Undergraduate students in a lecture, Keighton Auditorium

Nottingham Potential Bursary

For UK students with personal circumstances or backgrounds that may have impacted academic potential

Applications for 2024/25 open on Monday 23 September 2024.

The Nottingham Potential Bursary provides a £1,000 award per academic year to support students from lower income backgrounds whose personal circumstances may have impacted access to higher education.

This bursary requires an application once you start university to assess your eligibility. However, there are an unlimited number of places, meaning all applicants that meet eligibility criteria will receive the funding.

The deadline for applications is at the end of the academic year in June. Applications must be submitted within the academic year.

If you receive the bursary, you do not have to pay it back after you graduate and you can spend the money in any way you like to support your studies. Payments are made directly to the student's bank account, typically in three installments over the academic year.

The amount you receive and the eligibility criteria for the bursary can differ based on your start date. For current students looking for specific details of their bursaries, please see the information below.

Bursary criteria and amounts are reviewed each year. If you are applying to join us in September 2026, please check this page/our webpages in September 2025 to find the details relevant to you.

If you have any questions about this bursary or your eligibility, please contact us.

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Eligibility criteria explained

If you are a current student at the University of Nottingham, please find the specific details of your bursary based on your start year below.

To receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary in 2024/25 academic year, you must meet one of the following criteria:

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) - we will require a copy of your certificate or transcript. Students on the PGCE, GEN or GEM courses would not be eligible for the bursary on this element of the criteria.
Students with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) with financially dependent children or adults - we will require a copy of your 2024/5 Student Finance letter showing you to be in receipt of either Childcare Grant, Parents Learning allowance or Adult Dependants Grant
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in the University's Nottingham Potential or Sutton Trust Summer Schools hosted by the university or other eligible activities (including attendance on a minimum of eight Ambition Nottingham: 16-18 sessions (Tier 1 students only) or eight Nottingham Pathways to Law or Medicine sessions). Students who attended 16 hours of IntoUniversity sessions (outside of in-school sessions in year 12 or 13. At least four of the contact hours need to be in year 13. There is no need to apply for the award if eligible on this basis. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for summer school attendees. Students on the PGCE, GEN or GEM courses would not be eligible for the bursary on this element of the criteria.

Plus all of the following criteria:

Have first joined the university in September 2024
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course (or PGCE/Graduate Entry Nursing/Graduate Entry Medicine) at Nottingham which you commenced in 2024/25
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable for the tuition fee set in 2024/25
Have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
Not have studied for an undergraduate degree before starting your current course
Not be in receipt of a Maycock-Whileman Scholarship or an Alumni Scholarship
PGCE/Graduate Entry Nursing/Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of having dependants.

Part-time students - The Nottingham Potential Bursary provides additional support on a pro-rata basis for new part-time undergraduate students. You will need to have a means-tested assessment carried out by Student Finance (SF) as well as meeting one of the criteria above in order for us to assess your eligibility for this bursary. Your award amount will depend on the number of credits you're taking. You can find out more about funding for part-time undergraduate students on our website.

How to claim your bursary

You will need to apply for this bursary so we can assess your eligibility against the criteria.

Applications for 2024/25 open on 23 September 2024.

You cannot apply for the bursary until you are registered as a student at the University of Nottingham.

You only need to apply for the Nottingham Potential Bursary once. If you are a continuing student that has already received the bursary, you will be automatically reassessed each academic year.

Once you have been accepted to receive the bursary, most students will be automatically paid in three termly installments across the academic year. The only exception is if you're awarded due to attending a summer school then the award is paid in one lump sum at the start of the academic year.

What happens if my eligibility changes?

If your household income decreases during your time at university and this is reflected in your student finance assessment, you can apply for the Nottingham Potential Bursary at any time before the application deadline in June.

If you don't apply for the bursary in your first year, or miss the deadline for that academic year, bursary payments will not be backdated, however, you will receive payments for the following academic year, if you are assessed as eligible.

If your household income increases during your studies, you will stop receiving the bursary after the reassessment period at the start of each academic year. You will not have to pay back any bursary payments you've received until this point unless you were assessed incorrectly.

