Registry

The University of Glasgow Hardship Fund incorporates the generous support of the Scottish Government provided via the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).  Successful Hardship Fund applications are funded by the SAAS Discretionary Fund when the relevant eligibility criteria are met.

PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING BEFORE APPLYING AND TAKE ALL AVAILABLE STEPS TO ASSIST YOURSELF FINANCIALLY.

UK Government Coronavirus Job Retention (Furlough) Scheme
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-could-be-covered-by-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme

UK Government Self-Employment Income Support Scheme
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-grant-through-the-coronavirus-covid-19-self-employment-income-support-scheme

Student Representative Council Advice Centre (Includes Benefits Advice for Final Year Students).
https://www.glasgowstudent.net/advice/healthsafetywellbeing/advice-covid-19/#money-issues

Scottish Welfare Fund
https://www.mygov.scot/scottish-welfare-fund/crisis-grants/

ELIGIBILITY

Students registered on full degree programmes are eligible to request support towards:

• Basic living costs.
• Unforeseen accommodation costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Unforeseen subsistence costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Unforeseen technology costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Unforeseen travel costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The following students are ineligible for support:

• Students with sufficient funds already available to them (£500+ across all bank accounts)
• Students from external organisations (Glasgow School of Art, Glasgow International College etc.).
• Students on exchange from other institutions.
• Students studying on non-degree level programmes (PG Certificates and Diplomas eligible)

The following requests cannot be supported:

• Requests for support towards accommodation which has already been paid for.
• Requests for support towards the cost of a second lease taken out through personal choice.
• Requests for support towards the cost of protective equipment such as facemasks, gloves etc.
• Requests for support with tuition fee costs or compensation for fees paid.
• Requests to compensate for loss of income within the family/household, unless this directly affects your ability to meet living costs.
• Requests to compensate for cancelled travel.
• Requests to compensate for any costs that will be met via other means such as insurance, refunds etc.
• Students who have already received a crisis grant or hardship payment are only eligible for support in exceptional circumstances.
• Applications for support in academic session 2020/2021.

SUPPORT AVAILABLE

One-off emergency payments are available, which can be used to cover exceptional costs incurred in relation to accommodation, subsistence, technology and travel.  All awards are paid as grants and do not require to be repaid.

Please note that you may not be awarded the total amount you have request and that not all applications are successful.

The University of Glasgow cannot meet all of your costs and our funds cannot fully cover the deficit between your income and expenditure or compensate for loss of earnings.

HOW TO APPLY

Please complete a Hardship Fund Application and email to hardshipfund@glasgow.ac.uk, from your University email account.

We aim to process all applications within 10 working days (not weekends or holidays). 

Please do not send multiple applications or emails within this 10 working day period.

Please note the above email address is for Hardship Fund applications only; enquiries will not be monitored.

*****COVID-19 Update*****

ALL APPLICATIONS FOR SUPPORT SHOULD NOW BE SUBMITTED VIA THE HARDSHIP FUND PROCESS ABOVE.

 

*****2020/21 Discretionary & Childcare Funds*****

The 2020/21 Discretionary and Childcare Funds will open for applications in September 2020.

The guidelines below relate to the 2019/20 funds and are for reference only at this stage.  The 2020/21 guidelines will broadly follow the 2019/20 guidelines below.

Supporting Document Guide - Discretionary and Childcare Funds

Supporting Document Guide - Discretionary and Childcare Funds (Accessible)

Application Process Guide - Discretionary and Childcare Funds

Application Process Guide - Discretionary and Childcare Funds (Accessible)

Eligibility

In order to apply for the Discretionary Fund you must:

Be in receipt of your full student loan entitlement (if eligible).

In order to apply for the Childcare Fund you must:

Be a full-time UK domiciled student.

Be eligible for tuition fee support from SAAS (not Student Finance).

Be in receipt of your full student maintenance loan entitlement (if eligible).

All students applying to the funds should be able to clearly demonstrate financial difficulty via a shortfall between income and expenditure.

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 the family 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).  Please refer the the Nursing & Midwifery Discretionary Fund instead.
• Students in receipt of Student Finance England/Northern Ireland/Wales tuition fee funding are not eligible for the Childcare Fund but can apply for the Discretionary Fund.
• Part-time students can’t apply for the Childcare Fund but can apply for the Discretionary Fund, as long as they are studying for 60 credits or above.

Students registered under a non-standard Form of Study are not eligible to apply for the Funds:

• Dissertation Extension
• Erasmus Incoming
• Exchange In
• Exams Only
• Reassessment of Dissertation
• Sabbatical
• Visiting In

Information

Funds are limited and we advise applicants to submit completed applications (including all supporting documents) as soon as possible after the start of the academic year.

