The Accommodation Bursary

Award value

Accommodation support: £2,050 discount on University of Manchester accommodation fees in your first year
Award length: One academic year

Academic years

2026/27 2027/28 2028/29 2029/30

Study level: Undergraduate
Fee status: Home (UK)
Number of awards available: 150

Student type: Prospective
Application deadline: 6 July 2026

Eligible students

Low income households

Applicable subject areas

All undergraduate degrees

Still unsure if this is for you? Then please contact us

The Accommodation Bursary provides a partial accommodation fee waiver for students from low-income backgrounds to aid with the cost of living in University accommodation during their first year.

The bursary is only available to students who have selected one of the following halls of residence as their first choice:

Scheme eligibility

Essential criteria are criteria you must meet to be considered for this scheme. Students who do not meet this criteria will not be considered for this award. The essential criteria for this scheme are as follows:

You must have applied to study an undergraduate degree at The University of Manchester starting in the year you apply for this bursary
You must have been assessed for fee status as a 'home' student;
You must 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;
You must have a household income of £43,000 per annum or less, as assessed by your regional student funding authority;
You must have applied for accommodation and selected one (or more) of the eligible halls as your first choice;
You must have selected The University of Manchester as your firm choice by the closing date of this application (6 July) in order to be shortlisted.

Priority criteria

Priority criteria are additional criteria we use based on the information you have provided us to make our final selection decisions. The priority criteria for this scheme are as follows:

Personal factors

If you are a care leaver or care-experienced student;
If you are an estranged/independent student;
If you are a young carer;
If you are a refugee or asylum seeker;
If you have a disability;
If you are from a military family;

Socio-economic factors

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

Higher education progression information

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

How to apply

Students must complete the application form to be considered for this award. Within the application, you will be asked to evidence each of the eligibility and priority criteria that you meet.

We will then use your application form, your supporting evidence and the UCAS information you have provided as an applicant to select who will receive the award.

Terms and conditions

Sharing your household income information

When completing your Student Finance England Application, you will need to ensure you have selected the option to consent to share your household income information with the Universities you have applied to or hold an offer with. Without this we cannot access that information, and we will not be able to consider your application for this scheme.

Your course offer and this scheme

Receipt of this award is subject to you meeting you course offer commitments and registering at the University of Manchester in the year of entry specified in the application form.

Understanding your fee status

This scheme uses your fee status as part of its eligibility criteria. Find out more about how the University of Manchester assesses tuition fee statuses here: https://www.manchester.ac.uk/study/tuition-fee-status/

Application and Selection

Completing an application for this award does not guarantee you will receive this award

Applicants must meet eligibility criteria and be in a position to verify their circumstances in order to apply. Applicants who do not meet the criteria will not be considered for an award