UCL announces major new postgraduate bursary scheme for UCL alumni from low-income backgrounds

UCL has announced a new bursary scheme to support UK alumni from low-income backgrounds to continue to postgraduate study at the university.

The Masters Alumni Bursary (MAB) is designed to support UK Master’s students beginning their studies in academic year 2021/22. These one-year bursaries will provide one hundred UK UCL alumni students with £10,000 of funding applied to tuition fees in the first instance with any remaining balance available towards maintenance costs.

The bursaries are aimed at supporting UK students from low-income/low socio-economic backgrounds. To be eligible for the scheme, applicants must previously have been a recipient of a UCL Access Bursary in the final year of their undergraduate studies. The scheme is intended to complement other available sources of funding (e.g., the UK government’s Postgraduate Masters Loan) to enable self-funding students from low-income backgrounds to cover a significant amount of their costs of study.

Professor Anthony Smith, UCL Vice-Provost (Education & Student Affairs) said:

"When we launched the UCL Access Bursary for UK undergraduate students from low-income backgrounds, the aim was to support them to succeed in their studies by relieving some of the burden of ongoing financial concerns. By launching the Masters Alumni Bursary, we hope to encourage those same talented students to continue their studies with us and achieve further success at postgraduate level at UCL."

Jim Onyemenam, Postgraduate Students Officer, Students’ Union UCL said:

"The MAB is a phenomenal venture that will support our students, diversify our cohorts, and encourage students from underrepresented backgrounds to continue developing their knowledge, skills, and talent in our wonderful academic environment. It is an exciting prospect that will only make UCL a more diverse, inclusive, and positive place for all to study."

Find out more about the Masters Alumni Bursary.