Our automatic bursaries could give you a cash boost when you start university.
We provide a range of bursaries for undergraduate Home fee students (paying tuition fees of £9,535 in the 2025/2026 academic year), who may need some extra financial support. Check the information below to check if you're eligible for one.
You won't need to apply for a bursary as they're automatically awarded to eligible students meeting the criteria.
Contact studentservices@rhul.ac.uk for more information on bursaries.
There's plenty of other financial support available once you're a student at Royal Holloway. Find out more.
Care leavers and estranged students
Cash award of £3,000 in each year of study
This bursary is for full-time students from the UK who are assessed as care leavers or have 'independent - other' status on Student Finance England. It is a cash award paid in three instalments over the academic year.
To be eligible for this bursary, you must be:
- ordinarily resident in the UK
- applying for a full-time undergraduate degree
- paying tuition fees of £9,535 in the 2025/2026 academic year
- aged between 18 and 25.
You must also fulfil one of the following criteria:
- looked after by the state for at least 13 weeks since the age of 14 or
- have 'independent - other' status on Student Finance England.
Access entry
£1,000 for each year of study
This bursary is available to mature students from the UK and is paid as a cash award in instalments by BACS.
To be eligible for this bursary you must:
- be 21 or over when starting your first year of study, with a household income of £25,000 a year, or less, as verified by the Student Loans Company.
- have achieved a QAA-recognised Access to Higher Education Diploma and have an unconditional offer from Royal Holloway.
Other information:
- You must give permission to the SLC to share your household income information and details of your maintenance loan application with Royal Holloway, to be considered.
- You can hold this bursary with any other College award. You will also be considered for this bursary if you're studying a four year-MSci degree.If you repeat a year of undergraduate study you will not receive bursary support for the repeated year. You also won't receive the bursary during a compulsory or optional academic year abroad.
- You must be paying tuition fees of £9,535 in the 2025/2026 academic year. If you already hold undergraduate qualifications you won't be considered for this bursary.
- Retrospective payments beyond the academic year will not be made.
Royal Holloway Bursary (household income less than £25,000)
£1,300 for each year of study
This bursary is for students from the UK with a family income of less than £25,000 a year.
It is paid as a cash award of £1,300, which is paid by BACS in instalments.
To be eligible for this bursary you must:
- be applying for a full-time undergraduate degree and have a family income of less than £25,000, as verified by the Student Loans Company (SLC). (You'll need to verify this income each year of study to remain eligible for the bursary)
- be eligible for the full maintenance loan and be liable for the full tuition fees of £9,535 in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Other information:
- You must give permission to the SLC to share your household income information and details of your maintenance loan application with Royal Holloway.
- You must meet all of the residence requirements to qualify as a student from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland on the day your degree starts.
- If you repeat a year of undergraduate study you will not receive bursary support for the repeated year. You also won't receive the bursary if you spend a compulsory or optional academic year abroad.
- If you already have undergraduate or higher education qualifications you won't be considered for this bursary.
- Retrospective payments beyond the end of the academic year will not be made.
- If you're indebted to Royal Holloway you can offset your bursary cash payment against the debt.
- If you are studying for a four-year MSci degree, you will still be considered for a this bursary.
Royal Holloway Bursary (household income between £25,000-£30,000)
£500 in each year of study
This bursary is for students from the UK with a family income of between £25,000 and £30,000 a year.
It is paid as a cash award of £500, which is paid by BACS in a single instalment.
To be eligible for this bursary you must:
- be applying for a full-time undergraduate degree and have a family income of less than £25,000, as verified by the Student Loans Company (SLC). (You'll need to verify this income each year of study to remain eligible for the bursary)
- be eligible for the full maintenance loan and be liable for tuition fees of £9,535 in the 2025/2026 academic year.
Other information:
- You must give permission to the SLC to share your household income information and details of your maintenance loan application with Royal Holloway.
- You must meet all of the residence requirements to qualify as a student from England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland on the day your degree starts.
- If you repeat a year of undergraduate study you will not receive bursary support for the repeated year. You also won't receive the bursary if you spend a compulsory or optional academic year abroad.
- If you already have undergraduate or higher education qualifications you won't be considered for this bursary.
- Retrospective payments beyond the end of the academic year will not be made.
- If you're indebted to Royal Holloway you can offset your bursary cash payment against the debt.
- If you are studying for a four-year MSci degree, you will still be considered for a this bursary.
