Registry

Email reg.finaid@glasgow.ac.uk from your University of Glasgow email address.

Email Subject: PCR Test Reimbursement.

Attach a copy of your PCR Test booking confirmation or receipt.  The document you attach must clearly show the cost for your PCR Test.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION, PLEASE READ IN FULL

The Hardship Fund is emergency fund for students experiencing unforeseen short-term financial difficulty.  Our focus is to assist students who are in immediate unexpected hardship and not in anticipated hardship.  We assess students bank statements, if we find that you have access to funds and your bank account is showing a credit balance, we may be unable to assist you, this is to ensure we can provide support for those in immediate unexpected hardship

UK students are not eligible unless invited to apply by a member of the Financial Aid Team.  UK students should always apply for the Discretionary & Childcare Funds in the first instance.

If you currently have savings available, you should not apply for Hardship Fund until they have been spent.

We are determined to help as many students facing unforeseen emergency situations as possible, however this must be balanced with available funds.

Please note you may not be awarded the total amount requested, and that not all applications are successful.  The University of Glasgow is unable to meet all costs, fully cover the deficit between income and expenditure or compensate for loss of earnings.

We cannot provide any support towards tuition fees.

Unfortunately, the Hardship Fund does not provide scholarship funding and cannot enable students to embark on a course of study.  We recommend that students make adequate arrangements to fund their studies, as the Hardship Fund can only provide limited support.

If you are unable to fund your studies for the year you should discuss this with your local advisory team, or the International Student Support Team where applicable.

Students registered on full degree programmes who are experiencing short-term financial difficulties due to unforeseen circumstances are eligible to request emergency support towards:

• Short-term basic living costs, which cannot be met due to an unforeseen emergency
• Unforeseen short-term accommodation costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Unforeseen short-term subsistence costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Unforeseen one-off technology costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Unforeseen one-off travel costs relating to the COVID-19 pandemic

The following students are ineligible for support:

• Students with funds already available to them (£500+ across all bank accounts)
• Students with access to savings or other investments.
• Students from external organisations (GSA, GIC, SRUC)
• Students on exchange from other institutions
• Students studying on non-degree level programmes (PG Certificates and Diplomas are eligible)

We are unable to support the following requests:

• 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
• 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 under exceptional circumstances.

Students in the early stages of their degree and students studying one-year degrees (Masters etc.) are not expected to approach the fund.

Students are expected to have adequate financial provision in place to fully fund a one-year degree.  Under exceptional circumstances, applications from students studying one-year degrees may be considered during the final stages of the degree.

HOW TO APPLY

You should be able to complete the application form when it is opened via Google Chrome, Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge.  The application form is not compatible with Firefox.

If you have any problems opening and completing this application form, you may require Adobe Reader or similar software.  Adobe Reader DC is available to download for free:  https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

If you are having issues with check/tick boxes on Adobe, please read:  Student Guidance for Adobe

There are various online tools to assist with converting documents to PDF e.g. www.ilovepdf.com 

There are various online tools to reduce file size, if you are having difficulty attaching to an email e.g. https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html

Hardship Fund Application Form

Please answer all questions and submit your application form and all supporting documents as separate PDF attachments in a single email from your student email account to:  hardshipfund@glasgow.ac.uk 

Please read the Hardship Fund Supporting Document Checklist before applying.

Bank statements supplied in support of an application should be clearly annotated to highlight income and expenditure - Example Bank Statement (with notes)

Applications will not be processed if they:

• are not submitted as PDFs
• are missing documents or documents are not labelled
• include individual documents as multiple files (e.g. bank statement as 5 separate files)
• are sent from personal email accounts
• are sent over multiple emails

Please take the time to read all guidelines below, before applying.  

If you have lower outgoings due to remaining in the family home at the start of term, this will affect the assessment of your application.  If you will be moving to Glasgow later in the year, we would recommend you apply for support then, when you can demonstrate higher outgoings.

If you are still in the family home but can clearly demonstrate financial difficulty, please apply now.

If you are due to commence a degree in November or January, you will not be able to apply until your course begins.

How to Apply

You should be able to complete the application form when it is opened via Google Chrome, Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge.  The application form is not compatible with Firefox.

If you have any problems opening and completing the application form, you may require Adobe Reader or similar software.  Adobe Reader DC is available to download for free:  https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

If you are having issues with check/tick boxes on Adobe, please read:  Student Guidance for Adobe

Discretionary and Childcare Fund Application Form

1. Check you are eligible to apply (see above)
2. Ensure you have completed registration; we cannot consider applicants who have not completed this process. 
3. Collate all Supporting Documents as individual PDFs.
4. Complete Discretionary & Childcare Fund Application Form (answer all questions and complete Personal Statement).
5. Sign Student Declaration and Privacy Notice (see application form).
6. Submit application.

