Bursaries
Finding funds to volunteer abroad doesn’t necessarily have to be incredibly challenging. There are many options available, such as checking to see if we have any scholarships available or raising funds by creating our own fundraising page. Simply apply to set up our own GVI fundraising page and start raising money to volunteer.
Alternatively, if you’re a citizen of the United Kingdom, you might qualify for a bursary to help fund your program. You can learn more by visiting or contacting one of the college’s or university’s mentioned below.
My name is Victoria, I am 24 and currently studying Wildlife Conservation at Nottingham Trent University. I have been volunteering with GVI for the past 6 years and have done a total of 5 projects and I am soon to embark on my 6th. This September I am heading to the Seychelles to work on the island of curieuse to undertake marine and terrestrial data; an invaluable experience that goes hand in hand with my degree and also increases employability post graduation.
I am passionate about the protection of wildlife and the environment and through the participation of GVI projects, I feel as though I am genuinely making a difference, all whilst having the chance to travel and experience new cultures.
Since becoming a student at NTU, I have been able to apply for travel bursaries through the universities employability team to help fund the costs of projects. My university offers up to £500 for international volunteering and this most often covers the price of flights to the country of origin. The application process is really easy and all you have to do is fill out briefly what you plan on doing and how this experience is going to help with your career prospects. After the completion of the work experience, you are required to then complete a more in depth report / testimonial about your time away… and this is then used to encourage other students to volunteer abroad!
Although I myself am not doing a placement year, NTU also offers funding for students who are undertaking a placement year (Sandwich course). Again, grants can be provided to assist with the financial costs of a placement year; on the requirements of filling out an application and post travel report - easy peasy!
University Specific Bursaries
Birmingham University - Gateway Bursary scheme
Who qualifies:
- In receipt of a standard or alternative A2B (Access to Birmingham) offer
- Registered as disabled / in receipt of Disability Student Allowance
- A care leaver or care experienced
- First generation of the family into higher education
- From a lower income background i.e. in receipt of a grant or scholarship
- A lone parent (you are a single parent of one or more children)
- From an ethnic minority
How to apply:
Via the university of Birmingham website https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/employability/careers/internships-and-work-experience/funding/bursary-schemes/gateway-bursary-scheme.aspx Email [email protected]
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Additional notes:
Insert text here where applicable.
Birmingham University - Work experience bursary
Who qualifies:
- Open to all undergraduate students
How to apply:
https://intranet.birmingham.ac.uk/as/employability/careers/internships-and-work-experience/funding/bursary-schemes/work-experience-bursaries.aspx
Anglia Ruskin University - Low Income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Up to £300 p.a. if income ≤£42,875 (ARU Bursary)
Bath University - Low Income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Households with under £25,000 annual
How to apply:
Via the university
Funds avaliable:
£3,000-£5,000 on top of Student finance
Additional notes:
These bursaries are not specific to internships but can be utilised by students to cover internships.
Bath Spa - Widening participation bursary
Who qualifies:
- Households with under £25,000 annual
How to apply:
Via the university
Funds avaliable:
Up to £3.500
Birckbeck - Degrees in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Bournemouth University - Placement opportunity fund
Who qualifies:
- Registered as disabled / in receipt of Disability Student Allowance
- A care leaver or care experienced
- First generation of the family into higher education
- From a lower income background i.e. in receipt of a grant or scholarship
- A lone parent (you are a single parent of one or more children)
- From an ethnic minority
How to apply:
You can apply here.
Nottingham Trent University - Rise
Who qualifies:
- Fully-enrolled NTU undergraduate and postgraduate students travelling within the dates above (2020). Students can only receive ONE Travel Bursary / Scholarship from NTU Global per academic year.
How to apply:
You can apply here.
Funds avaliable:
£200 travel within Europe, £500 travel outside Europe
Additional notes:
Click on the ‘Apply now’ button below. You will need to submit information about your overseas experience and outline how the award and your overseas experience will benefit you academically, personally and professionally. Only available to NTU students who have a student log on.
