Bedford charity boosts university bursaries to £4,500 amid rising student costs

The Harpur Trust has increased the value of its annual university bursaries to £4,500 per student, a £1,000 rise from 2024, as the rising cost of living squeezes households and undergraduates.

The Bedford-based charity said 16 students from the local area will receive the larger awards this year. The scheme, which began about 20 years ago, has now distributed roughly £1 million to around 300 students. The funds are intended to help cover study-related costs including accommodation, books, food, IT, transport and course materials.

Former beneficiaries said the awards made a tangible difference to their studies. Eshe Powell, who studied cinematography and film and video production at the University of the West of England, said the bursary allowed her to take part in an internship in South Africa and to consider course-related trips that would otherwise have been "out of reach." Russell Terrey, a plant science student at the University of Manchester, said the money had "taken away the financial stress that comes with university" and meant he did not need a part-time job.

The increase comes as costs associated with higher education have ticked up. Annual undergraduate tuition fees in England and Wales rose by 3% this year, from £9,250 to £9,535. A report from the Higher Education Policy Institute found that average weekly costs for first-year students in 2023-24 were about £260 excluding rent and about £418 including rent, reflecting sharp rises in student accommodation and other living expenses.

The Harpur Trust said the bursary will open for applications in January to current Year 13 students attending schools and colleges across Bedford Borough, including Bedford Academy, Bedford College, Biddenham International School and Sports College, Kimberley College, Mark Rutherford School, Sharnbrook Academy, The Bedford Sixth Form, St Thomas More and Wixams Academy. Victoria Reed, the charity's grant manager, said the trust aims to support students who have faced "significant personal challenges" and that recipients report reduced anxiety and improved concentration on their studies.

The trust said awards are available for use on a wide range of study costs and that recipients typically report a positive impact on academic performance and mental health. The move to raise the bursary follows growing demand for targeted financial assistance as students and families contend with higher fees and living costs.