Emailed applications must contain:

• Single PDF containing your application form.
• Separate PDFs containing each supporting document, clearly labelled
  g. 1 Current Account Transactions PDF, 1 Savings Account PDF, 1 Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma PDF, 1 SAAS Award Letter PDF etc.

Please do not include any further information on your application e-mail. Only your attached and labelled PDFs will be assessed.  Any additional information should be included on the Personal Statement of your application form.

Please do not provide documents as zip files, or shared documents.

Applications must be submitted as a single email from your University of Glasgow e-mail account, to the relevant email address:

Discretionary Fund Applications:                     discretionaryfund@glasgow.ac.uk
Childcare Fund Applications:                            childcarefund@glasgow.ac.uk
Combined Applications:                                    childcarefund@glasgow.ac.uk

The following applications will not be processed:

• Applications not submitted as PDFs.
• Applications with missing supporting documents.
• Applications without clearly labelled attachments.
• Applications with individual documents attached as multiple files e.g. bank statement as 3 attachments instead of 1 PDF
• Applications from personal email accounts
• Applications sent over multiple emails.

There are various online tools to assist with converting documents to PDF e.g. www.ilovepdf.com 

There are various online tools to reduce file size, if you are having difficulty attaching to an email e.g. https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html

Eligibility

In order to apply for the Discretionary Fund, you must:

• Be a UK domiciled student.
• Be in receipt of Student Loans (if eligible).
• Be studying at undergraduate degree level or above.
  (Short Courses, Upskilling and undergraduate certificate students are not eligible)
• Be fully registered for the current academic year, at undergraduate degree level or above.
  (Short Courses, Upskilling and undergraduate certificate students are not 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, you should apply directly to SF for childcare funding).
• Be in receipt of Student Loans (if eligible).
• Be studying at undergraduate degree level or above
  (Short Courses, Upskilling and undergraduate certificate students are not eligible)
• Be fully registered for the current academic year, at undergraduate degree level or above
  (Short Courses, Upskilling and undergraduate certificate students are not 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 and EU students
  (excluding EU students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK prior to starting their course and who are in receipt of Student Loans if eligible).
• Students studying below undergraduate degree level, such as Short Courses and undergraduate certificate students.
• Students studying an Upskilling course.
• Students who have not taken out Student Loans (if eligible).
• Students who are in receipt of an NHS Bursary (Nursing and Midwifery students).  Please refer to 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.

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

Important 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.

Please clarify your reasons for applying on the Personal Statement section of your application.  The Personal Statement is an important part of the application and assessment processes.

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

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

It is your personal responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Team ASAP of any changes to registered childcare arrangements. Any changes can result in over/underpayment therefore you must inform the team ASAP so that future payments can be corrected. 

Childcare 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. If you experience difficulties with payments e.g. you have missed a payment, you are advised to contact the Financial Aid team to discuss your situation as soon as possible.

Long-term awards are normally payable in monthly instalments until the end of May, or earlier if your course ends before then.

Short-term awards will normally be paid as a one-off non-repayable grant.

Postgraduate students will normally receive a larger payment in May, to cover the summer period.  The fund is unable to pay instalments beyond the month of May.

Any student eligible to apply for a Student Loan is required to provide documentary proof of their entitlement when applying. It will 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?

Please note the Discretionary Fund cannot assist directly with a laptop purchase.  If you cannot afford a laptop you will be expected to demonstrate financial hardship via your Discretionary Fund application (or a previous application) before a laptop can be issued via the laptop loan scheme.

Accommodation Costs

Funds are not paid specifically for accommodation costs however this is recognised as legitimate expenditure, which has a direct impact on students' financial circumstances.

If you have lower outgoings due to remaining in the family home at the start of term, this will affect the assessment of your application.  If you will be moving to Glasgow later in the year, we would recommend you apply for support then, when you can demonstrate higher outgoings.

If you are still in the family home but can clearly demonstrate financial difficulty, please apply now.

Student Carers

Students who are carers may be awarded a grant in recognition of any extra costs associated with this status.  Please clarify your status as a Student Carer in the Personal Statement section of your application and attach any documentation which verifies your status. Please explain any additional costs resulting from your caring responsibilities on the Personal Statement section of your application.

