Accommodation Costs

Grants for accommodation costs will only be made to those students who are living in their own home, students staying in accommodation rented from a private landlord or a Council/Housing Association, accommodation sub-leased from the University; or to students who stay in the University residences. Support will not be provided for particularly low accommodation costs.

Disability

Students with additional costs arising from a disability which are not already met by a grant awarding agency.

Mature/Independent Student Premium

Students who are 25 or over on the first day of the current academic year of their course, or who are under 25 but have been granted independent status by their funding agency and who are experiencing hardship may be eligible to receive an additional premium from the fund. If you are in receipt of any Young Students; Bursaries or allowances then you will not be considered as a mature student.

Students on part-time undergraduate degree programmes

As well as being eligible to apply to the Discretionary Funds under any one of the above categories, part-time students only may also be eligible for limited support towards course and travel costs. You must be studying 60 credits or more.

Registered/Formal Childcare Costs/Lone Parent Childcare Grant

Grants can be made towards registered or formal childcare costs which are not covered from ANY other source for undergraduate and PGDE students in receipt of SAAS tuition fee funding.

Discretionary Funds are provided to institutions by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. Guidelines issued by SAAS suggest that where a student is eligible to take out an SLC. loan and has not done so then it would be reasonable to conclude that his or her circumstances were not sufficiently difficult to warrant assistance from the Discretionary or Childcare Funds.

Any student eligible to apply for a loan will therefore be required to produce documentary proof of their full student loan entitlement when submitting an application form. It will also be assumed that any assessed parental contribution is received in full unless a letter is provided detailing contrary circumstances.

Who is not eligible?

• International Students (excluding EU students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK prior to starting their course and who are in receipt of the full student loan entitlement (if eligible).
• Young, UK students who live in their parents home during term-time and have no dependants.
• Students who have not taken out their full SLC student loan entitlement (if eligible).
• Students who are in receipt of an NHS Bursary (Nursing and Midwifery students)
• Students who are salaried NHS employees.

• HEI Discretionary & Childcare Funds application 2013-14 (pdf)
• HEI Discretionary & Childcare Funds guidance notes 2013-14 (pdf)
• HEI Discretionary & Childcare Funds application 2013-14: Dumfries Campus (pdf)
• HEI Discretionary & Childcare Funds guidance notes 2013-14:Dumfries Campus (pdf)
• Childcare provider information letter for registered childcare (pdf)
• Childcare provider information letter for unregistered childcare (pdf)

Should your financial circumstances significantly change please contact a member of the Financial Aid Team to discuss your situation. Each case is considered on its individual merits at the time of application. However, previous applications - whether successful or not - will be taken into consideration.

Being re-assessed is not a guarantee of further funds.

If you disagree with the decision reached you are entitled to request a review of your application. Reviews are handled by email: reg.finaid@admin.gla.ac.uk.

Reviews should be requested in writing, clearly stating the grounds for appeal and, where appropriate, supplying additional documentary evidence to support the review process. All requests for review must be received within 14 days of the date of the original decision letter. The review process can take up to two weeks.

Please note the HEI Discretionary fund closes on the 30th May 2014.

Registered students of the University of Glasgow, with the undernoted exceptions are eligible for support.

Who is not eligible:

• Students registered for a degree at the university but studying at an associated institution such as the Glasgow School of Art and the Scotland's Rural College.
• Students entering the university under the Junior Year Abroad Scheme or other exchange schemes
• Home (UK) students who are registered as 'writing up' or 'exams only' are also not eligible to apply.
• Postgraduate students registered on a one year Masters Degree Programme will only be considered by the Committee in the most exceptional circumstances.

Applicants who have received assistance from other funds may still be eligible for funding.

Collect an application form from one of the following locations:

• The Financial Aid Team, Registry, Fraser Building
• The International Student Welfare Adviser (Fraser Building)
• Student Services (Dumfries Campus)
• The SRC Student Welfare and Advice Centre
• The School of Veterinary Medicine

Discuss your situation with your Advisor of Studies/Supervisor/Honours Convenor (Arts honours students only) and give them a completed application form with a copy of the Notes Of Guidance and the report form, together with any documentary evidence to support your application.

If you are an International student, you should firstly contact the International Student Support Team based in the Fraser Building to discuss your situation.

Once your application is submitted, together with all supporting documentation, you may be asked to appear before the Committee, which meets at regular intervals. The purpose of the interview is to allow you an opportunity to provide additional information and to assist the committee in reaching a decision on the application. The interview panel will normally be two people from the Committee and a representative from the Registry.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome within a week, via an email sent to their University of Glasgow email account.

If the Committee decides to make a payment, this can be made as either a grant or a loan or a combination of the two. If a loan is made, the Committee will always advise when this is to be paid back. Any loan must be repaid. Repayment will be specified by the Committee. Usually, any loan must be repaid before re-matriculation and always before graduation.

This is not a scholarship fund. It does not enable students to embark on a course of study or assist those who have made inadequate financial provision for their course of study. It does not provide ongoing support for an individual student.

Please note that an award or loan from the Committee required to clear a particular debt will require documentary proof that the debt has been paid.

The University of Glasgow Hardship Fund is not available:

• To pay tuition fees
• To provide field course expenses, or conference expenses
• To provide assistance during the Christmas and Easter vacations (limited support may be available during the summer, but the Committee does not meet in August)
• To provide funds to meet the costs of writing up and binding a thesis
• To pay graduation expenses
• To provide funds for students who are required to register beyond the minimum period of study for a degree