Hardship Funds
What is the Hardship Fund?
The Hardship Fund is made available by Bangor University to provide discretionary financial help to support students who face unexpected financial hardship or crisis during an academic year, in particular to help them access and remain in higher education. Assistance is given in the form of a non-repayable grant.
Specifically it should be used:
- To provide emergency payments for unexpected crisis
- To intervene in cases where a student may be considering leaving higher education because of unexpected financial problems.
Eligibility
The fund is available to registered Bangor University students – Undergraduate or Postgraduates whether you are from the UK, EU or an International student studying full or part-time courses.
Because of limited nature of the fund, priority is given to certain groups of students. These include:
- Students with children
- Disabled students, in particular those where the DSA is unable to meet particular costs
- Final year students who are in financial difficulty (including those unable to work due to academic pressures)
- Care Leavers
- Former Foyer residents
- Homeless students
Should a student fall into one or more of the categories listed above this does not mean automatic entitlement to an award. Students identified as being in a priority group must provide evidence that their financial circumstances merit support from the fund.
Students will be expected to have explored all means of helping themselves before applying to the fund, such as finding part-time work and considering ways of reducing their expenditure. It is therefore recommended that you carefully work out a weekly or monthly budget to identify where your expenditure can be reduced and/or income increased. Use the following budgeting tool to help you budget or download a budgeting sheet using the following link:
Student Loan
Where eligible, full-time undergraduate students must have applied for their full entitlement of student maintenance loan and received the first instalment before receiving any payment from the fund. This can be determined from the payment schedule letter issued by the student funding organisation.
How and when to apply?
Students may apply at any time during the academic year and should contact one of the following for advice and support as well as an application form:
UK & EU students – should contact the Money Support Unit to discuss their situation.
International students – should contact the International Student Welfare Office in the IEC to discuss their situation.
All applications must be on a valid form and returned in person where possible with all the relevant photocopied documentation to one of the offices listed above.
For the purposes of allocating awards, students are assessed on evidence of a shortfall in their income and expenditure. It is therefore essential that you give clear and accurate details of all your income sources and legitimate financial commitments. It is important that you complete the form as thoroughly as possible and provide all the necessary documentary evidence requested to enable us to successfully process your application.
Your application form will not be accepted without the required supporting evidence.
Allocation of Funds
Completed applications will be discussed at the next available Allocation Group meeting. These meetings are held every two weeks during term-time.
We aim to process, discuss and inform students of the Group’s decision within 15 working days of their initial application to the Money Support Unit or International Student Welfare Office.
Awards are paid via BACS into the student’s bank account within 5–7 working days of the Allocation Group’s decision.
Students will be notified of the Allocation Group’s decision via email.
Members of the Allocation Group include the Director of Student Experience, Academic staff, Students’ Union, Money Support Unit and International Student Welfare Office staff.
Confidentiality
Applications are seen only by the Money Support Unit staff and Hardship Fund Committee. There may be occasions when, if we consider that you are a risk to yourself and others, we may need to discuss your case with other member of staff within the University.
It may be necessary for additional supporting information to be sought from other University staff in order for the committee to reach a decision, in which case we will seek your permission beforehand.
Data Protection Act (1998): Bangor University is a data controller in terms of 1998 legislation. Student Services follows University policy in matters of data protection. Personal data will be used solely in the Unit for statistical purposes and electronic records keeping. This data will not be passed to any other third party without your consent, except when the University is required to do so by law. Any formal enquiries concerning the use of data noted here should be addressed to the Director of Student Experience.
Registration
Payment from the fund is dependent on a student being registered and in attendance on a course here in Bangor University. The Money Support Unit will check this at time of application. Further payments from the fund will only be paid once the Money Support can confirm registration for undergraduate students and continued attendance for postgraduate students.
Appeals
All applicants have the right to appeal if they are not entirely satisfied with the outcome of their application. However, appeals will only be considered where there is further evidence of a student’s personal circumstances.
Students may seek a review in the first instance, and should make an appointment with the Student Adviser in the Money Support Unit to discuss further evidence of personal circumstances. If appropriate, a reviewed application will be considered by the Allocation Group at its next meeting. Students will be informed in writing of the Allocation Group’s decision.
Any further appeal should be made in writing to the Director of Student Experience, who will forward to an independent Senior Officer of the University, for consideration. Students will be informed of a decision as soon as possible.
Please call in to the Money Support Unit if you have any queries, or need assistance with any aspect of the form.