Hardship Funding

• Do you know that you can apply for a student bank account and may be eligible for an overdraft. Please click here.

• Do you know that there are charitable organisations that may be able to help you when you are in financial hardship? Please click here.

• Speak to our careers team, Graduate Futures, for employment opportunities. Please click here.

• Have you considered family and/or friends who could help you out if you are encountering a short-term cash flow problem?
  
  
• Please click here for tips on managing your money.

• Are you experiencing debt problems? This might be helpful. You might also want to have a look here.

If you have any priority debt, for example severe rent arrears, gas/electricity arrears or court summons, you will need to speak to an adviser here at Northumbria before applying to the Access to Learning Fund. Their contact times and details can be found here.

• The Access to Learning Fund is allocated to the University by the Government to distribute to UK students who are in financial hardship.
• Any award from the Fund is paid on top of the standard student finance package; it is not meant to be a substitute. Please note that the Fund is not guaranteed and will be assessed on your individual circumstances.
• Should you be awarded any money from the Fund, you will not need to pay this back.

To be Eligible to Apply to the Fund:

• You must be regarded as a home student. Full details on residency rules are available from the Welfare, Immigration and Funding advisers in Student Life and Wellbeing. If you are an EU or international student and you are experiencing financial hardship, you are not eligible to apply to this particular fund however, we ask that you contact our Welfare Advisers by raising an enquiry on your student portal for the attention of the Welfare Advisers and explaining that you are an EU or International student. 
• If you are moving from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man to attend your programme, you are not eligible. 
• Both full time and part time students can apply.

If you are an undergraduate, you are eligible to apply to the fund if you:

• Are fully enrolled and in attendance at the University.
• Have taken out your full entitlement of student funding, including your tuition fee loan if applicable and have received your most recent instalment.

If you are a postgraduate, you are eligible to apply to the fund if you:

• Are fully enrolled and in attendance at the University.
• Have provision to cover all of your fees.
• Have made adequate provision for your living costs.

NB. The Access to Learning Fund cannot be awarded to pay for tuition fees.

If you have any priority debt, for example severe rent arrears, gas/electricity arrears or court summons, you will need to speak to an adviser here at Northumbria before applying to the Access to Learning Fund. Their contact times and details can be found here.

To check your eligibility and apply to the Hardship Fund please go to the student portal.