Open University Bursary Scheme 2017

We’ve recently introduced a new undergraduate bursary scheme. The bursary is for new OU students based in the UK with household income of less than £25,000 per year, or those in receipt of qualifying benefits.

Please note that the information below relates to the 2017/2018 academic year. We can no longer accept applications to the bursary for 2017/2018 as the deadline has now passed. Please check back to this page in Spring 2018 to download an application form for the 2018/2019 academic year.

What is the bursary?

There are 50 bursaries per year, awarding a maximum of £3,000 towards the costs associated with your first 180 credits of study. To be eligible you’ll need to be registered and have funding in place for your chosen course. As such, the bursary isn’t intended to pay your fees, it’s to help with study costs, for example, study materials, travel to tutorials, or the cost of purchasing a computer.

What do you get?

If you’re studying 60 credits a year you’ll receive a maximum of £1,000 a year for the first three years. If you’re studying 30 credits a year you’ll receive £500 a year for the first six years.
The bursary will be paid in two instalments each academic year, subject to participation in your studies.

Who's eligible?

We value all our students and we want to do our best to ensure that the OU reflects the whole of our society. Our analysis indicates that currently we have a shortfall in the numbers of students we would like to attract from some groups of UK society in specific areas of study.

In order to be eligible for the bursary you must meet all of the following criteria:

Have a gross household income of not more than £25,000 per year or be in receipt of a qualifying benefit.
Be ordinarily resident in the UK.
Be new to The OU – you will not be eligible if you have taken any credit-bearing modules, including Access modules.
Be registered towards an undergraduate qualification.
Completed your registration on your first Open University module.
Be studying a minimum of 30 credits per year.
Hold no existing higher education qualification.

In addition to the criteria listed above, you must also meet at least two of the following:

Have a declared disability.
Be from an ethnic minority group (Black, Asian, Mixed or Other non-White category).
Be a care leaver within the last five years.
Be a female intending to study a science, technology, engineering or maths (STEM) qualification.
Be a male intending to study nursing or subjects allied to medicine, arts, social science, law, education or languages qualification.

Full details of the terms and conditions and frequently asked questions can be found here.

How to apply

You can apply by downloading and completing the application form (please check this page from Spring 2018 for the 2018/2019 application form). You can apply at any time after applications open, but in order to be eligible for the bursary you must be registered on your qualification and first module and have funding for your study in place. Successful applicants will be selected by the University.

Open University Bursary Scheme 2017

What is the bursary?

What do you get?

Who's eligible?

How to apply

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Open University Bursary Scheme 2017

What is the bursary?

What do you get?

Who's eligible?

How to apply

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