Receive financial support to help you undertake unpaid work experience, access a work-related event, or help towards costs associated with getting started in your early career.

The Employability Fund is designed to help eligible undergraduates and recent graduates access financial assistance for many of the costs that can arise with accessing work experience or getting started in your early career. Whilst the Fund is unlikely to cover the entire costs associated with these activities it’s designed to provide a helping hand and contribution.

In 2025/26, eligible students can apply for the Employability Fund to support:

Up to £500 contribution towards participating in a work experience or work placement opportunity that is unpaid. Support for costs can be applied as follows: 

  • £50 per week for an unpaid placement that is under 20 hours per week
  • £100 per week for an unpaid placement that is 20+ hours per week
  • Travel and additional costs – if your unpaid work experience requires additional travel cost to attend or essential additional costs such as extra workwear, overnight accommodation, etc. 

Up to £300 towards a purchase/activity that meets at least one of the following:

  • Supports your freelancing career – such as purchasing equipment, software licenses, subscriptions or advertising
  • Supports a recruitment opportunity – attendance at a careers fair, suitable clothes for a job interview
  • Development Activity – participation at a conference/event or undertaking specialist training related to your chosen career (not including postgraduate study) that you can clearly demonstrate will enhance your employability.

Eligible students may:

  • Apply for one or both Fund categories
  • Submit multiple applications for both types of support until the maximum amount of funding has been reached.

For either category, the associated activity or purchase must be undertaken during the 2025/26 academic year and must be completed by 1 September 2026. Retrospective applications can be considered if the activity/purchase is completed no more than 10 weeks before your application submission date. 

Criteria

Check the Eligibility Criteria below to ensure you are eligible to apply, and read the terms and conditions before applying.

To be eligible to apply for this Fund you must meet the following criteria:

  • You are a UK Home student (fee status and domicile) currently enrolled on a BSU undergraduate degree studying at Newton Park, Sion Hill, Locksbrook, Corsham Court or Bath Spa University London (Hackney). 

OR 

  • You are a UK Home student (fee status and domicile) who completed your undergraduate (at level 6) or postgraduate (at level 7) programme of study at Bath Spa University or Bath Spa University London (Hackney) within the last 15 months.

IN ADDITION, you must fulfil at least one of the following: 

  • Current undergraduates only: You have been assessed by Student Finance as being from a household with an annual income of below £42,875 AND are from a low-participation area*
  • You were in receipt of free school meals at secondary school
  • You have parents who did not attend university
  • You are a care leaver
  • You are a young adult carer (for another adult)
  • You have disclosed a disability to Bath Spa University
  • You are from an ethnic minority background
  • You have been categorised by the Student Loan Company as estranged from your parents
  • You have been categorised as a mature learner at Bath Spa University (that means you were 21 or over when you started your undergraduate course, or 25 or over when you started your postgraduate course)
  • You are a refugee
  • You are identified as a Gypsy, Roma or Traveller
  • You are from the Armed Forces Community.     

*Immediately before you started your studies, you must have lived in an area of low higher education participation based on POLAR4 or Adult HE (Quintile 1 and 2) as determined by the Office for Students. No action required, we will check this for you. 

Students studying at our Educational Partner institutes or other providers and students on exchange programmes, distance learning or other modes of study are not eligible.

How to apply

Applications open from Wednesday 15 October 2025.

Eligible applicants can apply via MyCareer (login required). Follow this application link for the Employability Fund 2025/26 or find the Fund under the Resources area within MyCareer.

We recommend accessing the application in advance so you know what information is required. You should also ensure you have read and understood the terms and conditions before applying.

Application deadlines

Applications will be taken on a continuing basis with a rolling deadline of the 1st of the month. Applications submitted by the 1st of the month will be considered at that month’s panel meeting.

The final deadline for applications is 23:55 on 1 July 2026 (UK time). However, applications may close earlier if funds are depleted sooner.

Retrospective applications can be considered, if the activity/purchase is completed no more than 10 weeks before your application submission date. 

Current students should be aware that finances for the Employability Fund may come from multiple sources. Successful applicants may be required to submit an additional application via the financing partner’s portal. We will advise if this is the case and support you with doing this.

How applications are judged

Applications are assessed by a panel of representatives from Bath Spa University’s Careers and Employability team, based on the criteria and how developmental the activity will be for your longer-term career goals. The application we will be checked to confirm:

  • Your eligibility to apply for the Employability Fund
  • That requested funds match any receipts (where applicable)
  • If you are requesting support for unpaid work experience, the organisation will be contacted to confirm the details.

Decisions feedback

Applicants should expect to receive a decision within six weeks of their chosen application deadline. Decision feedback or any other communication related to an application will be via the applicant’s BSU email address (or for graduated students, the alternative email address provided in the application).

Get in touch

If you have any questions about this Fund, please submit a question in MyCareer. Please select the 'scholarships and bursaries' option from the question type list and include 'Employability Fund' in the subject.