Charities and Trusts

Some charities and trusts award grants to students in Higher Education or those thinking of entering Higher Education. The size of these organisations varies greatly and the amounts granted also vary from around £50 to £500. The eligibility criteria to apply for these awards can be very specific. Awards from Trust Funds and Charities should not be treated as a main source of funding but as additional funding or funding to address a specific purpose.

Am I eligible?

The eligibility criteria is very specific for each grant. Eligibility to apply can be based on where you live (e.g. sheffield), the course you are studying (e.g. RE or postgraduate broadcasting journalism) or categories of people (e.g. lone parents / child of a grocer). In addition to meeting the specific criteria for an award, you usually you have to:

• be accessing all financial support available to you (e.g. student loan)
• be able to evidence financial hardship and justify the reason for it
• be in a financially vulnerable category of person (e.g. have a disability, lone parent etc)
• have a purpose for the award - e.g. most awards are for specific purposes such as 'travel' or 'course costs' so you must be able to evidence that you need financial assistance in these areas (that are not met from other sources of funding such as a student loan)
• be in time to apply - there are usually specific application schedules that vary depending on the organisation (e.g. once a year, pre-entry, etc)

How do I search for grants I may be eligible for?

Visit EGAS (Educational Grants Advisory Service) to search for grants that you may be eligible to apply for.