20.10.2025 Press release

The Hyundai Great British School Trip reopens bursary funding to help thousands of children access unforgettable experiences

  • Two-thirds of UK parents (64%) say they struggle to afford school trips, leaving many children at risk of missing out on vital learning experiences that boost confidence, inclusion and wellbeing.
  • Hyundai Motor UK is tackling the issue head-on by reopening bursary funding through its Great British School Trip programme, ensuring cost is never the reason a child misses out.
  • Now entering its fourth year, the initiative has already enabled over 165,000 children to attend trips nationwide, with Hyundai aiming to raise that figure to more than 210,000 by the end of this academic year.

Press material

The cost-of-living crisis is leaving children at risk of missing out on vital school trips, according to a survey of parents, with almost two-thirds (64%) saying they struggle to pay for their child to attend. Hyundai is tackling this head-on by reopening bursary funding through its Great British School Trip programme, giving more children the chance to take part in experiences that might otherwise be out of reach.

Two in three parents (67%) admit they feel guilty when their child misses out because of money and 65% wish they could afford to send their children on more trips. Far from being a luxury, these experiences play a key role in enrichment and building children’s confidence and sense of inclusion: 94% of parents say trips have a positive impact on children’s wellbeing. Now entering its fourth year, The Hyundai Great British School Trip will continue to ensure cost is never the reason a child misses out.

REGIONAL RANKING: PERCENTAGE OF PARENTS STRUGGLING TO AFFORD SCHOOL TRIPS

  1. Sunderland – 89% 
  2. Coventry – 75% 
  3. Birmingham – 74%
  4. Manchester – 72% 
  5. Sheffield – 71% 
  6. Cambridge – 70% 
  7. Norwich – 70 % 
  8. Southampton – 69% 
  9. Liverpool – 67%
  10. Edinburgh – 67%
  11. Leicester – 65% 
  12. Newcastle – 65%
  13. Leeds – 63% 
  14. London – 62% 
  15. Belfast – 61%

Children in some areas of the UK are being impacted harder than others. In Sunderland, almost nine in ten parents (89%) are struggling to pay for trips, with Coventry (75%) and Birmingham (74%) following close behind. Across the wider ranking, major cities including Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, London and Edinburgh all appear: it’s clear this is a nationwide issue to be addressed.

Since its inception in 2022, The Hyundai Great British School Trip has enabled more than 165,000 children to go on school trips across the UK. As bursary applications reopen for Year 4, Hyundai is aiming to take that total to over 210,000 by the end of this academic year.

School trips shouldn’t be a luxury, but for many families across the UK that’s exactly what they’ve become. So many of us remember the buzz of going on a school trip and carry those fond memories well into adulthood. Too many children today are missing out, which is why the Hyundai Great British School Trip bursaries exist: to remove the barriers and give every child the chance to share in those experiences.

Ashley Andrew President of Hyundai Motor & Genesis UK

The Hyundai Great British School Trip

More about the programme and how to apply for support

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