Social Work funding

The NHS Business Services Authority currently offers a national Social Work bursary to eligible undergraduate students based on the selection criteria outlined below. Please note that this is subject to government review and could change for the forthcoming academic year.

Policy for selection of undergraduate Social Work bursaries

The Department of Health (DoH) announced in 2013 that Social Work bursaries for students entering approved undergraduate Social Work courses from the 2013/14 academic year onwards will only be made available in the last two years of study. The numbers of bursaries available will be capped per institution. The document outlining this announcement and the process of allocation of bursaries is available at the Department of Health website.

We recommend that you read the guidance contained in those documents carefully if you think that you might be affected by the changes detailed in them.

Universities are required to send a list of all Social Work students who have passed year 1 of the course (including those with approved extenuating circumstances) to the NHS Business Services Authority (NHS BSA) to be assessed for bursary eligibility by the NHS.  In compiling this ranked list, the University of Huddersfield will apply its criteria set out on page 8 of the Department of Health's document Social Work Education in the 2018 Academic Year Information for HEIs and Students 2nd edition some of which are requirements for being offered a place on the course.  If the number of students exceeds the bursaries available, the University will then rank the students based on the following criteria and order:

1. Average grade points to the nearest 2 decimal places for the 2nd year at the July Course Assessment Board (excluding from the calculation any modules where there are approved extenuating circumstances in place).
2. Where there is a cluster of students to the nearest 2 decimal places filling the remaining ranked positions, recommended for a bursary, the University will use further criteria as set out in the Department of Health document (p8).

Please note that decisions on allocation of a bursary by the NHS BSA are separate from the decisions about continuation on the course. All students may still be eligible for and can still apply for the Practice Learning Travel Element of the bursary.

All students (including those who receive a bursary) may be eligible for a student loan and a student grant from Student Finance England.

Other support

Both undergraduate and postgraduate students may wish to visit the University’s Student Services or the Students' Union Advice Centre if you want to discuss how this may affect you and where alternative support might be found if necessary.

Wellbeing and Disability Services