Thursday 27-06-2024 - 00:09

Financial Support at University

I know the cost of living crisis is putting a lot of pressure on students. So, as part of my Financial Campaign, I'm offering some clarity on the support funds that you can apply for via the university. I hope that having a single directory about financial support helps to clarify what support is available, and makes it easier to access. I've outlined the maximum payments made in the academic year 2023-2024 so that you can see what amounts are generally available. 

The Study Support Fund 

The Study Support Fund is designed to help with unexpected financial difficulties you might have during your studies at ULaw.

For 2023-23, support payments were £2,500 for full-time course and £1,250 for students on a part-time course. 

It's important to note that international students cannot apply to the Study Support Fund. 

 

The Digital Hardship Fund 

The Digital Hardship Fund can give you help to buy essential IT equipment for your studies. This might include a laptop, printer, noise-cancelling headphones or mobile broadband top-ups. The payments come via store credit. In 2023-24, the maximum award from the Fund was £1000. Also, International students cannot apply to the Digital Hardship Fund. 

 

The Graduation Support Fund 

The Graduation Support Fund can give you financial support if you need help with the costs of attending your graduation ceremony. This could help you with the costs of graduation gown hire, up to two guest tickets, up to £50 towards travel costs to the ceremony. To apply, you must have settled status in the UK (so you cannot have immigration restrictions on your leave to enter and remain in the UK). 

 

The DSA Equipment Top-Up Fund 

The DSA Equipment Top-Up Fund reimburses the £200 contribution to students who are eligible for assistive technology through Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSA). 

 

International Students' Emergency Fund 

This fund gives short-term financial support to international students if you experience a significant disruption to your funding whilst on your course due to an unexpected crisis or emergency situation. This could include natural disaster, civil unrest, conflict or some other emergency situation that means you are no longer able to receive funding from your home country. The maximum payment from the Fund in 2023-24 was £2500 for a full-time student and £1250 for a part-time student. 

 

UG Bursary 

You can apply for the Undergraduate Bursary if you start your studies with ULaw in September 2024 and January 2025. This bursary gives additional financial support to new full-time undergraduates who have a household income of “zero” (as calculated by your national student finance service). 

 

Care-experienced and Estranged Bursaries 

You can apply for a bursary of £2000 if you are a full-time Home (UK) student. 

 

Employability Support Funds 

The Employability Service offers two financial support funds: 

• The Volunteer Bursary: a bursary of up to £500 to offset some of the financial burden of volunteering 

• The Opportunities Fund: a bursary of up to £200 to cover the cost of employability or employment enhancing activities 

You must be an undergraduate student who pays ‘home’ fees, with a household income of below £42,875 a year (2023/24). 

 

ULaw Students’ Union Extra-Curricular Bursary  

In collaboration with the University’s Widening Participation team, the Students’ Union runs an Extra-Curricular Bursary scheme.  

You can get up to £100 to take part in a chosen activity.  

The Extra-Curricular Bursary is designed to help students who are struggling financially because of long-term financial constraints such as coming from a low-income household or being part of a specific group like being care experienced students, estranged students and refugees. Each application gets reviewed individually on the evidence provided. 

Examples of activities could be:  

• Joining a choir or orchestra 

• Membership of dance, drama, exercise classes or the gym 

• New shoes or kit for running, sports, the gym, dance classes etc 

• Cost of covering travel to a placement, work experience or volunteering  

 

If you are struggling with financial concerns and need support funding to and from campus, academic textbooks, day to day living, take a look at the bursary page on Elite: Financial Support Funding - Financial Support Funding | Rise 360 (articulate.com) 

 

If you'd like to apply for any of the above schemes, here are some useful contact emails:

Money and Housing Advice Team: moneyandhousingadvice@law.ac.uk

Disability Support and Inclusion Service: disabilitysupportservice@law.ac.uk

SUAdvice: SUAdvice@law.ac.uk

Widening Participation Team: widening-participation@law.ac.uk

Students Union: StudentsUnion@law.ac.uk

Pro Vice Chancellor for Students, Patrick Johnson: Patrick.Johnson@law.ac.uk

 

I hope this resource helps!

Take care all, 

Huma Hasan

Co-President 2023-2024