Priya's Story

Every year on A-level results day, we open applications for our individual bursaries, offering support for young Londoners aged 18-25 who are stepping into higher education or vocational training.

Priya is one of last year’s bursary recipients. We caught up with her to learn about her journey, how the grant supported her studies and her exciting future plans.

When Priya was 15, a difficult set of circumstances led to her spending 3-4 months in care before returning home to her parents. Although she went on to do really well in school, those few months had a long-term impact on her education.

On top of the immediate disruption to her studies, Priya soon ran into a challenge that so many care-experienced young people face.

Although the government offers full grants for young people who stay in care until the age of 18, those who are care-experienced – having spent temporary periods in care – are often not offered the same support.

For Priya, her rent as a student was around £12,000 a year, but the maintenance loan she was offered was only £6,000. The costs of university paired with the lack of financial support makes many care-experienced young people hesitant to start university. Some who do start are forced to drop out due to financial challenges.

Applying to The Portal Trust

Priya began looking into financial support while she was at sixth form. She was paired with a mentor through The Access Project and was supported through looking for funding opportunities.

Priya mentioned that many grant applications felt daunting and overly complex. However, after reading through the eligibility criteria on our website, she decided to apply to The Portal Trust on A-Level Results Day (and we’re so glad she did!)

The Impact of a Portal Trust Bursary

Before receiving her bursary, Priya was working as a student ambassador to cover her living costs. Balancing a demanding university workload with a part-time job was really tiring and the financial stress was starting to impact her academic performance.

Receiving the grant had a big impact. The financial pressure was lifted, and Priya could reduce her work hours and focus entirely on her studies and university experience.

As well as taking away the mental pressure, there was a clear impact on her academic results too. After scoring 50% in her first semester before the grant came through, she ended the second semester with a score of 95%!

Priya ended the year with a First-class distinction overall, and she said that she couldn’t have achieved this without being given the time and headspace to dedicate to her course.

An exciting future ahead

Looking forward, Priya’s hopes to have a career in the world of fashion. She’s currently preparing to study abroad at the IPAG business school in Paris, with long-term plans to get a placement in fashion marketing and eventually work abroad.

When we asked if Priya had any advice to others who are thinking about applying, she encouraged anyone who was considering it to just go for it – “Don’t be scared to apply because you never know – it is competitive, but you never know who’s reading and the potential they’re going to see in you”

We’re so proud of everything that Priya has achieved so far, and we can't wait to see where her journey takes her next!

Are you entering higher education or training this autumn?

We believe every student deserves the chance to focus on their future without the weight of financial stress.

Find out if you're eligible and apply here