If you are coming from outside of the UK, you may need some additional financial support to fund your studies. Although you aren’t eligible for the same government loans and grants as UK students, there are other funding options to support you during your degree.

We recommend that you source this funding before you leave your home country.

Finding scholarships and bursaries

In addition to the BU scholarships available to international students, there are many other scholarships and bursaries for students from outside of the UK.

The British Council is a good place to find details of all the options, and for tips and advice on managing your money once you arrive in the UK.

If you find yourself in financial difficulties once you have arrived in the UK, you should speak to the AskBU team and the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) to see what help may be available to you.

US Federal Loans

If you are a US citizen you can apply for a US Federal Loan to fund your studies in the UK. We participate in the US Government Federal Stafford Loan Programme, which means eligible US citizens can apply for Direct Stafford PLUS Loans up to the Cost of Attendance.

From July 1 2010, all federal loans will be Direct Lending. You can find full details about US Federal Loans, including how to apply for them and who to contact at BU for advice, on our funding support for US students page.

Education Loans for Canadian Students

Please visit Canada Student Loans to find out about student loans offered by the Canadian Government, its provinces and territories to eligible students studying at overseas universities. BU's Canada Student Loan Institution Code is PUGU.

If you require enrolment forms or tuition fee confirmation forms please email [email protected] for further information.

Funding for German students

If you are a German student wishing to study a postgraduate course in the UK, the German government BAföG allows for one year combined loan/grant to make studying in the UK easier.

German students can apply for up to €5,600 towards tuition fees, as well as up to just under €1,000 a month to cover living expenses for a one-year master’s programmes in the UK. The BAföG programme is means-tested, the thresholds for studying abroad are higher than for studying in Germany, so it is worth checking whether you are eligible.

Please visit Foreign BAföG in Great Britain & Ireland webpage for more information.