What is a bursary?

A bursary is a sum of money usually awarded to a student in financial need, enabling them to study an academic programme that they would not otherwise have been able to afford. They do not need to be paid back.

Bursaries for postgraduate study are available from many sources, including governments, universities, charities and trusts. Typically, they are either purely needs-based, or a combination of needs-based and merit-based. They can be worth anything from a few hundred pounds to the full value of your course.

What is the difference between a scholarship and a bursary?

There is no universal distinction between a scholarship and a bursary, and various universities and organisations may use the terms differently. Generally speaking, however, the main difference between a scholarship and a bursary is that scholarships are awarded on the basis of merit, whereas bursaries are usually designed to make a course of study affordable for students in financial need.

This doesn’t mean that bursaries are always awarded solely on the basis of need – for example, you may be required to submit a statement outlining your academic accomplishments or motivations to study your chosen course in order to apply for a bursary.

There are exceptions to the general rule that bursaries are awarded to students in financial need. For example, the NHS offers bursaries for UK Masters students in Social Work, some of which are not means-tested.

Ultimately, what is defined as a ‘scholarship’ at one university or organisation may be called a ‘bursary’ at another – so it’s important to check the eligibility criteria of the particular award you’re applying for.

What does a bursary cover?

What a bursary covers can be highly variable. Most are a contribution towards your living and tuition costs, but they will occasionally cover the full value of your course. Smaller awards may be a few hundred pounds, while larger ones will be several thousand.

What is a HEI bursary?

You might occasionally see awards referred to as ‘HEI bursaries’. This stands for ‘Higher Education Institution bursary’, and is just another way of saying that the award comes directly from a university rather than from an external organisation.