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Overview

This information is for students starting their course in October 2024.

If you're applying for 2025 entry, you can find updated information for prospective students.

The Imperial Bursary is one of the most generous schemes of its kind in the UK.

It provides Home undergraduate students with up to £5,000/year for every year that their course lasts to help with the cost of studying in London.

You can spend the money how ever you like – whether that's on food, accommodation or any other expense.

Bursary stats

Non-repayable

The Imperial Bursary is paid on top of any government funding you're eligible for and is money you never have to pay back.

Up to £5,000 per year

The Imperial Bursary is paid on a sliding scale from £2,000–£5,000 per year, depending on your household income.

Qualify automatically

If you're eligible, you'll qualify for an Imperial Bursary every year, as long as your household income remains below £60,000.

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What you'll get

The amount you’ll get is based on yours or your family’s household income.

For courses starting in autumn 2024, the bursary amounts are:

  • £5,000/year if your annual household income is between £0 and £16,000
  • £4,400/year if your annual household income is between £16,001 and £50,000
  • £3,300/year if your annual household income is between £50,001 and £55,000
  • £2,200/year if your annual household income is between £55,001 and £60,000
  • £1,000/year if your annual household income is between £60,001 and £70,000 (only for students commencing in 2024-25 onwards)

We may need to adjust our bursary offer if the UK government changes the levels of fees or the associated arrangements for supporting students, for example, following the ongoing Higher Education Review. We will publish any changes on this webpage.

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How to apply

There is no separate application form or process for the Imperial Bursary.

To be considered, you must apply for a means-tested government loan from your regional funding body e.g. a Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England for students from England.

You should apply this funding even if you do not intend to take it out.

With your consent, the information you provide on this application is shared with us and we use it to assess your eligibility for the Imperial Bursary.

We must receive your household income information by 31 May after the start of the academic year, e.g. 31 May 2025 for students starting in October 2024.

We encourage you to submit your application for funding as soon as possible so we can confirm what support you will be eligible for.

The Student Loans Company (SLC) is responsible for paying grants and loans on behalf of the Government after you’ve applied through your regional funding body. 

SLC will write to you in the summer to tell you how much funding you’ll get in the next academic year.

We will then email you to confirm the Imperial Bursary amount that you will receive from Imperial. This is normally after A-level results day.

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When you're paid

You get the first payment directly into your bank account on 7 November.

You will then receive equal monthly instalments until 7 June each year. 

You should provide your bank details securely in the My Person Details tile in My.Imperial.

If you wish to use your Imperial Bursary as an Accommodation or Tuition Fee Waiver, you can request this option when you receive your award letter.

Care leavers and estranged students who have been awarded a bursary can choose to receive it two months earlier than the usual first payment date. 

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Check if you're eligible

If you’re a Home undergraduate student and your household income remains below £60,000, you automatically qualify for the Imperial Bursary every year.

The Imperial Bursary is not available for:

  • Students with Overseas fee status
  • Students studying a Postgraduate or higher level qualification
  • Students not in attendance (resitting only, or repeating part of the year)

Find out more about how we assess your fee status which determines whether you qualify for the Home rate of tuition.

Other things to note:

  • If you are spending a year studying abroad, you are eligible for 15% of the Imperial Bursary for that year
  • If you are spending a year in industry, we will assess you for the Imperial Bursary on a case-by-case basis
  • If you are a Home student and you are spending an intercalated year at Imperial, you are eligible for the bursary, at the rate of the year you started at your home university 
  • If you are repeating the full year, you are eligible for the bursary if you are eligible for Government funding for your ‘plus one’ year of funding or a Compelling Personal Circumstances year of funding

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Six-year option for Medicine students

Medicine students have a choice over how they wish to receive their bursary:

  • The standard payment option – this allows students to receive their full bursary each year paid in equal instalments. 
  • The six-year spread payment option – this allows students to receive more of their bursary payments in years 5 and 6 of their Medicine course, taken from years 1–4.

Find out more about the six-year spread payment option.

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Care leaver and estranged students

Care leavers and estranged students who are eligible for an Imperial Bursary will receive an additional £500 (£5,500 per year) and can choose to receive their first payment two months earlier than the first payment date. Look out for your bursary email from Student Financial Support and follow the instructions to confirm how you would like to receive the payments.

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