Undergraduate support
Bursaries
Students studying an undergraduate diploma or degree in social work in England may be eligible for a non-means-tested bursary from the Department of Health and Social Care. The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) administers these bursaries on its behalf.
If you are a full-time undergraduate studying at an institution in England, you may be eligible to receive this bursary in addition to the standard student support package (see Chapter 2), which includes a tuition fee loan, as the bursary is not intended to cover tuition fees for undergraduates.
New undergraduate students do not receive a social work bursary in their first year of study. Once students move into their second and third years of study, bursaries are payable. These are limited in number and, therefore, not all students receive one. Higher education institutions are expected to allocate bursaries in a way that produces ’high-quality’ graduates, so while the exact allocation criteria varies, factors such as assessments and previous experience before the course are expected to be used in making decisions. You should ask what criteria your institution uses to allocate bursaries, ideally before you start your course.
If you are allocated a bursary, the amount you receive depends on where you study. You can get £4,862.50 if you are studying at an institution outside London, or £5,262.50 if you are studying at a university or college in London or at the University of London. Essentially, if Student Finance England deems you eligible for the London rate of loan, you are eligible for the London rate of bursary. The bursary paid includes a contribution of £862.50 to cover the costs of travel to placements.
The bursary is paid for 52 weeks and is taken into account as income for benefit purposes, except for the element paid for travelling expenses, which is disregarded.
1UC Reg 70 UC Regs
IS Reg 62(2)(h) IS Regs
HB Reg 59(2)(g) HB Regs
See also para 30122 DMG However, this is not usually specifically identified and can be taken into account by mistake. Check your calculation if this might apply to you.
Part-time students
If you are a part-time undergraduate student, you can receive the above bursary pro rata over the length of your course. As with full-time undergraduates, new part-time undergraduates do not receive a bursary in the first year of the course, and numbers are capped thereafter. All students are also eligible for help with placement costs. You are not entitled to any other forms of support.
Placement expenses
If you do not receive a bursary but incur placement expenses, you can claim a contribution towards your placement costs of £862.50 (pro rata if you are a part-time student) from the NHSBSA.