Discretionary Funds

If you are a current student and find you are struggling to meet the cost of living e.g. paying for foods, bills, rent etc you may be eligible to apply to the Discretionary (Hardship) Fund for extra assistance. This fund is an income-assessed, non-repayable grant. Full-time students MUST have applied for their full entitlement of eligible funding from SAAS, Student Finance England, Student Finance Wales, Student Finance Northern Ireland, or the Student Loans Company before applying. This includes a student loan. Due to the residency conditions imposed by SAAS this fund is NOT ordinarily available to International students, however, please speak to your local Student Funding Team for further advice.

It should be noted that the Discretionary (Hardship) Funds are there to assist students whose access to, or continuation in, education may be inhibited by financial considerations, or where students for whatever reasons - including physical or other disability - face financial difficulties. Applicants will be required to provide documentation to support the need for financial assistance.

It is anticipated, where possible, that applicants will maximise income by taking up employment opportunities and also taking measures to reduce unnecessary expenditure before an application for additional living cost support is made.

At this point in time, we’re aware that the current global conflict has caused the cost of fuel to rise rapidly. If you are in accommodation which uses oil fired heating and you believe you will struggle to pay for it to be refilled during the time of inflated pricing, your application will be treated as a priority. Please note, however, that funds are limited and you may be asked to provide proof of costs, previous bills, etc.

Students in receipt of a Nursing Student Bursary are not eligible for assistance from these Discretionary Funds. 

Evidence Required

Evidence Required

It is important to remember to provide the necessary documentary evidence, along with your application. Failure to do so will mean your application cannot be processed.

You will be required to evidence all sources of income. Examples of documentation you will be required to submit are listed below but please note this is not an exhaustive list:

  • Proof of Rent/Mortgage Costs - Mortgage Agreement, rent book, Tenancy Agreement, Council Tax statement, Housing Benefit Refusal Letter (if applicable)
  • Bank Statements - Two months' recent and consecutive bank statements for all accounts showing account holders name, account number and sort code, and your partner's if applicable.
  • Payslips - Three months' recent and consecutive payslips.
  • SAAS Letter/Student Loan Company Letter - Your SAAS and Student Loan Company Letter showing you have applied for support (Higher Education students only).

PLEASE NOTE: If possible, all evidence should be provided as a scanned or saved document. If you use online banking, you will be able to export your statement to a PDF.

Please DO NOT send a hard copy of an application and/or any evidence by post.

How to Apply

How to Apply

Further Education students should speak to their local Student Funding Team who will provide them with the appropriate application form.

For Higher Education students, applications can only be made online via your HUB/Student Journey account.

For information on how to access the Student Hub, please read Accessing the Student Hub Guide or .

For information on how to upload documents to your application on the Student Hub, please read Uploading Documents to Your Student Funding Application.

Local Funding Teams

Local Funding Teams

Your local student support team will provide help and advice in completing your application, and further details can be found using these contacts: