Undergraduate bursaries, awards and scholarships
There are many forms of financial support on offer for our prospective undergraduate students. The funding opportunities below relate to the academic year 2024-2025.
Please note that before applying for a bursary or scholarship you must hold an offer to study at the RAU.
Bursaries
| Name | Amount of bursary |
|---|---|
| RAU Bursary (Stream 1) | £1,000 per year (up to a maximum of three years) |
| RAU Bursary (Stream 2) | £3,500 per year (up to a maximum of three years) |
| Prospective Undergraduate Student Travel Bursary | Travel costs to RAU campus in Cirencester |
Additional awards
The following additional awards are available for application for new undergraduate students starting their studies in 2024.
Students can only be awarded one additional award on top of the RAU Bursary (Stream 1) or RAU Bursary (Stream 2).
Once you have applied, we may give a different additional award compared to the one applied for, if the amount available to you would be greater and you meet the eligibility criteria for the higher award.
| Name | Who can apply | Amount of award | Closing date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next Generation Scholarship | UK, ethnic minority | £6,000 per year (up to a maximum of three years) plus cost of trips and activities | Now closed for 2024 applications |
| RAU Sports Scholarships | UK and international students, attainment at national or international level | Up to £4,000 per year (up to a maximum of three years) | Now closed for 2024 applications |
| Sir Emrys Jones Memorial Trust award | UK, strong Welsh links |
£1,500 per year |
Now closed for 2024 applications |
| RAU MacRobert Forces Scholarship | UK, armed forces links (current serving, leaving, partner or child of current serving) | £1,000 for one year | Now closed for 2024 applications |
External awards
| Name | Who can apply | Amount of award | Closing date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st Formations Business Scholarship | UK and international | Up to five awards of £500 each | 31 January 2025 |
| BASC Legacy funded scholarship | UK, links to BASC | Up to £4,500 per year for up to three years for students studying conservation or land management in the UK | 28 June 2024 |
| BASC Wildlife Fund David Gray Conservation Scholarship | UK, links to BASC | Up to £4,500 per year for up to three years for students studying conservation or land management in the UK | 28 June 2024 |
| Chadacre Agricultural Trust | UK, resident in Suffolk, Norfolk or Cambridgeshire | Variable, for an Agricultural course | N/A |
| Dartington Cattle Breeding Trust educational bursaries | UK, resident in Devon or Cornwall | Up to £4,000 over the length of the course | 30 April 2024 |
| Edgar Pye Research Scholarship | UK, must be studying an agriculture related course | £2,000 towards a research project | 31 October 2024 |
| Joe Henson MBE Bursary | UK | £1,000 per year for up to three years | 30 September 2024 |
| Pembrokeshire County Show Student Bursary Award | UK, family home in Pembrokeshire, studying agriculture related course | £1,000 | 1 July 2024 |
| Snowdon Trust Study Costs Grant | UK or international, with a disability | up to £5,000 towards specialist course equipment | 12 September 2024 |
| The Deakin and Combe Memorial Trust | Must be studying an agriculture related course | £500-£1,000 towards laptop, books and training courses | 2 September 2024 |
| The Dick Harrison Trust | UK, strong links with Scotland, the Counties of Cumbria, or Northumberland | Grants towards books, equipment or travel for students on livestock auctioneering and/or rural estate management courses | 30 November 2024 |
| The John Innes Foundation undergraduate bursary award scheme | UK national from non-farming background | £9,250 per year up to three years for one student studying a BSc Agriculture related degree | 18 October 2024 |
| The Royal Bath & West of England Society Grants and Scholarships | UK, strong links with Somerset, Dorset, Devon, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Bristol | Variable. Students must be on an agriculture related course | 1 November 2024 and 1 June 2025 |
| University Bursary - One Degree More, Wiltshire Community Foundation | UK, living in Wiltshire, receiving two means-tested benefits/Universal Credit | £1,600 for each academic year | 2025 |
Awards for existing students
Here are just some of the awards that our current students can apply for:
| Name | Who can apply | Amount of award | Closing date |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Kaleb Cooper Agriculture Bursary | UK RAU student, 18-30 years old | £3,000 for one year | 28 October 2024 |
| RAU student in the second year of a BSc Agriculture course | £3,000 for one year | To be confirmed | |
| The Douglas Bomford Trust Scholarship | RAU FdSc and BSc Agriculture students | Up to £1,500 for one year | 13 December 2024 (4.00pm) |
Access to Learning fund
If you are in financial hardship you can apply for additional help from the Access to Learning fund at any point throughout the duration of your course and irrespective of any other bursaries you have already been awarded. Please contact financial.support@rau.ac.uk for details and we'll be happy to advise.