Student Support Funds, Prizes and Awards
Depending on your circumstances, you might be able to qualify for extra funding. There are a number of different Awards and Funds that might be helpful should you require financial aid.
Support funds and awards
Hardship Fund - any student experiencing financial hardship
Hardship Fund
The Hardship Fund is available to students experiencing severe financial difficulty or unexpected financial emergencies. To find out if you qualify, please download the Hardship Fund guidelines.
How do I apply?
Fully registered students who are eligible for the Hardship Fund can apply from the 1st November and up to the closing dates shown on the Hardship Fund Application Guidelines and application form. However, you may submit before or after these dates if you suffer an unexpected financial crisis. You may also be able to apply during the summer holiday.
Don’t wait until your own cash reserves run low before applying-if you think you qualify, complete a Hardship Fund application form as soon as possible. You will need to provide supporting documentation with your application. Once you’ve applied, should there be a change in your circumstances, you can make a repeat application up to twice a year.
Hardship Fund application form
Emergency Loans to Assist with Delayed Funding
If your funding has been delayed and you’re struggling financially as a result, the Hardship Fund is able to make small interest-free loans to assist you. It is expected that you will repay these loans as soon as your funding has been released. You will be required to have exhausted all other reasonable sources of support before applying, and you’ll have to submit evidence of this before your application can be processed.
Once your application is accepted, the Fund will pay fixed sums directly to your bank account. This will be £500 for students with children, and £300 for students without.
To apply for an emergency loan, simply download and return the Hardship Fund Emergency Loan application form. All the information you need to submit your application is mentioned in the guidelines, but if you do have any trouble, our Money Doctors will be happy to help.
Emergency Loan application form
Childcare Grant
To help cover the cost of raising your family, some part-time students may be eligible for a childcare grant. You could receive awards of £250 for one child, £500 for two and £750 for three or more. Read the childcare grant guidelines to see if you are eligible. If you think you apply, complete the form and return it to us.
Carolyn Horne Memorial Fund - students ineligible for other financial support
About the Carolyn Horne Memorial Fund
Those ineligible for student loans or other financial support may qualify for the Carolyn Horne Memorial Fund. Capped at £500 per academic year, it is intended to support essential living costs only.
Can I apply?
The Memorial Fund is available to UK, EU and overseas students who are not eligible for any other type of financial aid. Please check the other Support Funds available and see if you can qualify for any of them before applying.
How do I apply?
If you think you qualify for the fund, then you can download an application form.
Charis Utilities Trust - students facing difficulties with utility bills
About the Charis Utilities Trust
Having trouble paying your bills? Then you might qualify for help from the Charis Utilities Trust. Two types of trust funds are available depending on which utilities you are having trouble affording.
Utility Trust Funds
Some utilities providers have a trust fund attached to assist customers, including students, who are facing financial difficulties. If you’re having trouble with your gas, electricity or water bill and are unable to pay, you may be able to apply for assistance in paying these and other priority bills. Download our utility handout to find out if your provider offers this fund.
Cumbria Community Foundation
Cumbria Community Foundation has a range of grants available to fund activities that are part of a higher education course or lead to a vocational qualification.
Support is available to individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds where funding is the barrier that is holding them back. Grants can go towards the purchase of books, materials, travel costs and scholarship fees.
Other sources
As well as the above funds, you may be eligible to obtain other grants and funding by applying for an Educational Trust or Scheme attached to a particular organisation. These are often based on your specific circumstances, and the amount you receive will vary depending on the awarding body.
Our Grants and Trusts search page has a portal that allows you to see what funding is available for a wide variety of courses. Why not search for a grant relevant to your course? You never know what extra funding you might find to help you in getting the most out of your studies.