Parental responsibilities do not constitute Student Carer status (unless for a disabled child), nor do caring responsibilities as part of a voluntary placement or where payment is received.

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.

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.

Registered/Formal Childcare Costs

Students who do not meet the criteria for the Childcare fund can still access support for registered childcare costs from the Discretionary fund. 

Grants can be made towards registered or formal childcare costs which are not covered from any other source. 

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

We cannot consider any childcare costs incurred by you before the start of your academic year 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.

Childcare Fund - What support is available?

Registered/Formal Childcare Costs

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 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) may be awarded to lone parents who have formal registered childcare expenses while studying.

If you are unsure what support may be available to you, please contact the Financial Aid Team with any questions.

Supporting Documents

All required supporting documents must be included with your application.

Supporting Documents Checklist and Guide

Example Bank Statement (with notes)

Example Supporting Documents

Registered Childcare Pro Forma

Completed Example - Registered Childcare Pro Forma

Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma

Completed Example - Debt and Other Expenditure Pro Forma

All supporting documents must be saved and attached to your application as separate, clearly labelled PDFs.  For example:

• 1 Current Account Transactions PDF
• 1 Savings Account PDF
• 1 Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma PDF
• 1 SAAS Award Letter etc.

Please do not submit any supporting document as multiple files e.g. individual bank statement pages as separate images.  Applications containing these will not be processed.

Applications with supporting documents missing or not meeting the detailed supporting documents requirements will not be processed.

Supporting documents sent separately from applications will be deleted, unless specifically requested by a member of the Financial Aid Team.

All students seeking assistance with childcare costs must complete the Registered Childcare Pro Forma and include it within their single PDF application.

All students who show debt repayments and expenditure which falls under the "Other" category must complete the Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma and include within single PDF application.

There are various online tools to assist with combining documents to a single PDF e.g. www.ilovepdf.com 

There are various online tools to reduce file size, if you are having difficulty attaching to an email e.g. https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html

It is strongly recommended that you take the time required to collate all supporting documents as separate, clearly labelled PDF files before applying.

Changes of financial circumstance

If your financial circumstances significantly change please contact 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 additional funds.

In the first instance, to request a reassessment, please email the Financial Aid Team with an update on the changes to your financial situaution along with copies of bank statements showing the last 30 days transactions for all your accounts. These must be attached to your email as PDF files. 

Email: discretionaryandchildcare@glasgow.ac.uk

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; please use the email address to which your original application was submitted.

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 application outcome confirmation. The review process can take up to 10 working days.

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.

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

If you are studying via Short Courses you should submit your application form to the Information Office in St Andrews Building and contact the Short Courses team for full information on their application process: shortcourses@glasgow.ac.uk.

How to Apply 

1. Complete MyCampus enrolment on all courses being taken in academic year 20-21.
2. Complete MyCampus financial registration by selecting SAAS Part Time Fee Grant as funder and how much Part Time Fee Grant funding you require.
3. Complete the online SAAS Part Time Fee Grant application (use your GUID and password to login after clicking this link)
   You are not required to complete the paper application form listed on the SAAS webpages.

After your online application has been submitted it will be processed by the Financial Aid Team, then passed to SAAS for final processing.

We will notify you when your application has been passed to SAAS, who will then contact you direct regarding the outcome of your application.

You can complete full registration on MyCampus while your funding application is pending.

Applications that have already been submitted via email will be processed in due course.

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.

Please submit applications via email only.

The application deadline for 2020/21 is Friday 11th December 2020 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 on MyCampus.

The Financial Aid Team will begin processing applications in September and will be in touch with applicants then.

Applications submitted by Thursday 17^th September will be processed in time for payment on Friday 25^th September.

Later applications will be processed within 5 working days however payment may take up to 3 weeks to be issued, due our banking system's schedule.

If you are due to receive payments via MyCampus Financial Aid from the University of Glasgow, you should Enter UK bank details on 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.

Please take the time to read all guidelines below, before applying.  

If you have lower outgoings due to remaining in the family home at the start of term, this will affect the assessment of your application.  If you will be moving to Glasgow later in the year, we would recommend you apply for support then, when you can demonstrate higher outgoings.

If you are still in the family home but can clearly demonstrate financial difficulty, please apply now.

Eligibility

In order to apply for the Discretionary Fund, you must:

• Be a UK domiciled student.
• Be in receipt of their maximum Student Loan entitlement (if eligible).
• Be studying the Bachelor of Nursing degree programme.
• Be fully registered for the current academic year.

