Independent Students

If you are classed as independent by your regional funding body you are entitled to the higher rate of Cambridge Bursary which is £5,600 per year.

The principle categories of independent students are:

• Student is over the age of 25
• Student is under 25 but has supported themselves financially for three years or more
• Student is under 25 and has a dependant
• Student is under 25 and has been in the care of a local authority for 13 weeks or more before the age of 16 and has not returned to the parental home between turning 16 and starting their course
• Student is permanently and irreconcilably estranged from their parents
• Student is married or in a civil partnership
• Parents cannot be contacted practically or safely or where the location of the parents is not known.

If you meet any of the above criteria but were not classed as independent after your initial application you should contact your regional funding body and ask to be reassessed as independent.

Care Experienced Students

In addition to the enhanced bursary, students who have been in been in the care of their local authority will (from 2021 onwards) be awarded the Education Premium of £1,000 per year.  We also prioritise care leavers for one of our donor funded Reuben awards of £1,750 per year for three years.  That means in total care leavers will receive a non-repayable bursary of £8,350 per year for three years £6,600 thereafter).  You do not need to apply separately for the Educational Premium or Reuben awards, you will automaticallly be assessed for them once you have completed your application for funding from your regional funding body.

The initital £525 of your enhanced award an be paid ahead of the start of term to help you wil the costs of coming to Cambridge.  Students flagged as care leavers by Student Finance England, Wales or Northern Ireland will be contacted before the start of term to arrange this.

Scottish Care Leavers

If you are a care experienced student from Scotland you need to contact either your college or the Cambridge Bursary as soon as possible to alert us to this.  Scottish care leavers are not currently flagged to us through SAAS's system so we have no way of identifying you until  you get in touch.  We are working with SAAS and SLC to provide a solution to this but currently we need you to contact us so that we can arrange your bursary.  You will not need to do a separate application but we need to arrange payment of your bursary through your college.