Any funding awarded is unlikely to meet all needs and is not intended to be a primary source of income.

Long term awards will be paid in monthly instalments as a non-repayable grant; short term awards will generally be paid as a one-off non-repayable grant.

Childcare costs will be verified in liaison with childcare providers and any fraudulent claims reported as appropriate.

Childcare Fund awards are paid direct to students; we do not pay childcare providers direct.  It is your personal responsibility to ensure your childcare provider receives payment for the service provided.

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

Discretionary Fund - What support is available?

Accommodation Costs

Grants for accommodation costs will only be awarded if you live in:

• Your own home
• Accommodation rented from a private landlord
• A Council/Housing Association property
• Accommodation sub-leased from the University
• The University residences.

Support will not be provided towards particularly low accommodation costs or students who stay in the family home.

Student Carers

Students who are carers may be awarded a grant in recognition of the extra costs associated with this status.  Please clarify your status as a carer in your personal statement and upload any documentation which verifies your status.

Estranged Students

Estranged students may be awarded a grant from the fund in recognition of extra costs associated with this status.

An 'estranged student' is someone who no longer has the support of their family due to a breakdown in their relationship which has led to ceased contact. This might mean biological or adoptive parents or wider family members who have been responsible for supporting a student in the past. Estranged students have no experience of being in care and do not have a corporate parent responsible for them.

The University of Glasgow has specific support in place for estranged students.  If you are not care-experienced, but will be studying without the support of your family, please let us know.

Declaration of estrangement will always be treated confidentially and will only ever be used in a positive way, allowing us to contact you with regards extra support that is available for you.

Disability

You may be eligible for a grant if you have additional costs arising from a disability, which are not already met by a grant awarding agency.

Mature/Independent Students

You may be eligible to receive an additional grant from the Discretionary Fund if:

• You are 25 or over on the first day of the current academic year
  or
• You are under 25 but have been granted independent status by your funding agency

You will not be considered as a mature student if you receive any young student bursaries or allowances.

Part-Time Undergraduate Students

Part-time undergraduate students may also be eligible for support towards course and travel costs. You must be studying 60 credits or more.

Childcare Fund - What support is available?

Registered/Formal Childcare Costs

Registered Childcare Pro Forma

Grants can be made towards registered or formal childcare costs which are not covered from any other source, for full-time students eligible for SAAS tuition fee funding.

Funds are only available to cover childcare costs during study time i.e. not during working hours.

Students in receipt of Student Finance England/Northern Ireland/Wales tuition fee funding are not eligible for the Childcare Fund but can apply for the Discretionary Fund.

We cannot consider any childcare costs incurred by you before the start of your academic year for therefore your Registered Childcare Pro Forma should only be completed from the official start date of your academic year and your child(ren) must have already taken up a place with the provider before you can apply.

Lone Parent Childcare Grant

The Lone Parents Childcare Grant (LPCG) is may be awarded to lone parents who have formal registered childcare expenses while studying.

How to apply

1. Collate your documents
2. Complete online Financial Aid Application
3. Upload your documents via online Financial Aid Application

You can apply for both funds online, via your MyGlasgow Student Centre (click on the Financial Aid Applications link, under the Financial Aid heading on the left hand side of your Student Center).

If you believe you are eligible to apply for the Discretionary Fund and/or Childcare Fund but do not see the funds when searching via the Financial Aid Applications page, please contact the Financial Aid Team to explain how you meet the eligibility criteria.

Completed application take around 4 weeks to process however this may take longer during busy periods e.g. start of the academic year etc.

An application is only deemed as complete when all required supporting documents have been uploaded.

*****COVID-19 Update*****
All applications for support should now be submitted via the Hardship Fund process above.

The Part-Time Fee Grant (PTFG) is administered by SAAS (Student Awards Agency for Scotland) and provides help each year towards the cost of tuition fees for part-time Undergraduate students studying 30-119 credits at a Scottish institution.

How to apply

An application only counts towards a year of the course. You must apply annually and submit a new application for each year of study.

1. Download an application form from the SAAS website
   
2. Complete enrolment on all courses for the full academic year via MyCampus.
   Select SAAS as your sponsor and confirm how much of your fees you would like SAAS to pay via the Part Time Fee Grant.  You will then be able to complete registration.
   
   
3. Complete SAAS PTFG application form
   
   If you are changing from full-time to part-time please cancel any full-time SAAS application before beginning the Part-Time Fee Grant application process.
   