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 and EU students
  (excluding EU students who have been ordinarily resident in the UK prior to starting their course and who are in receipt of Student Loans if eligible).
• Students not studying the Bachelor of Nursing degree programme.
• Students who have not taken out their maximum Student Loan 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

Important 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.

Please clarify your reasons for applying on the Personal Statement section of your application.  The Personal Statement is an important part of the application and assessment processes.

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

Awards will normally be paid as a one-off non-repayable grant.

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

What support is available?

Limited, one-off awards are available to students who can demonstrate clear financial hardship via thier application and supporting documents.

Supporting Documents

All required supporting documents must be included with your application.

Nursing and Midwifery Discretionary Fund Supporting Documents Guide

Example Bank Statement (with notes)

Example Supporting Documents

Debt and Other Expenditure Pro Forma (Nursing)

Completed Example - Debt and Other Expenditure Pro Forma

All supporting documents must be saved and attached to your application as separate, clearly labelled PDFs.  For example:

• 1 Current Account Transactions PDF
• 1 Savings Account PDF
• 1 Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma PDF
• 1 SAAS Award Letter etc.

Please do not submit any supporting document as multiple files e.g. individual bank statement pages as separate images.  Applications containing these will not be processed.

Applications with supporting documents missing or not meeting the detailed supporting documents requirements will not be processed.

Supporting documents sent separately from applications will be deleted, unless specifically requested by a member of the Financial Aid Team.

All students who show debt repayments and expenditure which falls under the "Other" category must complete the Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma and include within single PDF application.

There are various online tools to assist with combining documents to a single PDF e.g. www.ilovepdf.com 

There are various online tools to reduce file size, if you are having difficulty attaching to an email e.g. https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html

It is strongly recommended that you take the time required to collate all supporting documents as separate, clearly labelled PDF files before applying.

How to Apply

You should be able to complete the application form when it is opened via Google Chrome, Internet Explorer or Microsoft Edge.  The application form is not compatible with Firefox.

If you have any problems opening and completing the application form, you may require Adobe Reader or similar software.  Adobe Reader DC is available to download for free:  https://get.adobe.com/uk/reader/

Nursing and Midwifery Discretionary Fund Application Form

1. Check you are eligible to apply (see above)
2. Ensure you have completed registration; we cannot consider applicants who have not completed this process. 
3. Collate all supporting documents as individual PDFs.
4. Complete Nursing & Midwifery Discretionary Fund Application Form (answer all questions and complete Personal Statement).
5. Sign Student Declaration and Privacy Notice (see application form).
6. Submit application.

Emailed applications must contain:

• Single PDF containing your application form.
• Separate PDFs containing each supporting document, clearly labelled
  g. 1 Current Account Transactions PDF, 1 Savings Account PDF, 1 Debt & Other Expenditure Pro Forma PDF, 1 SAAS Award Letter PDF etc.

Please do not include any further information on your application e-mail. Only your attached and labelled PDFs will be assessed.  Any additional information should be included on the Personal Statement of your application form.

Applications must be submitted as a single email from your University of Glasgow e-mail account, to reg.finaid@glasgow.ac.uk 

The following applications will not be processed:

• Applications not submitted as PDFs.
• Applications with missing supporting documents.
• Applications without clearly labelled attachments.
• Applications with individual documents attached as multiple files e.g. bank statement as 3 attachments instead of 1 PDF
• Applications from personal email accounts
• Applications sent over multiple emails.

There are various online tools to assist with combining documents to a single PDF e.g. www.ilovepdf.com 

There are various online tools to reduce file size, if you are having difficulty attaching to an email e.g. https://www.adobe.com/uk/acrobat/online/compress-pdf.html

Changes of financial circumstance

If your financial circumstances significantly change please contact 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 additional 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 application outcome confirmation. The review process can take up to 10 working days.

The University of Glasgow Rent Guarantor Scheme has been developed to help students secure accommodation, which is otherwise unavailable, because a UK-based Rent Guarantor cannot be secured.

The Rent Guarantor Scheme will support up to 50 students per year and the University will act as Rent Guarantor for rent payable under Short Assured and Private Residential tenancies.

Important Note for Students

In the event of a successful application, landlords and accommodation providers are required to sign the University of Glasgow's Rent Guarantee Agreement (Provider).

The University of Glasgow cannot act as guarantor unless this document is signed and cannot enter an agreement on the basis of a document which has been drafted by a landlord or accommodation provider.

Students are advised to consult their prospective landlord or accommodation provider regarding this requirement before beginning an application.