Bursary information by academic year

Bursary value: £1000 per academic year

Eligibility criteria:

Be joining the university for the first time in September 2025
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course at Nottingham which you commenced in 2025/26
Not have studied for an undergraduate degree before starting your current course
PGCE/Graduate Entry Nursing/Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of having dependants
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable for the tuition fee set in 2025/26
Have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
Not be in receipt of a Maycock-Whileman Scholarship or an Alumni Scholarship award

PLUS one or more of the following:

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) - we will require a copy of your certificate or transcript
Students with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) with financially dependent children or adults - we will require a copy of your 2025/26 Student Finance letter showing you to be in receipt of either Childcare Grant, Parents Learning allowance or Adult Dependants Grant
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in one of the programmes below:
- Completion of a University of Nottingham Sutton Trust Summer School
- Attendance at a minimum of eight Ambition Nottingham: 16-18 sessions (Tier 1 students only)
- Attendance at a minimum of eight Nottingham Pathways to Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science/Medicine/Law (online) sessions
- Successful completion of Realising Opportunities
- Attendance at 16 hours of IntoUniversity sessions (outside of in-school sessions in year 12 or 13. At least four of the contact hours need to be in year 13.)

Students that successfully complete one of these programmes will automatically be eligible and do not need to apply for the award.

Bursary value: £1000 per academic year

Eligibility criteria:

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) - we will require a copy of your certificate or transcript. Students on the PGCE, GEN or GEM courses would not be eligible for the bursary on this element of the criteria.
Students with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) with financially dependent children or adults - we will require a copy of your 2024/5 Student Finance letter showing you to be in receipt of either Childcare Grant, Parents Learning allowance or Adult Dependants Grant
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in the University's Nottingham Potential or Sutton Trust Summer Schools hosted by the university or other eligible activities (including attendance on a minimum of eight Ambition Nottingham: 16-18 sessions (Tier 1 students only) or eight Nottingham Pathways to Law or Medicine sessions). Students who attended 16 hours of IntoUniversity sessions (outside of in-school sessions in year 12 or 13. At least four of the contact hours need to be in year 13. There is no need to apply for the award if eligible on this basis. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for summer school attendees. Students on the PGCE, GEN or GEM courses would not be eligible for the bursary on this element of the criteria.

Plus all of the following criteria:

Have first joined the university in September 2024
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course (or PGCE/Graduate Entry Nursing/Graduate Entry Medicine) at Nottingham which you commenced in 2024/25
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable for the tuition fee set in 2024/25
Have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
Not have studied for an undergraduate degree before starting your current course
Not be in receipt of a Maycock-Whileman Scholarship or an Alumni Scholarship
PGCE/Graduate Entry Nursing/Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of having dependants.

Bursary value: £1000 per academic year

Eligibility criteria:

First joined the University of Nottingham between September 2020 and September 2023
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course (or PGCE/GEN/ 1st year GEM) at Nottingham which you started in 2020/21 onwards
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable for the tuition fee set in 2024/25
Have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
Not have studied for an undergraduate degree before starting your current course
Not be in receipt of a Maycock-Whileman Scholarship PGCE/Graduate Entry Nursing/1st year Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of being a Care leaver or having dependants.

PLUS one or more of the following:

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) - we will require a copy of your certificate or transcript
Students with a household income between £0-£35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) with financially dependent children or adults - we will require a copy of your 2024/25 Student Finance letter showing you to be in receipt of either Childcare Grant, Parents Learning allowance or Adult Dependants Grant
Students who are currently or have been in public care for a minimum time period of three months and are under the age of 25 years at the start of their course (please note that you can still apply for the Nottingham Potential Bursary for Care Leavers even if in receipt of NHS funding) - we will require a copy of an official letter from your local authority confirming your care arrangements
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in the University's Nottingham Potential or Sutton Trust Summer Schools hosted by the University or other eligible activities (including attendance on a minimum of six Ambition Nottingham: 16-18 sessions (Tier 1 students only) or eight Pathways to Law/Medicine sessions). There is no need to apply for the award if eligible on this basis. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for summer school attendees.

Bursary value: £1000 per academic year

Eligibility criteria:

First joined the University of Nottingham between September 2018 and September 2019
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course (or PGCE/GEM) at Nottingham which you commenced in the 2018/19 or 19/20 academic year
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable in 2024/25 for the tuition fee relevant to your year of entry
Have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
PGCE/1st-year Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of being a Care leaver or having dependants.