   
4. Submit completed SAAS PTFG application form via Part Time Fee Grant Mailbox on level 2 of the Fraser Building (left hand side of the corridor, opposite the student PCs) or by post:
   
   University of Glasgow
   Financial Aid; Registry,
   Fraser Building; Level 2,
   65 Hillhead Street; G12 8QQ
   
   Do not submit your application form unless you have enrolled on all courses for the full academic year and completed your application form.
   
   University of Glasgow will verify the number of credits you are enrolled for by checking your MyCampus record and endorse your application form via official stamp.
   
   You will be contacted within 5 working days via student email when your application is ready for collection. If you require your application form to be returned to you by post, please provide a stamped addressed envelope.
   
   If you enrol on further credits at a later date you may become personally liable for additional tuition fees.  Please notify reg.finaid@glasgow.ac.uk if you add credits before your form has been endorsed or parttimefeegrant@scotland.gsi.gov.uk if you do so after your application has been submitted to SAAS.
   
   If you have not been contacted within 5 days of submitting your form, Telephone: + 44 (0)141 330 8778/2216 or Email: reg.finaid@glasgow.ac.uk.
   
   
5. Collect your endorsed application form from the Student Services Enquiry Team (level 2 of the Fraser Building).
   
   
6. Check the number of credits on your stamped form is correct and match the funding you require.
   
   
7. Submit application to SAAS along with all required supporting documents.
   
   You should collect your application form and submit your full application to SAAS immediately after the form has been endorsed.
   
   The University of Glasgow will not submit your application form direct to SAAS on your behalf.
   
   
8. If you have not received your Award Notice within 28 days please contact SAAS immediately:  0300 300 3137 or parttimefeegrant@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
   
   
9. If award confirmation not received from SAAS by end of November 2019, notify finance-student@glasgow.ac.uk to explain why funding not confirmed.
   
   
10. Successful applicants will receive an Award Notice confirming the fee amount covered by SAAS.
    
    
11. The SAAS deadline for applications is 6 months from the start of your course however you should submit your application to the Financial Aid Team as soon as possible after your course begins and you have completed full enrolment for the year.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

If you are studying courses with Centre for Open Studies you should submit your application form to the Information Office in St Andrews Building and contact the Centre for Open Studies for full information on their application process:

Centre for Open Studies
Telephone: +44 (0)141 330 1835
Email: openstudies-enquiry@glasgow.ac.uk

It is strongly recommended you submit your application form to both the University of Glasgow and then SAAS as a matter of urgency.

The University of Glasgow will pursue any outstanding fees immediately if SAAS funding is not awarded by the end of December.  The University of Glasgow will only pursue students for fees, not SAAS.

If SAAS decline your application for any reason, you will be liable for the full costs of any outstanding tuition fees.

If you are changing from full-time to part-time please cancel any full-time SAAS application before beginning the Part-Time Fee Grant application process.

If you have any questions regarding your application, please contact SAAS directly on 0300 300 3137 or parttimefeegrant@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

