Financial help available for Wiltshire University students
There has been a lower than usual uptake of the scheme for low-income households
Last updated 28th Mar 2023
Support for University students in Wiltshire from low-income households is available from Wiltshire Community Foundation.
Grants up to as much as £1,600 can be awarded by the community foundations University Bursary programme, which can be used to fund travel, course fees or general living costs.
Wiltshire Community Foundation Grants Manager Nicola Hillier said the grants can make a huge difference as the cost-of-living crisis is making it harder for people to afford university.
She said: “Our grants can provide some certainty and peace of mind at what can be a very stressful, daunting time. They allow students to budget and make the most of what should be a life-changing experience.”
The programme has been running since 2008 and has awarded nearly £2million in grants so far, with 70 students being helped last year through more than £350,000 of grants.
Kenny Abiola, a media production student who was awarded the grant, said: “The grant was great because it gave me breathing space.” Kenny only found out about the grant in his third year at Coventry University and had been working night shifts in a warehouse to try and make ends meet.
Cassidy Hill was another beneficiary of the grant, as it allowed her to begin her teacher training degree earlier. She said: “The grant was an absolutely massive help because my mum just couldn’t afford to give me anything towards university.
“I had worked for two years while I was in the sixth form but it still wasn’t enough to cover my housing and food as well.”