BU Care Leavers Bursary

Our BU Care Leavers Bursary is here to give you additional support if you're a new student joining us in September 2026 and you’ve been in full-time care for three months or longer at any time over the last five years (see full eligibility criteria below).

For those commencing their studies with us in the 2026/27 academic year in Year 1 (level 4), it offers up to £9,000 over three years of study (up to £12,000 if you are studying a Foundation Year and paying the higher tuition fee of £9,535).

You’ll never have to pay this money back and can use it for whatever you need or want while you’re at university, whether that’s a helping hand towards paying your rent, covering your phone bill or simply to support you through your university experience.

You don’t need to do anything to receive this bursary - we’ll award it to you automatically as long as you meet the eligibility criteria. You’ll continue to receive it every year you’re studying at BU (unless you’re on a placement year) as long as you still meet these criteria.

To be eligible for a BU Care Leavers Bursary, you must:

• have been in care for a period of 3 months or more in the last 5 years
• be registered as Home for fee status; and
• live in England and have been ordinarily resident in England for three years prior to the start date of your course*
• be eligible for both the Tuition Fee Loan and Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England
• be a new student joining us in September 2026, actively participating on an Undergraduate BU or Wiltshire College Salisbury** course (excluding HNC/HND) on a full or part-time basis
• be paying the higher tuition fee of £9,535 if studying a Foundation Year
• have a household income of £25,000 or less***.

*Students who are ordinarily resident in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are excluded from receiving the BU Care Leavers Bursary due to alternative funding arrangements being available to them. Ordinarily resident has been defined as 'habitual and normal residence in one place.’ It means that you live in a country year after year by choice through a set period, apart from temporary or occasional absences, such as holidays or business trips. Living here totally or mainly for the purpose of receiving full-time education does not count as being ordinarily resident. The course start date is defined as 1 September for September entrants and 1 January for January/February entrants.

**Applies to: BA (Hons) Film Production and Cinematography. If you're studying at one of our other Partner Colleges, you will need to contact them for information about financial support.

***You will need to meet the eligibility criteria each year in order to qualify for the full bursary.