Financial support available to you - funding your studies

Before you arrive at university, it’s important to think about how much it’s going to cost you and how you intend to cover the cost of studying.

The main bulk of your funding for university should be arranged before you start. Depending on where you are from and what level of study you are at, there are different options available to you. Some of these include:

• Student Finance Loans from the UK Government
• US Student Federal Aid Loans
• PGCE Bursaries and funding
• NHS Bursaries for 5^th and 6^th year medics
• NHS Learning Support Fund for pre-registration allied health courses
• UCL Scholarships (majority of which are open for applications January – June)
• PhD Studentships and Scholarships

Find out more about the funding available at each level of study can be found on the UCL Scholarships and Funding website.

The above options should help you make up the main part of your funding for university. However there are a few additional pieces of funding that students with specific backgrounds are able to access.

UCL Undergraduate Bursary

If you are a UCL undergraduate from the UK/EU with a household income below £42,875 per year you are eligible for up to £2,500 from the UCL Undergraduate Bursary for each year of your study.

To get the UCL Undergraduate Bursary you will need to be eligible for Student Finance loans and have your household income assessed by Student Finance. You do not necessarily have to take the loans out to have your household income assessed.

Contact Student Funding via askUCL if you believe you should be receiving the UCL Undergraduate Bursary.

Care Leaver and Estranged Student Bursaries

If you are an undergraduate and are assessed as a care leaver or estranged by Student Finance you are also eligible for an additional bursary of £1,000 from UCL for each year of your study.

Please contact Student Funding via askUCL if this is relevant and of interest to you.

Hardship Funds

Hardship funds are there to help students who start the year in a good financial position but unexpectedly find themselves in financial hardship to get back on course. Some of the hardship funds that UCL students can access include:

• UCL Financial Assistance Fund – this hardship fund is for all UCL students who find themselves in unexpected hardship
• Medical School Student Money – UCL’s medical school has some financial support available for its students including hardship and travel funds.
• Royal Medical Benevolent Fund – provides grants for medical students in their final two years
• RIBA Student Support Fund – for architecture students on RIBA part 1 or 2 courses
• Pharmacist Support – financial support for MPharm students in hardship

If you need support around funding and finances

If you are worried about any element of funding your studies or have questions about how to manage your finances whilst at university, the Student Funding Adviser is here to support you.

Please also check out UCL’s pages on How to Manage Your Money for more information and advice.

Last revised: 8 September 2021

Katy Foster, UCL Student Funding Adviser