Information about the grants and bursaries we offer our undergraduate students can be found at the bottom of this page. Please read the instructions for completing the application forms carefully, and make sure that you check the eligibility criteria.
Undergraduate Financial Support and Assistance
Undergraduates may be eligible for the University’s generous financial support, to which Christ Church contributes, or may be able to benefit from Christ Church’s own Maintenance Support Subsidies (see below).
UK students may be eligible for an Oxford Bursary or the Crankstart Scholarship (formerly Moritz-Heyman Scholarship). These bursaries and scholarships are not loans and do not have to be paid back. Eligibility is based on household income as assessed by your regional funding agency, and you don’t have to apply for them separately.
Christ Church has very reasonable costs for accommodation and food for all students. We also use contextualised rates, but only where information on household income is available through the UK student loan agencies. This means that our contextualised rates are only available for UK and ROI students who have had their household income assessed. Students with household incomes of £27,500 or less will normally benefit from a 50% subsidy on accommodation and on the ‘season ticket’ for college dinners. Students with household incomes above £27,500 and up to £42,875 will normally benefit from a 25% subsidy on accommodation and on the ‘season ticket’ for college dinners.
We also have a generous hardship fund to help students meet additional difficulties and we are able to support eligible applications to the University’s dedicated funding streams. You will receive further details about the different funding streams available from the Academic Office at the start of each term. Please also see our Financial Assistance FAQs page.
Accommodation (including vacation residence)
Christ Church undergraduate students may live in College accommodation throughout their studies in Oxford, which means that they pay for term-time accommodation and are never obliged to sign 12-month rental contracts at private sector market rates. If you do need to stay in Oxford out of term-time, for example in order to use the library while preparing for upcoming exams, you can apply for a vacation residence grant to help cover the cost of College accommodation (up to 28 days per year for all undergraduate students in 2021/22; up to 10 days per year for new students joining Christ Church from Michaelmas term 2022). Further information and eligibility criteria are included in the Blue Book.
Stand Alone Pledge
Christ Church is committed to supporting the University’s Stand Alone Pledge to improve the student experience for undergraduates who study without family support.
Christ Church will support eligible applications for the University's Care-experienced and Estranged Student Bursary, which is for students from a care background and estranged students who do not have the support or approval of their families.
College Prizes and Scholarships
Scholarships (£300 per year) and Exhibitions (£200 per year) are awarded on academic merit, and there are many other prizes for specific areas of achievement.
Book token prizes are awarded each year based on the results of College Examinations (Collections).
First-year undergraduates are eligible to apply for Instrumental Awards, which are awarded to undergraduates in recognition of their contribution to the musical life of the College.
College Book Prizes for Performance in University Examinations
A £130 book prize (in the form of a voucher) is awarded to each undergraduate who has been placed in the First Class in any Final Honour School.
A £80 book prize is awarded to each undergraduate who has been placed in the First Class in Honour Moderations, or who obtains a Distinction in Moderations or in any Preliminary Examination.
A £80 book prize may be awarded to any undergraduate who, in the opinion of the Governing Body, has done work of distinction in a Preliminary Examination in which no Distinction can be awarded by the examiners.
The Academic Office usually contacts those eligible for prizes after examination results are announced.
Further information about prizes and scholarships is available in the Blue Book.
Grants and Bursaries
Undergraduate Financial Support and Assistance
Book Grants
Book grants from College funds are available to Junior Members of the College for the purchase of course-related books, e-books, apps, or software which are essential to their work.
The deadline for applications is Friday of 8th Week in each term.
Language Grants
Christ Church offers 10 x £250 grants for Fast Track Language courses undertaken, and completed, at the OULC (Oxford University Language Centre) awarded on a first come, first served basis. Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to apply, but a modern linguist may only apply to learn a language that they are not studying as part of their degree course. Junior Members who are not awarded this £250 grant may still claim back 50% of the language course fee from the College if they successfully complete a Fast Track course, and should follow the same application process. Awards will usually be made as a credit to battels accounts.
To apply please complete the partial reimbursement form and email this, along with a PDF version of your course certificate and a copy of your original receipt as proof of payment for the course to academic.office@chch.ox.ac.uk
Applications will be accepted between 9am on Monday and 5pm on Friday of 10th week in TRINITY term.
Certificates sent before or after this time will not be considered.
Further details about Fast Track Language courses and registration can be found on the OULC website: https://www.lang.ox.ac.uk/language-courses
Sports Grants
The College makes grants towards the expenses of any Junior Member who has been involved in University sport at a high level, to recognise their achievement. A grant of £350 will be made to those awarded a Full Blue. A grant of £250 will be made to those awarded a Half Blue or those who have represented the University (in teams 1-3) in a Varsity match against Cambridge. Applications should be submitted by Friday of 9th week.
Study Grants
Study grants may be available to assist undergraduate students with costs resulting from a compulsory element of their course, and/or to meet unforeseen academic needs. Students should apply to the Academic Office if they think they may be eligible. Support from relevant Tutors will be required. Note that applications should usually be made before costs are incurred.
Travel Grants and Summer Bursaries
Christ Church has a fund to assist undergraduates to travel abroad in the vacations primarily for academic purposes (application deadline Friday of 4th Week of term preceding travel).
Undergraduate Travel Grant Form
Christ Church also offers a Summer Bursary scheme to help undergraduates explore educational and career development opportunities over the Long Vacation. To be eligible for this scheme you must be a UK/EU student with a household income of below £43,000 per year; below £66,000 may also be considered in special circumstances.
Vacation Residence Grants
Vacation residence grants are available to help cover the cost of college accommodation for compulsory residence outside of term-time, for example for examinations and extended terms. Detailed eligibility criteria are included in the Blue Book. Grants are awarded for academic purposes only. The usual maximum claim is currently for 28 days per annum for undergraduates who began their courses before Michaelmas term 2022, and 10 days per annum for undergraduates who began their course in or after Michaelmas term 2022. The grant will be automatically applied to battels for eligible undergraduates who submit their application for vacation residence to the Steward’s Office by the deadline (usually Monday of 6th Week), following the approval of relevant Tutors, via the Academic Office. Instructions on applying for vacation residence will be issued via email from the Accommodation Office each term (the application window usually opens in 4th Week).
Year Abroad Financial Support
Grants are available to support undergraduates taking a year abroad in any country as a compulsory part of their degree. Applications must be submitted by Friday of 8th Week of Trinity Term preceding the year abroad.
