Imperial Bursary
The Imperial Bursary is worth between £2,000–£5,000 per year for eligible Home students.
The Imperial Bursary is one of the most generous schemes of its kind in the UK and helps Home students with the cost of studying in London.
You can spend the money as you like – whether it's food, accommodation or any other expense.
Take a look at our FAQ section on this page for answers to some of our most frequently asked questions about the Imperial Bursary.
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 provides up to £5,000 per year, depending on your household income.
Based on household income
Qualify for a bursary every year, as long as your household income remains below £60,000.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the bursary worth?
The Imperial Bursary is awarded on a sliding scale of between £2,000 and £5,000 a year.
The table below provides a breakdown of how much you may receive, depending on your household income.
| Annual household income | Imperial Bursary amount (per year) |
|---|---|
| £0 – £16,000 | £5,000 |
| £16,001 – £50,000 | £4,000 |
| £50,001 – £55,000 | £3,000 |
| £55,001 – £60,000 | £2,000 |
| Please note: the bursary offer may need to be adjusted if the government changes the levels of fees or the associated arrangements for supporting students, for examples following the ongoing Higher Education Review. We will publish any revisions on this webpage. | |
How do I apply for the Imperial Bursary?
There is no separate application form or process.
To be considered for an Imperial Bursary you must apply for a means-tested government loan from your regional funding body (even if you do not intend to take out this loan or any other government loans), e.g. a Maintenance Loan from Student Finance England for students from England.
With your consent, this information is shared with us and we use it to assess your eligibility.
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.
Once SLC confirms your funding entitlement, we will email you to confirm the bursary amount that you will receive from Imperial, normally after A-level results day.
Is there a deadline?
We must receive your household income information from your regional funding body (which pays the loans) by 31 May after the start of the academic year, e.g. 31 May 2023 for students starting at the College in October 2022.
We encourage you to submit your application for funding as soon as possible so we can confirm what support you will be eligible for.
How do I receive the money from the bursary?
The Imperial Bursary is paid directly into your bank account in equal monthly installments from 7 November 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.
Am I eligible for the Imperial Bursary?
If you’re a Home 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:
- Overseas students
- EU students
- Students not in attendance (resitting only, or repeating part of the year)
- Graduate entry students (Final year MBBS A109 students are now eligible for the Imperial Bursary)
Other students
- 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, you are assessed for the Imperial Bursary on a case-by-case basis
- If you are spending an intercalated year at Imperial, you are eligible for the bursary 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 statutory Government (SFE or regional body) funding for your ‘plus one’ year of funding or a Compelling Personal Circumstances year of funding.
I'm an MBBS Medicine student. Is my bursary awarded differently?
We have recently expanded our bursary scheme so that eligible students on the MBBS Medicine programme can receive the Imperial Bursary for each year of their six year course.
I'm a care leaver/estranged student. How am I affected?
Care leavers and estranged students who are eligible for an Imperial Bursary are offered the chance to receive their first payment two months earlier than the first payment date (7 November 2021).
Hear from our bursary recipients
"Receiving the Imperial Bursary made a huge difference to me. Without it, I wouldn't be able to afford the extracurricular parts of my course which can be quite useful.
In my third year, I organised an elective with one of the orthopaedic surgeons I'd met, up in Barnsley in North England. For me to go and spend a week with him cost around £400 pounds, because I had to pay for the train and accommodation.
Obviously, no student is forced to pay for this stuff but it does give you an advantage. So it's definitely been beneficial to have the bursary."
Abeku, Medicine
Emilia, Geology
Karl, Electrical and Electronic Engineering