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The amount of bursary you receive is only based on your household income. Independent students, and clinical years medical and veterinary students receive an additional amount known as the enhanced bursary.

If you were eligible for free school meals funded by your local authority, you receive an extra £1000 a year – known as the Education Premium. Send your Cambridge College a letter from your school or college confirming you were eligible.

The Cambridge Bursary is in addition to:

  • any other scholarships and awards you receive (though the value of these may be reduced to take into account funds received through the Cambridge Burasry and associated schemes)
  • your maintenance loan, tuition fees or funding from the UK government
Example Bursary award values
Household income Cambridge Bursary amount Enhanced Bursary amount
£0 £3,500 £2,100
£20,000 £3,500 £2,100
£25,000 £3,500 £2,100
£30,000 £3,040 £1,824
£35,000 £2,580 £1,548
£40,000 £2,130 £1,278
£45,000 £1,670 £1,002
£50,000 £1,210 £726
£55,000 £760 £456
£60,000 £300 £180
£62,215 £100 £60

Household income assessment

Household income refers to the earnings before tax of parents, partners of parents or legal guardians, who you live with. From this amount, anything they pay into a pension is taken off. If they have other dependent children a deduction of £1,130 is made for each one. Your regional student finance funding body assesses your household income.

If your household income stays the same, you could receive the Cambridge Bursary every year of your course of study, whatever the length. This also applies to students who need longer to complete their course due to disability or for medical reasons.

Scottish students

Student Awards Agency Scotland assesses household income differently to other regional finance bodies.

More information for Scottish students

Supporting information

Your regional student finance body processes your household income assessment, including any information you submit to support your loan application. Your College and the Student Registry do not have access to your supporting information.

Change in household income

If you receive a bursary and your household income has reduced by more than 15% since you applied for student finance, apply to your regional body for a current year income assessment:

If your predicted household income for the next tax year is assessed as becoming lower, your bursary award increases. You’re likely to receive the higher amount in the Easter term but it will depend when you applied for the reassessment. There’s a slightly different process for EU students.

Extra funding for bursary students

Independent students and care leavers are eligible for extra funding in addition to the bursary payment. For care leavers this is up to a maximum total of £8,350 a year.

Clinical medical students are also eligible for extra funding.

Additional scholarships and awards are available for full bursary students. You’ll be considered for them automatically.

Full policy

Cambridge Bursary Scheme Policy (2023-2024)