Open Day Travel Grant

Open Day Travel Grant

We are pleased to offer travel grants for prospective students from under-represented groups to attend our in person undergraduate open days. 

Our Open Day Travel Grant will provide financial support for you and up to one guest up to a certain value dependent on the distance you will be travelling from.

Grant Value

The maximum award is £125 per person. You can claim for train (standard class only) and coach/bus/tram tickets for the prospective student and one guest only. Receipts must be submitted as evidence following attendance at the Open Day. 

If you are travelling by car, fuel costs will be calculated at a return journey from your postcode to our postcode in London, paid at 40p per mile, up to a maximum of £125. 

We only cover public transport. Taxis, private car hire and car parking are not included. 

Deadline and awarding of Grant

The form for applications will close one week prior to each Open Day. All applications will be reviewed, and you will be notified of the outcome of your application. We may ask you for details of the way you plan to travel to our Open Day. Please note that there is a maximum number of bursaries available, and it may not be possible to award every applicant a bursary. 

The Open Day Travel Grant is funded by our access and participation funding, so please see details of the eligibility criteria below.

Eligibility criteria

The Open Day Travel Grant is for UK home students from England who;

  • Have booked their open day ticket and have a confirmation email and
  • have not yet studied at a university.

and match any one of the criteria below: 

  • Your household income of under £35k
  • You currently receive free school meals
  • You have a disability
  • You are from a black or minority ethnic background
  • You are care experienced
  • You are a young carer
  • You are a forced migrant (refugee or asylum seeker)
  • You live in an area that is low under England’s index of multiple deprivation (*see IMD look up tool below)
  • Your live in a low participation neighborhood (*see online postcode look up tool below)

Postcode look ups:

  • You can check your postcodes index of multiple deprivation data using this IMD look up tool. Your postcode must show a 1 - 4 in column F of the excel file to be eligible.
  • You can check whether you live in a low participation neighbourhood using this online postcode look up tool. Your postcode must show Quintile 1-2 against POLAR4 to be eligible (see table on map).

How to apply

Applications will close one week before each Open Day. To apply please follow the link at the bottom of the page.

Please note you will be asked to upload supporting documents which evidences you match one of the above eligibility criteria to your application.  Details of the type of documentation we will require can be viewed on the application link below. We cannot accept applications without the supporting documentation.

You will be contacted within five days of your application for the Open Day Travel Grant. If you have not matched our criteria and been declined, we may ask for further evidence to support your application.

If you have any questions regarding the grant or your application, please contact [email protected]

Terms and conditions

  • Reimbursement only applies to eligible prospective students and up to one guest. 

  • Travel costs will be reimbursed after you have attended the Open Day. However, if you are a care leaver/care experienced student you can apply to receive the Open Day Travel Grant before you travel. You will need to provide evidence of your care status. 

  • If you are approved for an Open Day Travel Grant, but do not attend the Open Day, you will not be able to claim reimbursement. 

  • Acceptance of the Open Day Travel Grant does not commit you to accept Central as your Firm or Insurance choice. Neither does it guarantee an offer of study from us. 

  • To receive the Open Day Travel Grant, your application for reimbursement must be received no later than one week prior to the Open Day. 

  • Payment will then be made by secure electronic transfer and the amount you qualify for will be paid directly into your bank account after we have received your completed form.

  • Awarding of Open Day Travel Grants will be done on a first come first served basis and once our funding is depleted we reserve the right to close applications.