The University can only change the world for the better with people from all backgrounds on our side with our Widening Participation and Social Mobility activities, opportunities and support made available for those people from underrepresented backgrounds aiming for higher education.
As such we are committed to reducing the barrier of travel costs to our Open Days, Applicant Offer Holder Days and Interview Selection Days for those people from underrepresented backgrounds with our Widening Participation Travel Bursary of up to £100 to help cover these costs.
Read through the sections below for eligibility criteria, how to apply and next steps following event attendance for successful applicants.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible you must meet one of the following:
- you have been invited to attend an Applicant Offer Holder Day
- you have been invited to attend an Interview Selection Day
- you have booked to attend an Open Day
You must also meet at least one of the following widening participation criteria:
- are estranged from your family. (You must be under 25 years old and will be studying without the support of your family. Estranged students typically have no contact with their parents and you don’t expect this to change in the near future).
- received Free School Meals after the age of 14
- currently taking part in our Ignite Your Journey programme
- have previously attended our Experience UoS Residential
- have previously been in local authority care or looked after for three months or more
- Your current home postcode falls within the lowest 20 per cent of the Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD)
For residents in England, click here to search your postcode.
Description automatically generated If your postcode falls within the lowest 20% it will be identified as “IMD Quintile 1” on our postcode checker. Any results identified as “IMD Quintile 2-5” fall outside the lowest 20% and are not eligible.
For residents in Wales, click here to search your postcode.
If your postcode falls within the lowest 20% it will be clearly identified as such on the WIMD postcode checker. Any results identified as “outside the lowest 20% and are not eligible.
Types of Travel Covered
The travel bursary will reimburse reasonable costs to eligible applicants for return travel via public transport (bus, ferry, train and/or tram) or own vehicle mileage (at 23p per mile) from your home address to our Southampton or Winchester campuses.
At the point of claiming reimbursement we will require:
- for public transport users: Photos/scans/copies of all tickets and evidence of proof of purchase
- for own vehicle users: The postcode of your home address so we can calculate mileage. The University of Southampton uses the AA Route Planner to calculate return trip mileage via the shortest route.
The University of Southampton will not book your travel arrangements or plan your journey for you. This must be undertaken by yourself, so do ensure to make these arrangements. All reasonable costs travel costs up to £100 will be reimbursed after the event upon successful completion of the reimbursement claims process.
Do note that the Widening Participation Travel Bursary will only cover the costs of travel for the student attending the event. We will not be able to cover the costs of any other attendees accompanying the student.
How to Apply
If you would like to apply for a Widening Participation Travel Bursary you should complete the following in order:
1. Confirm your intended attendance at the relevant event:
- those with invitations to attend an Applicant Offer Holder Day or Interview Selection Day should confirm their intention to attend with the event organiser
- those intending to attend an Open Day should book their place
2. Check you meet the eligibility criteria outlined above
3. Complete a Widening Participation Travel Bursary application form
All successful applicants will be notified via email.
