Travel Bursary
We know that the cost of living is having a widespread impact and our Open Day Travel Bursary scheme aims to make a contribution toward the cost of your travel.
Overview
Our travel bursary is based on how far you’re travelling to the Open Day and there are five different payment bands. The minimum amount is £15 for those with a shorter journey, up to a maximum contribution of £120 for those travelling from further afield. The travel bursary is only for visitors travelling from within the UK and is based on the number of miles between your home postcode and ours. It’s based on how the crow flies between the centre of the first part of your postcode and the centre of ours (M5).
We offer five payment bands, as below:
| Bands | Distance from M5 postcode | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | Up to and including 15 miles | £15 |
| Band 2 | More than 15 miles to 30 miles | £30 |
| Band 3 | More than 30 miles to 60 miles | £50 |
| Band 4 | More than 60 miles to 100 miles | £80 |
| Band 5 | More than 100 miles | £120 |
Please note that payment is made to the prospective student only, not for each person attending the event. You'll receive it after attending the Open Day (subject to a few, basic restrictions, of course – see below) and most attendees will be eligible.
How to claim
Claiming your bursary is straightforward. Please make sure you check in at the Open Day and have your QR code scanned. This is how we know you attended and is the first step in claiming your bursary.
During the week following the Open Day, we will send an email to each prospective student who has attended the event which will include a form you must complete to allow us to process the travel bursary. A few key points about this:
- Emails will be sent to the primary email address used to book onto the Open Day.
- You will be asked to provide the relevant sort code, account code and account name for the account you want the money to go to. You may use a parent or supporter’s bank account, should you wish, but you must put the correct account details, including the name.
- All claims must be submitted within 14 days of the Open Day and successful claims will typically be paid within 10 working days.
A few points to be aware of
- The payment is per prospective student who has attended the Open Day, not for each person who may attend with you.
- Regular data checks will be performed and we may contact you if we have questions about your booking.
- We reserve the right to request evidence of your home postcode, identity and attendance at the event before making any payment.
- Payments will be made via BACS transfer to UK bank accounts only. Only one payment can be made per bank account, per event.
- The information you provide will be kept securely and in keeping with our Data Protection Policy
- Full terms and conditions for the 2024/25 academic year.
What if I forget to check in?
Checking in at the event is how we verify your attendance, so this is a very important step towards ensuring you’re eligible to claim your travel bursary. If you have missed checking in at the event, please email us on enquiries@salford.ac.uk to discuss further.
Can I claim for everyone in my family or group?
This bursary is only for prospective students who are considering applying – or have applied – to the University of Salford and is limited to one per bank account.
How is the distance calculation done?
We use a calculation to find the distance between two points on the Earth's surface using their latitude and longitude coordinates. It employs the Haversine formula, which is a mathematical formula used to calculate the great-circle distance between two points on a sphere, in this case the Earth. In summary, the formula calculates the great-circle distance (the shortest distance over the Earth's surface) between two points specified by their latitude and longitude coordinates, assuming a spherical Earth. It's often used in geographic and navigation applications to find the distance between two locations on the Earth.
The first part (the outward code) of the home postcode is used for this equation. For example, in the postcode "BL1 1RU," the "BL1" part is the outward code, which indicates a specific area. It is the centre of this area that the distance will be calculated from to the centre of the University's outward postcode which is M5.
What if I get my bank account details wrong?
Please ensure you double-check your bank details before submitting the claim form. We do use a system to verify submitted bank details; however, if a payment is made to an incorrect account, we will be unable to reissue another payment.
What if I don’t have a UK bank account?
You are welcome to use a parent, supporter or other person’s bank account to receive payment but the travel bursary can only be paid via BACS transfer to a UK bank account.
I booked my travel but then couldn't come to the event. Can I be reimbursed?
You must attend the Open Day to be eligible for the travel bursary.
What happens to the data I share when I complete the Travel Bursary Claim form?
When you complete the University of Salford’s Travel Bursary Claim form your information will be processed and stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act (2018) and the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and will be used solely for the purpose of carrying out the obligation of assessing your claim and if successful, the payment of this claim. Please read our Privacy Statement for more details.
As part of this consent, you retain the right to request the deletion of your personal data at any time. Additionally, you can change or update your consent preferences through the following methods:
- By sending an email to enquiries@salford.ac.uk
- By using the "Contact Preferences" link within emails sent from the University of Salford.
Get in touch
If you have any queries about the process or payments, please contact us on enquiries@salford.ac.uk or +44 (0)161 295 4545.