Manchester Master’s Bursary
We're committed to widening participation in master’s study and award bursaries each year to support students from underrepresented backgrounds to access postgraduate study at The University of Manchester.
Applications
Applications for students starting in September 2026 will open in March 2026.
If you would like to be contacted when applications open, please complete this form and we will contact you by email.
The Bursary
For 2026 entry, we have 125 bursaries available. The recipients of the award will receive:
- A £4,000 maintenance bursary
- paid in three instalments over the course of one year if full-time
- or, paid in six instalments over the course of two years if part-time
The funding of these bursaries is as follows:
For 2026, this fund will provide 50 bursaries.
In 2023, alumna Aline Egan chose to remember the University in her will and left a very generous donation that will provide support for 150 talented and deserving students to access the same world-class education that Aline was fortunate to receive.
For 2026, the University will provide 50 bursaries.
For 2026, the Faculty of Humanities will provide 25 additional bursaries, as a continued celebration of the University's bicentenary.
For 2026, the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health Doctoral Academy, which oversees postgraduate research provision within the Faculty, will provide 12 bursaries to support talented students from all backgrounds in accessing a master’s degree, and to offer a pathway for those with the ambition and research potential to progress on to a PhD in bioscience-related research areas.
Who can apply?
You must meet all of the following to apply:
- Studying your first master’s qualification, and studying for an LLM, MA, MEd, MBA, MEnt, MPH, MPhil, MRes, MSc, MSc by Research, MusM
- Have been assessed for fee status as a ‘home’ student for both your Undergraduate and Master’s degree course
- Have started your undergraduate course after September 2012
- Be studying an eligible Master’s degree at The University of Manchester, starting in September 2026, full-time or part-time for a maximum of two years.
- postgraduate certificates/diplomas (PGCert, PGDip, PGCE);
- integrated undergraduate master’s (MChem, MMath);
- Master of Architecture (MArch);
- MA Architecture and Urbanism;
- MSc Physician Associate Studies;
- doctoral degrees (PhD).
- If you receive course funding from an employer, a public funding body or an undergraduate loan (such as the NHS, PGCE, Integrated Master’s)
- If you are receiving any other University funding (not including fee discounts, such as the Alumni discount)
- If you are doing a distance learning course, and you completed your undergraduate degree more than five years ago
Priority criteria
In addition to the essential criteria, you'll also need to meet at least one of the following to be eligible to apply
Personal factors, such as if you:
- Identify as belonging to one of the following ethnic groups:
- Black or Black British – Caribbean
- Black or Black British – African
- Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
- Mixed – White and Black African
- Other Black background
- Are a care leaver or care-experienced student;
- Are an estranged student;
- Are a young carer;
- Are a refugee or asylum seeker;
- Are disabled;
- Are from a military family.
Socio-economic factors, such as:
- if you were eligible for free school meals during secondary education;
- if you lived in an area of relative deprivation when applying to your undergraduate university course.
Higher education progression information, such as if you:
- lived in a postcode of low progression to higher education when applying to your undergraduate course;
- went to a low attaining secondary school;
- went to a low attaining sixth form/college.
Not all eligible students will be successful in their application. We’ll prioritise students based on the number and nature of the priority criteria that you meet.
Application and selection
The application form will be open from Monday, 2 March until Sunday, 31 May. The application form link will be posted here when live.
Please note that you will need to provide formal evidence of all priority criteria that you meet, so make sure that you have access to the documentation to verify this.
Depending on which criteria you meet, below are examples of the documentation you may use to verify your status: you may be asked to submit additional documents as supporting evidence, including:
- Been in local authority care (for at least 13 weeks): A letter confirming this.
- Student Finance: Notification of award letter confirming the full maintenance award received.
- Geo-demographic indicator: Student Loan Company letter showing your home postcode at the start of undergraduate study, if it met the relevant indicator.
- Disabled Students’ Allowance: Notification of award letter from Student Finance, and/or a letter from your university’s disability office confirming the support you received.
- Refugee/asylum status: Document providing evidence of your current immigration status, including recognition as a refugee, asylum seeker or holder of humanitarian protection status.
- Carers allowance award letter, a letter from your GP, or Carer ID card
- Estranged from your family: Evidence of your estranged status assessed by Student Finance during your undergraduate studies or a Word document with further information.
The supporting statement is your chance to provide as much detail as you feel you can about challenging personal circumstances that may have interrupted your undergraduate study.
You will also have the opportunity to express your motivations for undertaking a master’s course, your plans for after you graduate and how the bursary would help you achieve your goals.
You can learn more about the Manchester Masters Bursary by reading the terms and conditions. These will be sent to all successful applicants, and must be agreed in order to receive the bursary.