Our partnership with the Bason Family

This partnership with John and Kate Bason began in 2025, and their donation will support three students with study and living costs during their degree.

The Bursary

For 2026 entry, we have three scholarships available. The recipients of the award will:

• have their tuition fees paid for throughout their degree, excluding any intercalation, study abroad or industrial placement years;
• receive an annual maintenance bursary of £6,000, which will be paid in two instalments in October and February.

Continued receipt of the scholarship year-on-year is dependent on satisfactory academic progression.

Who can apply? 

Essential eligibility criteria

You must meet all of the following to apply:  

1. 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  

2. Have applied to study an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester starting in September 2026.

3. Have been assessed for fee status as a 'home' student. 

4. Have submitted an application to your regional student funding authority (Student Finance England, Wales, Northern Ireland, or Scotland), had a full household income assessment, and consented to share your Student Finance information with your university.  

5. Have a household income of £35,000 per annum or less, as assessed by your regional student funding authority.

6. Currently live in Greater Manchester or have lived here since 2021.

Priority criteria

We’ll use information collected within your application form to confirm eligibility for this bursary. Not all eligible students will be invited to interview.

We use additional information to shortlist applicants, including:

Personal factors, such as if you are:

• a care leaver or care-experienced student;
• an estranged student;
• a young carer;
• a refugee or asylum seeker;
• disabled;
• from a military family.

Socio-economic factors, such as if you:

• were eligible for free school meals during secondary education;
• live in an area of relative deprivation.

Higher education progression information, such as if you:

• live in a postcode of low progression to higher education;
• went to a low attaining secondary school;
• go to a low attaining sixth form/college.

Application and selection process

Application

The application form will be open from Monday, 2 March until Sunday, 26 April. The application form link will be posted here when live. 

Please note that you will need to provide formal evidence of all additional priority criteria that you meet, so make sure that you have documentation to verify this.

Interview

Shortlisted applicants will be invited to an online interview in May.

The interview gives you an opportunity to tell us more about yourself and why you would benefit from receiving the Bursary.

A small selection panel will review the application form and interviews to decide on awardees. You'll receive a decision by Monday, 1 June.

Still have a question?

Applicant enquiries should be sent to bason@manchester.ac.uk.  

If you’d like to be contacted when the application form is live, please complete this registration of interest form.