Loughborough Bursary for Unpaid Placements (LBUP) 2025/26

1.1  Students must be registered on Part I of a full-time programme of study at Loughborough University in the 2025/26 academic year to be eligible for the LBUP. Students must have completed online re-registration for Part I.

1.2  Students who are undertaking reassessment in the Special Assessment Period (SAP) will not be considered eligible until they have formally progressed to and registered for Part I.

1.3  Students must have UK fee status and meet the eligibility criteria for the Loughborough University Bursary (LUB).

1.4  Loughborough University must be in possession of all required information to assess eligibility by the deadline of 27 August 2025.  If at this point, fewer than 45 bursaries are awarded, additional checks for eligible students will continue to be made up to the earlier of the deadline for the third instalment as specified in paragraph 5.1, or the date that all 45 bursaries are allocated.  

2.1 Students must either:

i  have been in receipt of the Loughborough University Bursary (LUB) in the 2024/25 academic year, or

ii  have a means-tested UK student finance application for 2025/26 which demonstrates a household income of £25,000 or less and meet all other Loughborough University Bursary (LUB) eligibility criteria (e.g. place of permanent residence).

2.2  Household income data provided to Loughborough University for the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years by the Student Loans Company will be used to determine eligibility.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure that Loughborough University is able to access this household income data. 

2.3  Loughborough University will not use any other means to assess household income.

3.1  Students must have secured an unpaid work placement which meets the standards for a Diploma in Industrial, Professional or International Studies, have submitted relevant information about the placement to their School via Co-Tutor, and received approval from their School Placements Officer by the deadline set out in paragraph 1.4 (27 August 2025).

The following information must be submitted by the student via Co-Tutor:

• Host organisation name
• Host organisation address
• Placement start date
• Placement end date
• Satisfactory risk assessment
• Confirmation that the placement is unpaid in accordance with paragraphs 3.4 to 3.7

An acceptable Host Organisation Declaration Form (HODF) is also required from the placement provider by the deadline of 27 August 2025 and prior to the start of the placement. The Placements Officer will provide further information.

If any of the above information is outstanding, approval will not be given to the placement, and it will not be considered as eligible for the LBUP.  The final decision on the acceptability of a placement will rest with the Placements Officer.

3.2  Students who complete an unpaid placement of less than 25 weeks' duration, in conjunction with other Part I activity, will be considered for a pro-rated LBUP award, based on the number of weeks of qualifying unpaid work placement to be undertaken.

Please note, the expectation as stated in Regulation XI is that students complete a minimum of 45 weeks of professional training or study abroad to fulfil the requirements for a Diploma in Industrial, Professional or International Studies.

3.3  In the event of a student undertaking multiple qualifying placements, approval is required for each placement by the deadline stated in paragraph 1.4. 

3.4  Placements which include travel expenses and/or limited subsistence only will be classed as unpaid and considered eligible for the LBUP.

3.5  Placements which provide fully funded accommodation will not be considered eligible for the LBUP.

3.6  Placements for which a student receives a stipend from Loughborough University or any other organisation will not be considered eligible for the LBUP.

3.7  Placements for which a student receives commission only as a form of remuneration will not be considered eligible for the LBUP.

3.8  Placements which are based outside of the UK and for which a student will receive funding from the UK Government’s Turing Scheme will not be considered eligible for the LBUP.

3.9  Study abroad (exchange) periods will not be considered eligible for the LBUP.  Students who undertake both study abroad and an unpaid placement, such as the 6+6 scheme, will be considered for the LBUP on a pro-rata basis for the number of weeks of unpaid work approved.  The deadline set out in paragraph 1.4 for the approval of the placement applies.

3.10  Students completing the Part I Year in Enterprise will be considered for the LBUP.

4.1  All UK fee status undergraduates who are registered on Part I, have an approved unpaid placement for the 2025/26 academic year, and who meet the criteria for the Loughborough University Bursary (LUB), including having a qualifying household income of £25,000 or less by the deadline of 27 August 2025, will automatically be considered for the LBUP.

4.2  There is no application process for the LBUP; assessments will be made based on data held within the Loughborough University Student Information system (LUSI), Co-Tutor, and by the Student Loans Company Higher Education Providers’ Portal.  If a student believes they are eligible for the LBUP and has not received a communication to their University email by the first payment date, they should contact the Placements, Exchanges and Governance Team at exchanges@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk with an explanation of the circumstances which may make them eligible (e.g. their Student Finance application is still being processed).

4.3  In the event that more than 45 students are eligible for the LBUP, priority for the allocation of the funds will be given in the following order:

i  Students of Black African, Caribbean and South Asian (Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi) heritage.

Students from this group have been prioritised as a positive action response to data indicating that they have lower odds of achieving a higher degree class than other students. Completing a placement year has a statistically positive impact on students’ chances of obtaining a higher degree class. (Further information can be found in Loughborough University’s Access and Participation Plan. 

ii  Students with the lowest household incomes in line with the Loughborough University Bursary (household income of £25,000 and under).

4.4  Once all LBUP funds have been allocated, no more bursaries will be awarded.

4.5  If there are unallocated LBUP funds after the third instalment date as specified in paragraph 5.1 and no further eligible students can be identified, the remaining funds will be distributed as a top-up payment to existing bursary recipients.  Funds will be split evenly between recipients, except in the instance of students undertaking unpaid placements of less than 25 weeks' duration, in which case pro-rated top-up payments may be made.  The amount of any additional payment will be communicated to students after the third instalment has been paid.  

4.6  Any student has the right to request a review of their circumstances by the University.  An email should be sent to exchanges@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk stating the reason why a review is required, along with any associated evidence.

5.1  LBUP awards will be paid by Loughborough University to the student via bank transfer in three instalments, as per the schedule below.

5.2  Payment will be made to the bank account details provided to Loughborough University by the student via the Student Self-Service portal.  It is the student’s responsibility to ensure their bank details are correct.

5.3  Students who do not provide their bank details cannot be paid the LBUP.  If the student has not provided their bank details by the deadline specified in paragraph 5.1, the instalment will be paid in the next payment run following the provision of account details.  Students who do not provide their bank details by 10 June 2026 will have their award cancelled and will forfeit their eligibility for the LBUP.

5.4  In the event that a student is awarded the LBUP after the first payment date(s) have passed, backdated payments will be made.

5.5  If any LBUP award is made as a result of the provision of inaccurate information by the student, Loughborough University reserves the right to recover any or all payment(s) made.

5.6  Students whose circumstances change and who no longer continue to meet all eligibility criteria, including but not limited to discontinuing the placement, withdrawing from their programme, or taking a leave of absence, will not be eligible for further LBUP payments.

6.1  Students who receive LBUP funds agree to complete the Graduate Outcomes survey after graduation.

6.2  Students who receive LBUP funds must complete a bursary evaluation form which will be sent to them (typically towards the end of their placement year).