Sheffield University - International Volunteering Scholarship
Who qualifies:
- The 10 scholarships are available to all undergraduate students who are not currently in their final year and are in receipt of a University bursary.
How to apply:
You can apply here.
Funds avaliable:
10 scholarships of £1,000
University of Warwick - Sir Peter Holmes Memorial Award
Who qualifies:
- Projects involving travel to Asia with projects relating to disciplines of Geography and Environmental Conservation.
How to apply:
You can apply here.
Funds avaliable:
£1,000
University College London (UCL) - Expedition and Travel grants
Who qualifies:
- Must be UCL student, program has to show team work and challenging independent travel.
How to apply:
You can apply here.
St Johns University of Cambridge - Travel grants
Who qualifies:
- St Johns students - there are many different grants here.
How to apply:
You can apply here.
Cambridge University - Travel grants
University of Southampton - £1000 AMECA bursary grant
Who qualifies:
- Health related diciplines
How to apply:
Via the university.
Funds avaliable:
£1,000
Canterbury Christ Church - Partner school bursary
Who qualifies:
- Students from partner schools.
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£500 p.a
University of East London - Engagement for progression
Who qualifies:
- Income based
How to apply:
Via the university.
Edge Hill - Employability project bursaries
Who qualifies:
- Open to all undergraduate students.
How to apply:
Via the university.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
UCLAN/Central Lancashire - Travel bursaries
How to apply:
Via the university.
Chester University - Low Income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Parents on under £25,000
How to apply:
Student finance is linked to this bursary.
Funds avaliable:
£1,000
City of London University - Widening participation
Who qualifies:
- Measured by area students are from.
How to apply:
Via the university.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £3,000
Coventry University - Low income and widening participation
Who qualifies:
- Measured by income and area in which student is from.
How to apply:
Via the university.
Derby - Low Income bursary and bursaries for students in the Derbyshire area
Who qualifies:
- Measured on income and area based.
How to apply:
Via the university.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Durham - Low income and widening participation
Who qualifies:
- People in the Durham, Newctasle and North East reigion and S travel awards, various countries
- Placement Employability Fund if income <£25k
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
East Anglia - Low income and widening participation
Who qualifies:
- People in North East England.
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
East London - Engagement and progression Bursaries
Who qualifies:
- Low income based (-£25,000)
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Essex University - Low income and partner schools bursary
Who qualifies:
- Low Income (under £25,000) and area based.
How to apply:
Via the instituiton.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,500 for low income and up to £1,000 for those from partner schools such as Colchester sixth form.
Exeter University - Low income and widening participation
Who qualifies:
- Under £25k household income or students who lived in the Devon area before going to the university
How to apply:
Via instituiton or Student Finance.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £3.650
Falmouth University - Cornwall resident bursaries
Who qualifies:
- Cornwall residents
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,500
Gloucestershire - Academic travel bursary
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Greenwich - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Households on under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
£700 on top of maintenance per semester
Hertfordshire - Widening participation
Who qualifies:
- Households uner £21,000 and in the Hertfordshire area
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Hull - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 household
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Imperial College London - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 and under £60,000
How to apply:
Via the institution
Funds avaliable:
Up to £5.000 a year
Keele - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 household
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Kent - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £42,000. Students on the medway campus only
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,5000
Kings College London - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £42,000 household
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Kingston - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 household
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Lancaster - Low income and Scholarship for academic achievements
Who qualifies:
- Under £30.000 and for high achivers (2:1 average and above)
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Leeds - Low income and widening perspectives
Who qualifies:
- Under £42,900 households
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £3,000
Leeds Beckett - Placement support bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25.000 households
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Leeds Trinity - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 households
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000 in second year
Liverpool - Low income and widening participation
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 Merseyside resident students in financial hardship (Hillsborough Trust Fund)
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Liverpool John Moores - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 hiusehold known as Progression bursary
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £500
London Southbank University - Low income and Lawrence Burrows Educational Trust
Who qualifies:
- Residents with max maintenance loan
- UK/ EU residents of West Indian or Asian background
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Manchester - Low income and work placement
Who qualifies:
- Households on under £35,000 or Manchester Access programme
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Northampton - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £500 per academic year
Nottingham - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Households of under £35,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Oxford University - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Household under £47,900
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £3,000
Oxford Brookes - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £35,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Plymouth University - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £35,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000
Portsmouth University - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £750
Additional notes:
Insert text here where applicable.