What are my tuition fees?	You can check your tuition by logging into your MyGlasgow account. Further information on tuition fees for RUK students is available here.
Am I eligible for any additional funding as well as my Student Loan?	If you agree to share details of your household income with the University of Glasgow (answer "yes" on your Student Loan application) you will automatically be considered for the RUK Access Bursary. If you are an undergraduate student, your admissions application will be used to assess you for the RUK Excellence Scholarship. The Scholarships Team will contact you direct if you are awarded either of these funds.
How do I get paid?	Sign and return your loan paperwork to Student Finance/SAAS. Enter your Student Support Number (13 characters) from your loan paperwork on MyCampus when completing registration. Complete registration on MyCampus. The University of Glasgow will confirm your registration to the SLC, who will release your maintenance loan.
When will I be paid?	Provisional payment dates will be listed on your loan paperwork however before you can receive payment you must complete registration on MyCampus. After you complete registration on MyCampus it can take approximately 8 working days for your payment to reach you.  Subsequent payments should reach you closer to the dates listed on your loan paperwork.
What happens if I apply for my loans late?	You will still receive your full loan entitlement for the year, but your first payment will most likely be late. If you apply late you will be personally liable for tuition fees until your Tuition Fee Loan is approved.
My maintenance loan payments are incorrect.	Contact Student Finance or SAAS.
I am repeating a year of study, what do I do?	Create a support call via your MyGlasgow page providing as much detail as possible and assign to the Financial Aid team within the Registry. The Financial Aid team will then submit a Change of Circumstance request on the SLC system to update your loans. If you are repeating on an Exams Only basis you are not eligible for Student Loans. If you are repeating on a part time basis you may not be entitled to Student Loans, depending on the circumstances.  For example, if you are only enrolled on semester 2 courses you may only be eligible for loans for that part of the year.
Student Finance has told me the University needs to submit a Change of Circumstances.	Create a support call via your MyGlasgow page providing as much detail as possible and assign to the Financial Aid team within the Registry.
The University has contacted me regarding a tuition fee debt but I have a fee loan from the SLC.	Make sure your 13 character Student Support Number is recorded on MyCampus. Check your loan paperwork and MyCampus fees to ensure you have loans for the full fee. Create a support call via your MyGlasgow page providing as much detail as possible and assign to the Financial Aid team within the Registry.
The University is charging fees for my final year but my course on the Student Loans system doesn't allow me to take out a fee loan.	Please contact the financial aid team, who should be able to create and assign you to a course which includes fee loans for your final year. This situation can occur when you have already benefitted from a 'free' year, where no tuition fees were charged by the University e.g. a Study Abroad year.  When this happens, you will be charged a fee for your final year (excluding 5 year language degrees which do not charge fees for the year abroad or the final year).
How do I confirm my Study Abroad arrangements with Student Finance?	Please indicate on your loan application that you will be abroad and provide date/location details. Student Finance should then issue you with a Course Abroad Form (CAB1), which can be signed off by the University of Glasgow team organising your period abroad (normally the Study Abroad Team or your College/School Office).  Completed CAB1 should then be submitted to Student Finance. Study Abroad may entitle you to additional funding or early loan payments; please liaise with Student Finance for further information.
I was supposed to be overseas for the full year but have returned early.	Please notify your course admin contact, Financial Aid team and MRIO Go Abroad team via email. Please note your fees for the year will increase if you return early however these can normally be covered by an SLC tuition fee loan if you notify the financial aid team.
I want to withdraw from my studies.	Please liaise with your advisor of studies and course admin contact and submit a formal withdrawal request. Please consult the refund policy for information on your tuition fee liability in event of a withdrawal from studies.
I am transferring to the University of Glasgow from another University.	Make sure your 13 character Student Support Number is recorded on MyCampus.  Create a support call via your MyGlasgow page asking for a Transfer In Change of Circumstances to be submitted to the SLC.  Assign to the Financial Aid team within the Registry.
I am transferring to another University and leaving the University of Glasgow.	Please follow the withdrawal process as above and ask your new University to submit a Transfer In Change of Circumstance via the SLC portal.

When creating a support call via MyGlasgow please include your name, student number and SLC student support number (13 characters).

Dental students at the University of Glasgow can apply for a grant of £4,000 a year from second year onwards to help with the cost of their studies. This is called the Dental Student Support Grant (DSSG).

Full information including the application form is available on the Scottish Government's webpages.

The application deadline for 2019/20 is Friday 20th December 2019 however an early application is recommended.

Students awarded DSSG will receive two instalments of £2000, at the end of September and the end of January (will differ if you apply late), paid direct via Financial Aid on MyCampus.  Any students awarded DSSG must ensure they enter UK bank details in MyCampus.

If you are due to receive payments via MyCampus Financial Aid from the University of Glasgow, you should enter UK bank details in MyCampus (pdf).

If you do not enter UK bank details on to your MyCampus account, payments will be delayed.  Please see the Student Stipend Calendar for further information.

Eligibility

In order to apply for a grant from the Nursing & Midwifery Discretionary Fund you must:

• Be a full-time or part-time (studying 60 credits or more) UK Resident student studying for a pre-registration Nursing/Midwifery University of Glasgow degree.
  and
• Be in receipt of your full bursary entitlement.

Available funds are limited and we advise applicants to submit completed applications as soon as possible after the start of the academic year.

It is difficult to say in advance the amount of grant that will be awarded however any amount awarded is unlikely to meet all needs and is not intended to be a student's primary source of income.

Discretionary Fund

Accommodation Costs

Grants for accommodation costs will only be made to you if you are living in:

• Your own home,
• Accommodation rented from a private landlord,
• A Council/Housing Association,
• Accommodation sub-leased from the University, or
• The University residences.

Support will not be provided for particularly low accommodation costs.

Disability

You may be eligible if you have additional costs arising from a disability which you are not already in receipt of financial support for e.g. DSA.

