The Gateway To Work Experience Bursary

You are eligible for this programme/intervention if you are an undergraduate student who meets the following criteria:

1. Birmingham Scholar

You are considered a undergraduate Birmingham Scholar  if you belong to one or more of the following groups:

• Pathways to Birmingham, 
• Care Experienced 
• Realising Opportunities
• Sanctuary Scholarship
• Black students from IMDQ1 neighbourhoods who are identified for additional support through our Access and Participation Plan (2025–28). 

And/or

2.  An undergraduate student from a low socio-economic background, defined by having a home postcode (at the time of application to the university) in an IMDQ1 neighbourhood, which consists of the most deprived areas by postcode.

Check if your home neighbourhood is in one of these areas namely Decile 1 or 2 by using the IMD neighbourhood checker to confirm your eligibility

Information can be found here on indices of multiple deprivation and *If your home address is in Northern Ireland you will need to contact us with your home postcode so that we can check your eligibility to apply.

You could receive up to £1,000 if you’re undertaking unpaid or low-paid work experience (paid at or below the National Minimum Wage).

The amount awarded depends on your circumstances, the opportunity, and your funding needs.

Funds are limited and allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. If you have applied twice in the same year, including academic year, we may not accept your application.

What the bursary supports:

• Unpaid or low-paid professional development (e.g., work experience, interviews, shadowing, summer programmes, internships)
• Career insight opportunities (e.g., insight days/weeks, conferences)

Specifically we cover:

• Accommodation: up to £120 per night (e.g., university halls, budget hotels)
• UK travel: bus, coach, tram, train, ferry, domestic flights
• Formal clothing: up to £150 total
• Conference ticket fees
• Dependent care costs (if not covered elsewhere)

We do not cover: 

• International experiences and associated programme fees
• Bills
• Food
• Non-observational ‘hands-on’ work experience, unless insurance/indemnity from a relevant professional body covers this (see Terms and Conditions)
• Retrospective applications for this bursary, or those for opportunities in academic year 2026/27
• Work experience or internships which conflict with both the principles and politics of the University and the Student Charter. More information on the University’s charter can be found on the University Legislation webpage.

Please download, complete, and upload the following documents in your application form:

1. Provider Declaration
   Send this form to your work experience provider (the person onboarding you) and ensure they complete it before you submit your application.

2. Budget Template
   Complete this form yourself. Include evidence for each expense you are requesting funds for. For example, if you plan to book a train and hotel, insert screenshots showing the date, price, and other relevant details.

You can find these templates on the Bursary Documentation page. Please do not make your own.

Please also keep the following documents ready for your application:

• Confirmation of work experience
  (e.g., a letter stating start and end dates and, if applicable, pay details)

• Confirmation of event attendance
  (e.g., booking email)

Important:

• We will not reimburse expenses for items you have already booked.
• We will not follow up on missing or unclear information. Please ensure your application is complete and accurate.

Click the link below to apply

• Application form

 
If you are a disabled or neurodivergent student and would benefit from additional support in completing your Gateway to Work Experience Bursary application, please contact workexperience@contacts.bham.ac.uk.

• The experience does not exceed the recommended hours of work in term-time (a maximum of 20 hours per week).

• The experience must not compromise your health and safety, or that of those around you.
• If you are due to attend a health / medical related opportunity, you understand that these are observational opportunities only. Students are not to engage in any hands-on involvement. This is because the University’s insurance policy does not cover you for indemnity. However, if you’re a member of a relevant professional body, such as, but not exclusively, the MDU or Royal College of Nursing  they may be able to arrange this type of policy for you. Please make yourself aware of any relevant exclusions.  
• If you are covered for clinical indemnity or have arranged this policy with your relevant professional body, we will need to see evidence to be able to provide Gateway funds.
• It must not endorse illegal activity. 
• The organisation has the required Public Liability and Employers insurances in place, a Health & Safety Policy, Equal Opportunities Policy and has conducted a risk assessment to minimise possible risks to you.
• The experience must not ask you to undertake illegal activity in the UK or internationally
• It must not be from (or associated with) the tobacco or vaping Industries, the sex industry or pyramid style selling schemes.
• The work experience does not require you to work in a private residential address that is not your own.
• You have structured supervision in place, to ensure you are fully briefed, assisted and regularly receive feedback on your progress. 
• You complete the post-programme evaluation form, to help you reflect on your experience and how beneficial you found the bursary. Your evaluation is vital to help assess whether funds should be committed again.

Visit this webpage to learn more about the different ways you can search for work experience opportunities.

• Student Development Scholarships - for all undergraduates and postgraduates undertaking worthwhile and original vacation projects (in the UK or abroad), which do not constitute an examinable part of their degree programme. This award is not available to students who are fully funded, for example through scholarships, Research Council awards or equivalent.
• Students who apply through Go Global Summer will be assessed for Turing grant funding and international Gateway as part of the same application process via the Go Global team. Priority will be given to students from widening participation backgrounds. Placements must have a minimum duration of 4 weeks (a minimum of 28 days including travel).
  For any enquiries regarding international opportunities, please contact goglobalsummer@contacts.bham.ac.uk. Turing Funds also offer extra support for students with special educational needs and disabilities.
• Additional sources of funding for work experience can be found reviewing our ‘Alternative sources of funding’ webpage and the Undergraduate Funding Database to explore other funding options that may support you, or to contact the CN internships team for more information.
• Postgraduates are not eligible for The Gateway to Work Experience Bursary. If you are a postgraduate student with an Access Scholarship, please visit the Postgraduate Work Experience Bursary webpage.

For more information about how the University aims to improve access, provide equal opportunities and enable progress through higher education and in to graduate levels roles click here: Widening Participation and Access - University of Birmingham

If you have any questions, contact the Careers Network bursaries team via workexperience@contact.bham.ac.uk.