Queen Mary - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £35,000
How to apply:
Via the institution or student finance with initial application.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,700
Reading - Low income and placement bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £27,000 and a placement either abroad or in the UK.
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,100 for low-income and between £200-£1,000 for placement
Royal Agricultural University - Widening participation
Who qualifies:
- Under £42,700 household
How to apply:
Via the instiution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,500
Royal Holloway - Low income and mature student bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £30,000 and students over 21
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,500
Royal Veterinary College - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
£1,000
SOAS - Low income and Scholarships for those travelling to India
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the instituion.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £4,500
Southampton University - Low income and bursaries for sports involvement
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
£1,000 - £3,000
Southampton Solent - Unpaid placement bursary
Who qualifies:
- Unpaid placements
How to apply:
Via the instituion.
St. George's University of London - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £42,900 households
How to apply:
Via instution or Student Finance.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,700
Santander - Grant
Who qualifies:
- University students who's university partner with Santander and thus have a branch on their campus
How to apply:
Apply through contact with Santander on unviersity campus - first come first serve basis.
Funds avaliable:
£250 - £1,000
St Mary's University - High achievers and low income bursaries
Who qualifies:
- Those who are from a low-income backgroud and recieve ABB+ at A level
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Suffolk - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under 25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £500 per academic year
Sunderland - Widening Participation
Who qualifies:
- A Sunderland partner college
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up £500 for normal entry age and £2,500 cashback for those doing foundation years
Surrey - Widening Participation
Who qualifies:
- Those with low household incomes and in Surrey postcodes
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £3,000
UCFB - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 in the Wembley area
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
£3,500 (different on incomes above £25,000 but under £42,000)
UCL - Widening Participation
Who qualifies:
- African or Caribbean males
- Widening participation for London students from low income backgrounds
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £4,000 for London students and up £1,000 for Afro-Caribbean males
University of Law - Widening Participation/Lord Blunket
Who qualifies:
- Partner institution + BBB at A Level, Nottinham university under graduate are prioritised for widening participation bursary
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
£1,000
University Arts London - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Students reliant completely on Student Finance
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Warwick - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £35,000 income household
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000 and an extra £1,000 if their criteria met
West London - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,500
University of West England, Bristol - Low income bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £500 per academic year
Winchester - Low income and Widening Participation
Who qualifies:
- Under £25,000 and In partnered postcodes in the area
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £1,000 and up to £2,000 for those under £16,000
York - First year low income bursary and then standard low income
Who qualifies:
- Under £35,000 income household
How to apply:
Via the institution.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000 in the first year and £1,000 for the last two to three years
Bursaries available across the United Kingdom
University of London - Higher achievers bursary
Who qualifies:
- Students from low-income backgrdounds that achieve 2:1 grades can recieved up to £2,000 a year. The application for busary comes with the student finance aplication and is recieved every year as long as the grade is maintained.
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £2,000
Additional notes:
No limit on number of applicants.
Go Overseas bursary
Who qualifies:
- No requirements (including no grades/or age)
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£500 available
Additional notes:
Two applications available a year. Applicants have to send in a short essay about their volunteering oppertunity abroad.
Lord Mayor's 800th Anniversary Trust bursary
Who qualifies:
- Aged 17-24
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£50 - £1,000 available
Additional notes:
Two applications a year (late spring, late fall)
Hazel’s Footprints Trust Footprinter Grant
Who qualifies:
- Aged 18+
- Project must be minimum of 6 months in a developing country
- Open to UK and Europe residents
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Additional notes:
Deadline mid March and late September.
