Durham Undergraduate Bursary Scheme

The Durham Undergraduate Bursary is a non-repayable bursary for home undergraduate and PGCE students who:

do not already have an undergraduate degree;
whose household income as assessed by Student Finance England or equivalent in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales is below a certain amount ("the eligibility threshold").

If you are eligible, you will get your Durham Undergraduate Bursary as well as your government funding, and you won't have to pay it back.

Your household income is reassessed by Student Finance England every year. You will get a Durham Undergraduate Bursary for every year of your studies in which your household income is below the eligibility threshold. This includes years abroad and placement years.

2026/27 Durham Undergraduate Bursary Amounts by Household Income

Household Income	Bursary Amount
Less than £30,000	£2,721
Between £30,000 and £47,200	£2,720 and £851
Between £47,201 and £62,377	£714

You do not have to apply for a Durham Undergraduate Bursary. If we have your household income and if you are eligible we will e-mail your Durham University e-mail address. We start e-mailing students no later than 1st September each year.

If you are awarded a 2026/27 Durham Undergraduate Bursary you will be paid in three termly instalments.

Payment Date	% of your Bursary
November 2026	33%
January 2027	33%
May 2027	34%

How Scholarships and Bursaries work together

Some students receive more than one scholarship, bursary, or grant during their time at Durham. For students starting in 2026/27, some awards can be combined in full, while others may adjust how much Durham Undergraduate Bursary funding you receive. This is to ensure that support is shared fairly and directed to where it is most needed. Our aim is to maximise the funding available to you wherever possible.

Awards that combine in full:

Each award is provided in full, with no impact on the value of your Durham Undergraduate Bursary.

Durham University/College Funding

Care Leaver and Independent Student Bursaries

Grants from the Student Support Fund (hardship funding)

Grants from the Student Employability Fund

Awards that support participation in University life

External funding

Any scholarship, bursary or grant from outside the University does not affect the value of your Durham Undergraduate Bursary.

Awards that do not combine in full:

The Durham Undergraduate Bursary is designed to help with essential living costs. Where additional Durham University or College awards cover the same essential costs, the bursary is adjusted to avoid duplication of support. Where you have received a cost-of-living award from another source that is lower than the full value of the Durham Undergraduate Bursary, we will top this up so that you receive the full amount you are eligible for under the Durham Undergraduate Bursary scheme.

Further Information for Prospective Students

If you have any queries about the Durham Undergraduate Bursary Scheme please contact us on grants.bursaries@durham.ac.uk.

Further Information for Current Students

Current students can find further information about the Durham Undergraduate Bursary Scheme here.