University Core Bursary assessment procedure

Assessment procedure for the University Core Bursary

Please note you do not have to complete an application form.

Step 1 - Apply for Student Finance:

We assess the University Core Bursary using the financial assessment carried out by Student Finance. Once you have completed your application for financial support from Student Finance, you and your sponsors (usually parent/s or a partner) will be required to submit financial information if you want to apply for a means tested loan. Unless you opt out, your household income information will be shared with us so that we can assess your eligibility for a University Core Bursary.

Please be aware that to be eligible for the bursary all assessments of your income by Student Finance must be completed and approved prior to the bursary closing date (see below). Student Finance assessments can take 6 weeks or more so please ensure you apply in plenty of time and address any issues with your application promptly prior to the closing date.

If you do not want to give consent for your information to be shared with us, you should read the Privacy Notice in the accompanying notes to your Student Finance application (see page 9) and contact Student Finance to opt out. The number to call will depend on where you live. You and your sponsors will need your Student Support Number, Customer Reference Number and personal password when you call.

England – 0300 100 0612

Northern Ireland – 0300 100 0077

Wales – 0300 200 4050

SAAS – 0300 100 0609

If you opt out of data sharing with Student Finance your financial information will not be shared with us and you will not be eligible for a University Core Bursary. You must have applied for your means tested assessment with Student Finance by 4 May 2026 in order to ensure that Student Finance can complete your assessment by the 19 June 2026 deadline. We are unable to accept late assessments.

Process for NHS funded medicine students and undergraduate students on a placement

Clinical medical students who receive a NHS Bursary (normally students in their fifth and sixth years) and Graduate Entry Medicine students in years two-four will now be eligible to apply for the University Core Bursary, subject to the eligibility criteria. To be able to receive the bursary, these students must request ‘means-testing for bursary purposes only’ from their Student Finance agency or regional equivalent (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland).

In order for us to award you a University Core Bursary you should submit the following to Student Finance:

• A PR1 form to renew your student finance application for 2025 entry. (If you have already applied online you do not need to send a separate paper form)
  
• a Non Means Tested to Means Tested form for 2025 entry.
• A covering letter explaining that you wish to be means tested for bursary purposes and,
• if you are a dependent student, a PFF2 form for 2025 entry.
  

Step 2 - Complete registration:

You will need to fully complete registration before you can receive your bursary. Freshers will need to complete online registration and in-person registration (this can be done by logging on to the university's Eduroam Wi-Fi connection). Returning students will just need to complete online registration.

Step 3 - Provide your bank details:

You must ensure you have entered your UK bank account details AND enrolled in “Direct Deposit” via the finance page in your NottinghamHub. Once your student loan application, university registration and bank details (in the Nottingham Hub) are complete the University Bursary can be paid to you, if eligible (see payment schedule below).

Note: Once you have completed the 3 steps above, we can assess you for the Core Bursary. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER. After you have been fully assessed, details of your award will appear on the Financial Aid section of your Nottingham Hub portal by the end of October 2025 or by the end of April 2026 for April Start Veterinary Medicine students. If no award details are showing by then, please contact us.

If have any questions about your eligibility or the assessment process, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. If you cannot find an answer to your question there, please contact the Bursary Team via the Student Enquiry Centre.

IMPORTANT: Please ensure the bank details you enter are correct. Entering incorrect details may result in a delay to your payment or, in the case of a payment being misdirected to another valid account, no payment being made.

In 2025/26, the bursary payments will be made in three instalments, they are disbursed from our system on 28 October 2025, 8 January 2026 and 23 April 2026. The payments take around 3-4 working days to hit students bank accounts so you can expect to receive your payments on or around 31 October 2025, 13 January 2026 and 28 April 2026. For more information on payment dates for April Start Veterinary Medicine students please see below.

The closing date for the 2025/26 University Core Bursary is 19 June 2026. To be eligible your household income must have been provided to the University by the SLC by this date. You must have applied for your means tested assessment with Student Finance by 4 May 2026 in order to ensure that Student Finance can complete your assessment by the 19 June 2026 deadline. We are unable to accept late assessments. Students who are assessed as eligible on or before 19 June 2026 should enter their bank details into NottinghamHub  no later than 25 July 2026 to ensure they receive their award.

April Start Veterinary Medicine Students

The academic year for April Start Veterinary Medicine students runs across two academic years.

For the 2024/25 Core Bursary, these payments will be disbursed from our system on the 1 May 2025, 17 July 2025 and 2 October 2025. The payments take around 3-4 working days to hit students bank accounts so you can expect to receive your payments on or around 7 May 2025, 22 July 2025 and 7 October 2025. The Core Bursary deadline for April Start students is 31 March 2026.

For the 2025/26 Core Bursary, these payments will be disbursed from our system on the 31^st March 2026, 16^th July 2026 and 1^st October 2026. The payments take around 3-4 working days to hit students bank accounts so you can expect to receive your payments on or around 3^rd April 2026, 21^st July 2026 and 6^th October 2026. The deadline for these assessments is the 31^st March 2027.

Note: Once you have completed the 3 steps above, we can assess you for the Core Bursary. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER. After you have been fully assessed, details of your award will appear on the Financial Aid section of your Nottingham Hub portal by the end of April of the current academic year you are studying in. If no award details are showing by then, please contact us.