About the bursary

The Sadler Bursary has been created to support care experienced and care leaver students overcome the financial barriers they may face when trying to access and succeed within higher education.

Thanks to a generous donation from University alumnus and Chairman of Blackpool FC, Simon Sadler, we’re able offer to a new bursary to 36 care experienced or care leaver students.

The first 12 of the 36 bursaries will be available to students registering for 2024 entry and will provide support for a maximum of 3 years of an undergraduate degree.

The award

If you’re selected for the bursary and successfully register at the University, you’ll be awarded £10,000 per year for the first three years of your degree.

If your course is longer than three years, you can fund additional years of study through Student Finance England or by other means.

Who can apply?

For the 2024 entry application cycle, you must meet the following essential criteria to be eligible to apply for this bursary:

• be a care leaver or care experienced (see our definition of these terms below);
• have received free school meals in secondary or further education;
• be an offer holder, or have applied for an undergraduate degree, at The University of Manchester for September 2024 entry;
• be aged 24 years or under on 1 September 2024.

Selection process

We’ll use the following criteria to prioritise and select awardees:

• experience of living in Blackpool or the north-west at any point since 1 September 2020;
• experience of studying Level 2 or Level 3 qualifications at a school or college in Blackpool or the north-west at any point since 1 September 2020;
• the average academic performance of the schools or colleges where you studied your Level 2 or 3 qualifications;
• the youth participation rates in higher education for your current home postcode using TUNDRA and POLAR.

Application process

Complete your application online

You must complete the online application form to be considered for this bursary and answers must match the information you have provided on your UCAS application form.

We’ll use your UCAS application and Student Finance England application to verify some of your answers. We may get in touch with you to clarify information at any point up to and including course registration.

Submit additional documents

As part of your application, you’ll need to upload the following documents:

• evidence of your time in care, such as a letter from your Local Authority or confirmation from Student Finance of your independent status as a care leaver;
• your Student Finance confirmation letter;
• optional: evidence that you have lived in Blackpool or the north-west at any point since 1 September 2020;
• a 400-word personal statement explaining how the Sadler Bursary will support your success at University.

Contact information

For any application queries, email sadlerbursary@manchester.ac.uk.