Mature/Independent Student Premium

You may be eligible to receive an additional premium from the fund if:

• You are 25 or over on the first day of the current academic year of your course, or
• You are under 25 but have been granted independent status by your funding agency and are experiencing hardship

You will not be considered as a mature student if you receive any Young Students Bursaries or allowances.

Dependant Child(ren)/Registered Childcare

Students with dependant child(ren) or who have dependant child(ren) who are in registered childcare but cannot access the Childcare Fund.  Grants can be made towards registered or formal childcare costs which are not covered from ANY other source.  Students will be expected to have applied for the childcare element of Tax Credits if eligible.  Students should also have applied for the NHS Dependants’ Allowance, Single Parents Allowance and Childcare Allowance for Parents, if eligible.

Additional eligibility information

Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) provides Discretionary Funds to institutions. Guidelines issued by SAAS suggest that where a student is eligible to take out an NHS Bursary 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 Nursing & Midwifery Discretionary Fund.

Any student eligible to apply for a bursary will therefore be required to produce documentary proof of their full bursary 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?

• Students not registered and studying for a pre-registration Nursing & Midwifery degree at the University of Glasgow.
• 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 NHS Bursary entitlement (if eligible)

Students registered under a non-standard Form of Study are not eligible to apply for the Funds:

• Dissertation Extension
• Erasmus Incoming
• Exchange In
• Exams Only
• Reassessment of Dissertation
• Sabbatical
• Visiting In

How to apply

Complete the application form below and submit along with ALL relevant documentary evidence to Registry, Financial Aid Team on Level 2 of the Fraser Building for processing. It normally takes up to 4 weeks to process acompleted application.  During busy periods e.g start of academic year application processing times may be longer.

Nursing & Midwifery Discretionary Fund Application Form

Changes of financial circumstance

If 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.

How to request a review

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

Request a review of your application in writing, clearly stating the grounds for review 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.

The Financial Aid Team will pay annual membership fees for students who are asylum seekers and students granted leave under the ten years route to settlement without access to SAAS funding.

Eligible students requiring support should email the Financial Aid Team from their student email account to request support.

"...thanks so much for your help. You do so much to go above and beyond for all us American students and we couldn't manage to be here without you."

"I am not sure if I will see you again on campus, but I wanted to say one last time that I really appreciate the assistance you gave me. My financial experience at my old university was horrific. I have been more than satisfied with how smoothly this has gone, especially considering how difficult the U.S. government can be. I wish you the best with everything and hopefully I'll possibly see you around again at graduation."

"Thank you so much for assessing my claim - this is such fantastic news I find it difficult to express my elation. The award of the fund greatly alleviates stress relating to my current financial situation.  Without the fund I would have found it pretty much impossible to complete the PGDE programme, and I am immensely grateful to the University and yourself for the assistance in this matter."

"Thank you so much! I really, really appreciate it!  Over the past year, I have felt extremely worried about my debt and how I'd be able to pay it back, but this fund will save me a lot of stress and I'l be able to cut down hours at my job to really focus on my degree!"

"Thank you very much! This fund has been a lifesaver for me over the last few years and I really appreciate all of the help.  Thank you again."

"The Financial Aid team has been extremely helpful in my experience. Not only were they able to help financially, but I was also lucky enough to be able to sit down and discuss my situation with a member of the team. This meeting was extremely helpful and provided me with a great deal of clarity regarding my financial situation. The application was straightforward and the Financial Aid team were able to answer any questions I had. The fund offers students with needed help that is unavailable elsewhere and the help I received has reduced a substantial amount of stress.
I would like to thank all of the Financial Aid team, the work you do is integral for some students to get by. I am extremely grateful for the help you were able to provide and wish you all the best."

The Financial Aid Team are responsible for the management and administration of approximately £37 million of funds each year that are provided to University of Glasgow students from a variety of sources including the UK Government and United States Department of Education.  Student Financial Aid is a small team comprising of five members of staff working a mixture of full-time and part-time hours within the University of Glasgow Registry.

As well as administering the funds detailed below the team also manage the weekly and monthly BACS run processes, which facilitates payments to funded students via the MyCampus system.  A typical monthly BACS run provides over £2.1 million of funding to University of Glasgow students.

The funds available via the Financial Aid Team are intended to benefit as many of our eligible students as possible and allow them to complete their studies at the University of Glasgow.  Each academic session, the Financial Aid team organises the provision of financial support and funding to over 4,000 students.

Historical Hardship Fund and Discretionary Fund figures.

Full information on funding available via the Financial Aid Team is detailed below and our contact details are listed above, should you have any enquiries.

Alan McConnell (Financial Aid Manager) December 2018 interview with Ann Luk, for the PGR Blog.