Scholarships and bursaries

We know that undertaking a degree course is a big commitment in lots of ways – including financially. We've developed a range of scholarships and bursaries to make this easier for some of our most talented students.

Our scholarships and bursaries for UK and international students are outlined below.

  • Merit Scholarship

    Student in library

    Merit Scholarship

    What is it? Our Merit Scholarship is open to undergraduate students from the UK (and eligible EU/EEA students) who are taking exams in summer 2024 and expecting to achieve BBB.

    Who is it for? UK or eligible EU students studying a full-time undergraduate degree on our Cambridge, Chelmsford or ARU Peterborough campuses.

    How much is it worth? £1,000.

    How do I apply? You’ll automatically receive our Merit Scholarship if you meet the eligibility criteria and register as an ARU student.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our Merit Scholarship

  • ARU Bursary

    Fashion design student with mannequins

    ARU Bursary

    What is it? Our ARU Bursary is for students who have an annual household income of £42,875 or less.

    Who is it for? UK or eligible EU students studying a full- or part-time undergraduate or integrated Masters degree on our Cambridge, Chelmsford or Peterborough campuses.

    How much is it worth? Up to £300 per year.

    How do I apply? You’ll automatically receive our ARU Bursary if you meet the eligibility criteria and register as a student.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our ARU Bursary

  • Alumni Scholarship

    Studying in the library

    Alumni Scholarship

    What is it? Our Alumni Scholarship is for students who have completed an ARU degree course and want to undertake further study.

    Who is it for? UK or eligible EU students starting a postgraduate taught or postgraduate research degree.

    How much is it worth? Either a 20% discount on postgraduate taught courses, or a £400 discount on postgraduate research programmes.

    How do I apply? You’ll automatically be assessed for our Alumni Scholarship when you apply for a course.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our Alumni Scholarship

  • Sport Scholarship

    ARU sports scholarship

    Sport Scholarship

    What is it? Our Sport Scholarship is designed to support talented athletes during their time at ARU.

    Who is it for? Undergraduate and postgraduate students who compete at regional, national or international level.

    How much is it worth? There are two levels of scholarship, ranging from £1,400 up to £12,500 per year.

    How do I apply? Complete an application form, including a supporting statement outlining why you’re suitable for this scholarship.

    Key dates: Applications are open year-round.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our Sport Scholarship

  • MBA Scholarship

    Student in financial markets lab

    MBA Scholarship

    What is it? Boost your career prospects with our prestigious Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees. Study in Cambridge or Chelmsford and take advantage of our scholarship, which takes the form of a fee reduction.

    Who is it for? Students starting one of four MBA courses.

    How much is it worth? £4,000 for a one-year course, or £2,000 for a two-year course with professional experience.

    How do I apply? We will automatically consider you for this scholarship when you apply for the MBA.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our MBA Bursary

  • ARU Peterborough Postgraduate Scholarship

    A male student working on a computer

    ARU Peterborough Postgraduate Scholarship

    What is it? The ARU Peterborough Postgraduate Scholarship is for students joining an eligible Masters degree in Peterborough.

    Who is it for? UK or eligible EU/EEA students studying a full-time postgraduate degree at ARU Peterborough.

    How much is it worth? £4,000.

    How do I apply? You’ll automatically receive the scholarship if you meet the eligibility criteria and register as a student.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our ARU Peterborough Postgraduate Scholarship

  • Children’s Book Illustration Inclusivity Bursary & Mentorship

    Example work from MA Children's Book Illustration

    Children’s Book Illustration Inclusivity Bursary & Mentorship

    What is it? This bursary supports talented students from under-represented groups to study our MA Children’s Book Illustration course.

    Who is it for? UK students studying our MA Children's Book Illustration course part-time.

    How much is it worth? £10,000.

    How do I apply? Complete an application form.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for the ARU Children’s Book Illustration Inclusivity Bursary & Mentorship

  • GREAT Scholarship

    Student sitting outside, with university halls in background

    GREAT Scholarship

    What is it? In partnership with the British Council and the GREAT Britain Campaign, we're offering four scholarships to students from Indonesia (one place), Nigeria (one place), Kenya (one place) and Pakistan (one place).

    Who is it for? International students starting a full-time postgraduate taught course at ARU in September 2025.

    How much is it worth? £10,000.

    How do I apply? Complete the application form for your country.

    Key dates: Apply by 25 May 2025.

    Full details and eligibility criteria for our GREAT Scholarship

Students in a university classroom, at curved desk displaying flags of various countries

International Scholarships

We offer a variety of scholarships to international and European students. You'll find all you need to know about our generous scholarships, and whether you are eligible, on this page.

Our scholarships and bursaries for international students

The small print

You can apply for more than one scholarship. However, if your application is successful, you'll just receive the one: this will be the highest value scholarship of those you've applied for.

The exception is our Alumni Scholarship, which you can combine with some other scholarships or bursaries.