Student Union Bursary

"When I campaigned to be the Student Union President for 20/21, I had no idea what kind of year to expect. I knew how hard finance can be as a student and how much stress that can add, particularly during the festive period and at the start of a new year. It's clear that this year, more than ever, students are struggling financially and I believe that, as your President, I need to be doing everything I can to support you.

That's why I'm excited to announce that the Student Union Bursary I pledged for in my manifesto is finally a reality. I have been working with Paige Nolan, Student Union Manager 2018-2022, and we have decided to dedicate £1,000 of this year's budget towards the bursary scheme to support you in your studies. This money will be spread across several students to support your requests and the application process will be determined by your feedback.

For those of you who are Student Representatives, you'll know that at Student Voice and Staff Student Liaison Group meetings I always make sure to emphasise how important your voices are and, as this is something to support your studies, we wanted to know what you think. I created a Google Form where we asked for your thoughts on every aspect, including how much each request could be, how long applications should be open for and how students should be selected."

- Harriet Moore, Student Union President 2020-2022

Who can apply?

All current Higher Education (HE) students at Arts University Plymouth are eligible to apply. This includes Extended BA, Undergraduate and Masters students, and students who chose to study either part-time or full-time.

What can you apply for?

Applicants are to request an item or resource that will benefit their academic studies. This item is to be between the cost of £20 and £100. Unlike other bursary schemes, we want to give students the opportunity to get the resources they need, rather than directly giving money, to ensure that the bursary funding is used to support studies. This bursary scheme is in addition to the one already run by the Registry Team here at Arts University Plymouth, and our hope is that it can provide resources for a number of you that you'd otherwise not be able to access.

How does the application process work?

Once applications have closed, a panel from the Students’ Union will go through and assess all of the applications that were submitted. The panel will include the Student Union President, Student Union Manager and Vice-President for Higher Education (or alternative elected student). You will get an email by the end of February letting you know whether your application has been successful.

You can apply via the Google Form at the bottom of this page.

What do I need to include in my application?

Your application will need to include basic personal information such as your full name (as stated on the AUP system) and your student ID number.

We will also need details of the item you are requesting, your plans if successful and why you'd like this resource.

Finally, you'll need to include some information about how you'd engage with a showcase relating to the Student Union Bursary, if you are successful.

How did you decide the application process?

The basic aspects of the Student Union Bursary were decided by the Student Union President 2020-2022, in discussion with the Student Union Manager 2018-2022 and University Registrar.

The application process itself was decided by students through a feedback form that was sent out on December 3rd 2019. Through the 'We Want Your Thoughts' Google Form, it was decided that each applicant could apply for a product equivalent from the cost of £20, up to the cost of £100. Applicants will be chosen based on the quality of their application, and those chosen will be showcased via the Student Union Social Media and Student Union Website. Applications will be open for a total of 4 weeks.

Why did you start the Student Union Bursary?

The Student Union Bursary was something that the Student Union President 2020-2022 (Harriet Moore) campaigned for when she ran for the role.

She knew how hard finance can be as a student and how much stress that can add, particularly during the festive period and at the start of a new year. It's clear that this year, more than ever, students are struggling financially and we believe that, as your Students’ Union, we need to be doing everything we can to support you.