Jack Petchey Foundation bursary
Who qualifies:
- Living in London or Essex
- Aged 11-25
- Applications must be made 3-9 months prior to program start date
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £400 (paid directly to volunteer company)
Additional notes:
Deadline is ongoing.
The Ferguson Trust (UK) bursary
Who qualifies:
- Aged 16-18
- Open to those taking a gap year which includes a stint of volunteering
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£300
Additional notes:
Deadline is ongoing.
The Young Explorers’ Trust (UK) bursary
Who qualifies:
- Aged under 19, community projects.
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Additional notes:
Deadline January 31st 2019. This may be a single event bursary.
The Joicey Trust bursary
Who qualifies:
- Have to live within Northumberland or East Scottish borders, for community development programs.
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Private school student funding
Who qualifies:
- Must be a student in HMC schools
- Trip must be for 3 months or more
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£400-£600. One hardship award of £1000 is awarded whose financial needs prevent a gap year being possible.
Captain Scott Society bursary
Who qualifies:
- Under 19s, apply before March of each year to be elligible
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£500
The Sir Philip Reckitt Educational Trust bursary
Who qualifies:
- Must be resident in Hull, Norfolk, or the former East Riding of Yorkshire
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Additional notes:
The Trust's assistance comes in the form of contributions towards the cost of travel, residence and attendance at conferences, lectures and educational courses.
John Muir Trust - Des Rubens and Bill Wallace Grant
Who qualifies:
- UK applicants with Scottish interest/link
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
£200 - £2,000
The Royal Society of Biology bursary
Who qualifies:
- Open to sociey members
- Aged 18+
- Has to have a biological aspect/research
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Two bursaries at £500 available each year
British Medical and Dental Trust
Who qualifies:
- Scholarships avaliable for students doing degrees in the medical fields
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £4000 for 4 weeks
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Who qualifies:
- Offered for young people between18-25
- Varies widely from those in eduaction, to sustinable living and the arts
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £6,000
RDC Foundation bursary
Widening Participation Bursaries
Who qualifies:
- Students from from BAME
- Students from low-income at universities across the UK
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Varied depending on income, more funding for those wth houses with under £25,000 a year.
Care Leavers Bursaries
Who qualifies:
- Students who have been in the care system
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Funds avaliable:
Up to £5,700 for the three academic years
Additional notes:
Apply directly through their Universities or Student finance.
Santander Bank University Partnership Grants
Who qualifies:
- The Partner universities are listed here
- Applications for reserach grants
How to apply:
Find out more here.
Additional notes:
The partner banks will be on the university campuses, students must go to the banks on their campus to recieve the funding not a standard branch. Partner universities are also in Germany. Have to be a partner university and for additional information the email address is [email protected]
Northern Ireland Bursaries
Queen's University, Belfast - Low income and work placements bursary
Who qualifies:
- Household income under £19,203
- Work placements for humanities and social science
How to apply:
Via the instituion.
Funds avaliable:
£416 for low income and up to £1,000 for placements
Ulster University -Low income and widening particiation (Access bursary)
Who qualifies:
- Household income under £19,203
How to apply:
Via the instituion.
Funds avaliable:
£416 - £1,000
Hi I’m Meg, I’m 19 and currently taking a gap year, using it to travel as much as possible. I have been on the GVI under 18s trips to Cape Town for 2 weeks and also the Community Development Internship in India for 3 months – both were amazing!
In order to fund both of these trips I got in contact with a few local organisations who gave me a grant to help pay for GVI. I just sent an email to our local round table and rotary club then all I had to do was fill out a small application form. The village I live in also has a foundation that provide grants for young people doing trips similar to GVI and they sent me another application form.
After the trips I just sent them an email to tell them how I had got on. I would definitely recommend getting in touch with local round tables or rotary clubs to see if they offer grants.
For my next GVI trip I am really keen to visit Ghana on their Child Development Project. After university I would really like to look further into a career in the Community Development industry.
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