Below you'll find answers to the questions we get asked most often as to how your application will be assessed and
decisions are made by the Trustees. See the full details of the
University Bursary
scheme and the eligibility criteria.
We receive more applications than we have money to fund and therefore we have to make a decision as to which
ones will be awarded a grant. The Trustees review the applications for evidence of hardship to a Royal Mail or
Post Office Ltd employee's family with children (or a former employee receiving a pension and who has children).
First, each application form has to be checked to see if it has been fully completed and then to see if it meets
the eligibility criteria. The household net income will be calculated from the information on the form and from
current Government benefits and allowances. Once this has been done the forms are sent out, securely, to a
subcommittee of experienced Trustees who then carry out the detailed assessment.
They review each application across a number of areas, including the student’s statement, and then give a total
score based on their judgement in each of these areas. It is based on the judgement of each individual Trustee.
The Trustees then submit their returns to the Chairman and Secretary and a subcommittee of Trustees they meet
to agree the final allocation of bursaries.
The Postal Family Fund is a charitable organisation and will look at the hardship faced by the family in supporting the young
person at University. They will look at household income after making allowances for rent or mortgage. Any
exceptional expenditure may be taken into account if details are provided. A family with a single parent or
one where the children are being cared for by grandparents will be taken into account. Disability or chronic
illness of a parent or parents is another factor and so is disability or chronic illness of the student or a
sibling. Evidence of any difficulties encountered by the student in his or her education or upbringing will
be taken into account and evidence of any volunteering or out of school activities are other factors. The
student statement is very important because this gives the Trustees an insight into the motivation and
achievements of the student and their hopes and ambitions.
There is no advantage in an early submission, but it does help the Postal Family Fund in administering the scheme especially
when we anticipate a lot of applications.
Yes, based on the experience of previous years.
All the results will be sent out at approximately the same time, around the end of September each year. Results will
be posted to the address of the applicant parent or guardian given on the form.
No, all the results will be sent out in batches at the same time.
An information pack will be sent out requesting bank details (of the student) and evidence of registration with
the university and providing this is received by the date shown in that pack then the payments will be made by
Bank transfer by the end of November, but we are dependent on others to make this transfer and it can take longer
depending on the student’s bank.
No, the grant is a charitable gift and is made by Trustees exercising their discretion.
There is no entitlement to the grant. It does not form part of your contract of employment with Royal Mail or Post
Office Ltd.
We regret that we cannot give reasons why an application has not been successful. We have very limited staff
resource and such a task would divert the secretary from other charitable tasks involving vulnerable people.
Each application will have been assessed by (usually) 6 Trustees and the process is very rigorous and over the
years has been proved to be fair and consistent. Trustees can only take into account the information about you
and your family circumstances if it is set out on the form, so it is up to you to make sure the form is properly
and comprehensively completed before submission. Trustees cannot take into account information provided after
the closing date for applications unless they have written to you to request clarification or additional
information.