Student Eligibility

The Rent Guarantor Scheme is available to the following students, registered on a full degree programme:

• Overseas students.
• EU students.
• UK students who are care leavers.
• UK students who are estranged from their family.
• Students with refugee or asylum seeker status.

Applicants to the Rent Guarantor Scheme must:

• Be able to demonstrate adequate financial provision to meet the cost of rent payments throughout the academic year.
• Have not defaulted on any debts to the University of Glasgow e.g. missed a tuition fee or accommodation payment instalment.
• Have satisfactory academic progress and be on course to progress to the next academic year (only applies to continuing students).
• Be able to demonstrate regular payments to current accommodation provider (only applies to continuing students with a current tenancy).

In the event of shared and multiple tenancies, the scheme will only support the individual applicant’s share of rent.  The scheme will only support full multiple tenancies if all tenants are eligible and invited to apply to the scheme individually.

Any guarantor application/agreement will become void in the event of a suspension, withdrawal or exclusion from studies.  The scheme will not cover students who fail to register or take up their accommodation.

Accommodation Eligibility

Independent Private Accommodation for which the following documents can be provided:

• HMO licence (if applicable)
• Energy Performance Certificate
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• Gas Safety Certificate

Purpose Built Student Accommodation (subject to gaining approved supplier status with the University of Glasgow).

What does the guarantee cover?

The guarantee covers rent only (not bills, damages etc.) up to a maximum of £150 per week/£650 per calendar month.

The University will cover rent for up to 12 months.

Application procedure

Eligible students can submit a Rent Guarantor Scheme Application Form via email.

When applying, students will be required to submit the following supporting documents:

For independent private accommodation:

• HMO licence (if applicable)
• Energy Performance Certificate
• Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)
• Gas Safety Certificate

For Purpose Built Student Accommodation providers, a letter on an official company letterhead containing:

• Bank Sort Code
• Bank Account Number
• Bank Name
• Branch Address
• E Mail Address
• VAT Registration Number
• Company Registration Number
• Company Registered Address
• Number of Employees

In the event of a successful application, students will be required to:

• Sign and return a Rent Guarantee Agreement (Student).
• Arrange for landlord or accommodation provider to sign and return a Rent Guarantee Agreement (Provider).
  Purpose Built Student Accommodation providers must also submit additional documentation to obtain approved supplier status with the University of Glasgow.
• Provide a signed copy of the lease agreement.

How does the scheme work?

Students are expected to pay rent directly to their landlord or accommodation provider as standard (not via a flatmate).  If a student is unable to pay rent they must notify the Financial Aid Team (reg.finaid@glasgow.ac.uk) immediately, explaining reason(s) for non-payment, amount due and the due date.  Landlords must also notify the Financial Aid Team by e-mail if rent is in arrears.

The University of Glasgow expects landlords to approach students for rent payment before requesting payment from the University. The University also expects students to promptly approach the University if struggling to pay rent.

How do I repay rent to the University of Glasgow?

If the University of Glasgow is required to pay rent on a student’s behalf, debt will be added to the student’s University of Glasgow account and will be required to be paid within an agreed timeframe.

Who to contact

For further information about the Rent Guarantor Scheme please contact the Financial Aid Team - reg.finaid@glasgow.ac.uk.

In addition to the IT facilities and services available on campus, the University of Glasgow can also assist students who require a laptop for their studies.  Funding is available to help some students purchase IT equipment, while other students can request a laptop on a long-term loan basis from the University of Glasgow.

UK Students

If you require a laptop for your studies but cannot afford to purchase one at this time, please apply for the Discretionary Fund, which can assist with your living costs.  After applying for the Discretionary Fund, you can request a laptop via the University of Glasgow Laptop Loan Scheme.  You do not need to wait on the outcome of your Discretionary Fund application before requesting a laptop.

If you received funding from the Discretionary Fund or Hardship Fund in 2019/20, you can request a laptop direct via the University of Glasgow Laptop Loan Scheme immediately.  You are also encouraged to apply for the 2020/21 Discretionary Fund should you require further financial assistance.

Laptops are provided on a loan basis for the full academic year but should be returned before then if no longer required.

Please note the Discretionary Fund cannot assist directly with a laptop purchase.  If you cannot afford a laptop you will be expected to demonstrate financial hardship via your Discretionary Fund application (or a previous application) before a laptop can be issued via the laptop loan scheme.

EU and International Students

If you require a laptop for your studies but cannot afford to purchase one at this time, please apply to the Hardship Fund in the first instance.  The Hardship Fund can provide support towards IT costs of students who meet the fund’s eligibility criteria.

"...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.