Careers Service

Can I use the bursary towards my placement year / semester?
No. The work experience must not form an official part of your degree course.

Can I use the bursary whilst completing an intercalation year?
No. The work experience cannot be used in conjunction with an intercalation year.

Can I apply / use the bursary whilst I have interrupted my studies?
No. The work experience cannot be used if you have interrupted your studies.

What can the bursary cover?
The bursary can fund travel costs or accommodation costs or a combination of the two. It cannot cover the cost of food, clothing, travel visas, travel insurance or other incidental expenditure or living costs such as utility bills. Please note that we also provide support to those students who may incur related care costs.

My work experience opportunity is paid. Can I still apply?
Yes, but please bear in mind that the scheme aims to support students working in unpaid or low paid positions. Each application is assessed on its merits so please do make an application if the award of a bursary would assist you.

I am a postgraduate student. Can I still apply?
Unfortunately not. The scheme is only open to current undergraduate students as detailed above.

I am a final year student and will be graduating in summer 2025. Can I apply for a bursary?
Yes, but the opportunity you are undertaking must be completed by the end of June 2025.

I need to repay some unused bursary funds? How do I do this?
You will need to do this by using our online store which can be found here. Please note that you will need to obtain your unique reference number from the bursary team before making a payment.

I will be undertaking an elective as part of my medicine/dentistry course. Can I apply?
No. As above, the work experience must not form part of your degree course. This is regardless of the elective being carried out during term time or the vacation period, either in the UK or abroad.

My course has introduced a short work experience style placement. Does this qualify for a bursary?
Unfortunately not. Again the work experience must not form an official part of your degree whether taken during term time or vacation period.

I will be attending an open day at a company which will involve some traveling. Can I claim for this?
Whilst open days are a great way to get a feel for a company and make connections, unfortunately, we can not provide financial assistance towards these events. The only exception to this is students from the School of Law. Law students should contact careersbursary@manchester.ac.uk for more information on possible assistance with insight day attendances.

I received a work experience bursary during the last academic year. Can I apply again this academic year?
Yes. There are no limits to the number of applications that you can make during your time at university. You will only be eligible to receive a maximum of £250 to £1000 (depending on your circumstances) within the one academic year.

What happens if my expenses are lower than I originally anticipated?
Any unspent funds will need to be refunded to us. Please contact the team for more information on how to do this.

I am a parent with child caring responsibilities, can the work experience bursary cover my child care?
Yes. The work experience bursary scheme covers all dependent care costs, including child care.

I have caring responsibilities, can the work experience bursary cover my dependent's care costs?
Yes. The work experience bursary scheme covers all dependent care costs, including caring responsibilities.

I have already completed my work experience. Can I still apply for a bursary retrospectively?
No. Retrospective applications will not be accepted.

I have just started my work experience. Can I make an application?
Yes, students who are in the middle of undertaking an opportunity can make an application. Please note that there is no guarantee that your application will be approved.

I have arranged an opportunity for 2026. Can I apply for a bursary now?
No. All applications must relate to work experience that is scheduled to take place before the end of September 2025 unless you are a final year student whose opportunity must be completed by the end of June 2025.

My work experience is taking place abroad. Can I still apply for a bursary?
Yes, there are no geographical limits. Working abroad is a great addition to a CV. It must however comply with any current Government travel restrictions. Please see our Terms and Conditions for details.

Why can some students apply for up to £1000 and I can only apply for £250?
The scheme has two separate funding streams. One is open to either; students currently in receipt of a bursary from the University and/or the full non-repayable financial grant from the UK Government. The second funding stream is open to all students regardless of financial background and carries no such conditions.

I have a bar/restaurant job lined up for summer. Can I apply for a bursary?
No. The work experience you are doing must contribute to your personal development and support your future career aspirations.

Who makes the decision on my application?
A bursary panel makes a decision based on the strength of the information provided in your application. Make sure that you submit a strong application and include all the necessary documents such as your CV and proof of the work experience offer.

What are the closing dates for the scheme?
The bursary scheme runs until the funding has been exhausted or until mid-June 2025, whichever point is reached first. Within this period we operate fortnightly deadlines. Applications are then considered for each fortnightly submission round.

Why does the scheme close at the start of summer when the majority of internships occur?
Our funding is bound by the University's financial year cycle, which ends in June.

If my application is approved how quickly would I receive the funds?
Once you have accepted the terms and conditions of the scheme please allow up to four weeks for the funds to reach your account although we aim to complete this process much quicker. The team will advise you in greater detail about the timescales involved via email if you are successful.

My work experience is taking place over the Christmas/Easter holidays rather than summer. Can I still apply?
Yes. The only restriction is that your work experience must be completed before September 2025 for non final year students. For final years, your work experience must be completed before June 2025.

How do I provide proof of my work experience?
A copy of your contract or email from your supervisor or manager confirming the dates of your work experience is often sufficient. The more information you provide at this stage the easier you make it for the bursary panel to make a decision. Please include details such as pay rates and office locations in your application.

What evidence do you need to confirm how I have used my bursary?
At the end of your work experience, you will need to submit receipts to prove your travel and/or your accommodation expenditure for the total amount awarded to you. Failure to do so will mean that you will have to repay the bursary money.

I still have some more queries. Who can I contact to find out more information?
Email careersbursary@manchester.ac.uk with your query and a member of the team will be happy to help.