Prospective Undergraduate Student Travel Bursary

If you are struggling with the cost of attending open days, offer holder days, summer schools or taster days at the RAU's main campus you may be eligible for reimbursement of reasonable travel costs for yourself and up to two additional guests.

Eligibility for this bursary is in line with our Access and Participation Plan. You will need to be a UK resident and looking to study at undergraduate level (BSc, BA or FdSc programmes). You will also need to meet one of the following categories:

• You live in a UK postcode identified as having low progression to higher education according to the Government’s POLAR4 (Quintile 1 and 2) – please see link to assess if you qualify: www.officeforstudents.org.uk/data-and-analysis/young-participation-by-area/search-by-postcode/
• You are care experienced
• You are from an ethnic background that is not White (British or Other)
• You have a parent or carer who currently serve in the UK Armed Forces, or who has done so in the past

Reasonable travel costs are defined as follows:

• Return travel between the your usual home and the Royal Agricultural University main campus, for yourself and up to two additional guests.
• If travelling by car (max of one vehicle), a mileage rate of 45p per mile can be claimed. No receipt is required, the claim will be based on the calculated return distance.
• The costs of hiring a car cannot be claimed.
• If travelling by rail or coach, you should use the most economical class of travel (i.e. standard class or equivalent). Advance, off-peak or saver tickets should normally be used, with ‘open’ type tickets avoided where possible. Receipts or tickets must be provided as evidence when making the claim.
• Domestic flight travel is also claimable if the costs are equivalent to return travel and/or return mileage costs. Receipts or tickets must be provided as evidence when making the claim.
• You should avoid the use of taxis. However, where no other form of transport is available or suitable, short journeys by taxi may be reimbursed subject to the provision of receipts (e.g. short taxi to the local train station).

Reimbursement will occur after you have been to the RAU event. To claim, please contact outreach@rau.ac.uk and you will be sent a claim form.

If you are unsure about your eligibility, or whether the proposed costs of your visit are covered, please contact us at outreach@rau.ac.uk and we will be happy to help you.