PLUS one or more of the following:

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income up to £35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) - we will require a copy of your certificate or transcript
Students with a household income up to £35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) with financially dependent children or adults - we will require a copy of your 2024/25 Student Finance letter showing you to be in receipt of either Childcare Grant, Parents Learning allowance or Adult Dependants Grant. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for Dependents
Students who are currently or have been in public care for a minimum time period of three months and are under the age of 25 years at the start of their course (please note that you can still apply for the Nottingham Potential Bursary for Care Leavers even if in receipt of NHS funding) - we will require a copy of an official letter from your local authority confirming your care arrangements
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in the University's Nottingham Potential or Sutton Trust Summer Schools hosted by the University or other eligible activities (including attendance on a minimum of six Post-16 Ambition Nottingham sessions or eight Pathways to Law/STEM sessions). There is no need to apply for the award if eligible on this basis. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for summer school attendees.

Bursary value: £1000 per academic year

Eligibility criteria:

First joined the University of Nottingham between September 2016 and September 2017
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course (or PGCE/ 1st year GEM) at Nottingham which you commenced in the 2016/17 or 2017/18 academic year
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable in 2024/25 for the tuition fee relevant to your year of entry
Have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
PGCE/1st-year Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of being a Care leaver or having dependants.

PLUS one or more of the following

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income up to £35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) - we will require a copy of your certificate or transcript
Students with a household income up to £35,000 (as assessed by Student Finance) with financially dependent children or adults - we will require a copy of your 2024/25 Student Finance letter showing you to be in receipt of either Childcare Grant, Parents Learning allowance or Adult Dependants Grant
Students who are currently or have been in public care for a minimum time period of three months and are under the age of 25 years at the start of their course (please note that you can still apply for the Nottingham Potential Bursary for Care Leavers even if in receipt of NHS funding) - we will require a copy of an official letter from your local authority confirming your care arrangements
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in the University's Nottingham Potential or Sutton Trust Summer Schools hosted by the University or other eligible activities (including attendance on a minimum of six Post-16 Ambition Nottingham sessions or eight Pathways to Law/STEM sessions). There is no need to apply for the award if eligible on this basis. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for summer school attendees

Bursary value: £1000 per academic year

Eligibility criteria:

First joined the University of Nottingham between September 2012 and September 2015
Be registered on a full-time undergraduate degree course at Nottingham (which you began between September 2012 and September 2015)
Have UK 'Home' status for funding purposes
Be liable for the 2024/25 tuition fee relevant to your year of entry
Be eligible for and have had a full financial assessment carried out by Student Finance
PGCE/1st year Graduate Entry Medicine students are only eligible for the Nottingham Potential Bursary on the grounds of being a Care leaver or having dependants.

PLUS one or more of the following:

Entering via an Access route or with vocational qualifications (at further education level) and with a household income between £0-£42,600
Students with a household income between £0-£42,600 with financially dependent children or adults
Students under the age of 25 years at the start of the course who are currently or have been in public care for a minimum time period of three months (please note that you can still apply for the Nottingham Potential Bursary for Care Leavers even if in receipt of NHS funding)
Students who have fulfilled specified conditions through participation in the University's Nottingham Potential or Sutton Trust Summer Schools hosted by the University or other eligible activities (including attendance on a minimum of six Post-16 Ambition Nottingham sessions or eight Pathways to Law/STEM sessions). There is no need to apply for the award if eligible on this basis. NHS-funded students are eligible to receive the Nottingham Potential Bursary for summer school attendees

More funding options

See all

Scholarships and bursaries

Core Bursary

For students with a household income between £0-£35,000 as assessed by student finance

Scholarships and bursaries

Care experienced and estranged bursary

For UK students who have been in care or are estranged from their family

Scholarships and bursaries

Potential scholarships

To encourage potential in students from lower-income backgrounds or who have faced significant difficulties

Scholarships and bursaries

The Stoneygate Award

For academically able students who face or have overcome barriers to attend university

Scholarships and bursaries

The Halford Scholarship Programme

For students showing strong academic ability who have overcome significant obstacles to their academic progression

Scholarships and bursaries

Local Scholarships

For students who live and/or attended school in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire or the wider East Midlands area

See all

Help and support

If you’re looking for more information, please head to our help and support hub, where you can find frequently asked questions or details of how to make an enquiry.