University helping students with bursaries of £2.5m

More than £2.5 million of awards have been made to undergraduates from low-income families this session – an increase of £1.7m on the previous year. The funding will help more than 1000 students.

Recipients include new students from England, Wales and Northern Ireland who, for the first time, are liable for annual tuition fees of £9000.

Around 350 students will get an Edinburgh RUK (Rest of UK) award, which provides the most generous bursary support of any UK university. Awards ranging from £500-£7000 per year have gone to students who have a family income of less than £16,000.

A further 800 students are benefiting from the university’s access bursaries, which help new UK students experiencing financial difficulties to take up their place at Edinburgh.

Senior vice principal Professor Mary Bownes, said: “Students with academic ability and potential should be able to gain admission and succeed at university, whatever their circumstances.”