As the University prepares for the new academic year with thousands of UK undergraduate students still looking to secure their place for September, Derby expects more than 70% of its 8,000 full time undergraduate UK students will qualify for some sort of financial support.

A bursary is a free cash supplement universities give to students annually to support their studies and offset degree costs. It doesn't need to be repaid.

Here at the University of Derby:

• There are more Postcode Bursaries on offer than ever before, with students living in a wider catchment area beyond the East Midlands region – including Peterborough, Coventry, Doncaster and Stockport – eligible to receive Postcode Bursaries for the first time;

• the institution also separately awards University Bursaries to help support students in most financial need. This year it has changed the system to determine who gets the financial support – using a new household income system based on different thresholds. Students with a household income below £50,000 will now be eligible, compared to only those with a household income below £38,800 in 2007.

• the institution is extending bursary eligibility from September 2008 to include financial support to Foundation and HND, full-time, UK students. This group of students may now receive Local Bursaries based on postcode and the Compact Scheme – which encourage local youngsters to aspire for higher education study.

• Our students have offered examples of how others could follow in their footsteps; using their course skills to earn money during their studies. A group of BA (Hons) Commercial Photography students paid off their entire £3,070 annual course fees through such work and have now set up their own company, Cactus Images (see case study below).

A University spokesman said: "It's no coincidence that we are increasing the support for students at a time when economic conditions are difficult nationally. We want to ensure students receive as much support to help them with their studies as possible.

"We have a lot of students who come from just outside the East Midlands region and Local Bursaries will help them. The change to the University bursary system which takes account of the household income, could also benefit people whose recent financial circumstances may have become more difficult."

Local Bursaries of £300 a year were first awarded two years ago when local people living in Derbyshire were rewarded for living in the county and attending the University.

This scheme was extended to the East Midlands last year, and now students living in even more far-reaching postcode areas will qualify.

It means full time UK undergraduate students who live in the DE (Derbyshire), NG (Notts), LE (Leics, B (Birmingham), ST (Stoke-on-Trent), S (Sheffield), SK (Stockport), DN (Doncaster), PE (Peterborough), CV (Coventry) or WS (Walsall) postcode areas will receive £300.

The University Bursaries – of either £200, £500 or £800 are available to help full-time, undergraduate, home students to reduce any of their expenses incurred with studying. Students who qualify could receive £800 if their household income is £25,000 or less; £500 if it is between £25,001 and £35,000, and £200 if it's between £35,001 and £50,000.

Prospective students can visit the University of Derby website at www.derby.ac.uk 'fees and financial support' to find out more what is available and make use of the calculator to work out what fees exist.

Finance experts will also be on hand during the Clearing process which begins on Thursday. People can contact our friendly ALF and Bursary team or email: bursaryalf@derby.ac.uk.

Nationally, the latest figures for University recruitment this year is showing a nine per cent rise in the number of students seeking to go into higher education this Autumn. The figures from Universities UK (the body which represents Vice-Chancellors), maintains there is nothing in available data to say that the introduction of tuition fees has yet had any lasting impact on demand for full-time undergraduate education.


CASE STUDY: In The Frame For Fee Free Degrees?

Photography is an expensive hobby – but those studying to make a career of it can earn while they learn.

Mark Hall, Programme Leader for the University of Derby's BA (Hons) Commercial Photography degree, said many students were paying off course fees as they studied, by using skills as they learnt them.

He added that businesses liked working with his students because of their professionalism and because they realised they were helping nurture their careers.

The course in the Faculty of Arts, Design and Technology teaches technical and creative photographic abilities, including traditional skills and those in new digital technologies.

Students gain real industry experience in commercial, advertising and editorial photography. Studies cover location finding, retail of photographs, image manipulation and business management.

Mark said: "We help students find contracted, paid work as they are studying to offset the cost of their studies. This work could vary from weddings to promotional work for companies, to product photography.

"Students might be doing jobs that earn them anything from £20 up to £2,000."

Jackie Rock, Angela Jenkins and Chris Howard are about to enter their third and final study year at the university. During their second year they established their photographic agency, Cactus Images, and have now secured space at the University's Banks' Mill Studios in Bridge Street, Derby.

Fellow third-year Neal Morgan also runs his own business, Zachary Hunt Photography.

Neither Jackie nor Angela had used a professional single lens reflex (SLR) camera before joining the course.

Angela, a mother of two from Mickleover, said: "I have responsibilities. It's costing me money to study so I need to be up and running with a business as soon as I complete my degree."

Cactus Images has already attracted big contracts such as a product catalogue for Lastolite; the leading manufacturer of photography, video and cinema industry equipment.

Jackie, of Draycott-in-the-Clay, added: "The amount I've earned could have paid off my course fees, however, we have chosen to invest in setting up Cactus Images whilst we are still studying."

Neal said the commercial work of his business, Zachary Hunt Photography, would also have covered his course fees.

"I looked at other photography courses before I came to Derby and this one just seemed more commercially minded," added Neal.