical support to students who get into financial difficulties. Please contact studentmoney@beds.ac.uk for information on what help is available.