The Friends Trust Education Bursary

The Friends of Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force Trust (The Friends Trust) recognise that through engagement with and achievement of higher-level educational qualifications, there is opportunity for improvement to life chances and quality of life.

The Friends Trust Education Bursary has been created to support participating cadets and adult volunteers with financial aid to continue and thrive during their studies at University of Staffordshire.

Designed to help remove the financial barriers, The Friends Trust Education Bursary may be able to assist with specialised books, subscriptions, transport or even employment opportunities.

Students must meet all of the following criteria in order to be eligible to apply for The Friends Trust Education Bursary:

• Be an active member of the Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force – either as a cadet or adult volunteer
• Be enrolled at one of the University of Staffordshire campuses (Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, London, or Lichfield)
• Studying a minimum length course of 1 academic year – for example, a full-time 3-year undergraduate course, a 2-year part-time masters course, a full-time foundation year
• You are not receiving funding for the request from another source (e.g. another bursary to help with transport)

Students undertaking their Step Up course will be eligible for the bursary.

Applications will be accepted throughout the academic year.

The Friends Trust Education Bursary is generously donated by The Friends Trust and monetary support will be reviewed periodically within the availability of the donated funds.

The funding will be provided directly to the bank account in a single instalment or in multiple instalments depending on the application and amount allocated.

Students who have been successful must provide an update to the University which will be shared with The North Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force Commandant (and team), and The Friends Trust.

Students must also be willing to be involved in University publicity campaigns e.g. social media, web, magazines if required.

Applications will be reviewed by The North Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force Commandant and team, the Trustees’ of The Friends Trust, and the Development Office at University of Staffordshire.

Please complete The Friends Trust application form.

If you are encountering any difficulties with the form, please contact developmentoffice@staffs.ac.uk

If you are having any financial difficulties or struggles please contact the main University Financial Support team: https://www.staffs.ac.uk/students/support/student-support-and-experience/home

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We hope you take the time complete the application to the best of your ability and if you encounter any issues or require additional support during the application process, please contact developmentoffice@staffs.ac.uk.

Applications close on 31 July 2025.

The University will conduct a review of a student’s bursary if progress or performance in their studies is deemed to be unsatisfactory without an appropriate reason.

The Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force will conduct a review of a student’s bursary if engagement with them is deemed to be unsatisfactory without an appropriate reason.

Students must be actively engaged in their studies and as a cadet and/or adult volunteer, failure to do so will result in a review and potential removal of the bursary.

For students who are unsuccessful in their application, whether because they are not engaged with The North Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force in any capacity or as part of the University, a further review will take place.

For students who are not performing well in their studies and/or are not engaging with The North Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force, a review and additional support will be discussed and flagged to the Commandant.

If the student ceases to no longer be a registered student at the University or they are no longer a cadet or adult volunteer with The Staffordshire and West Midlands (North Sector) Army Cadet Force, they will no longer be eligible for payments.

The University and The Friends Trust has the right to withdraw an award from anyone who is found to have misled the institution or Trust about any aspect of their eligibility and to seek repayment of any monies already paid to them.

The University and The Friends Trust has the right to award/withdraw an award within 14-days of the applicant being made aware of their outcome if an administrative error has occurred.

University of Staffordshire reserves the right to revise or amend these terms and conditions at any time without prior notice in collaboration with The Friends Trust.

Individual feedback is not guaranteed.