The City Hardship Fund

To be considered for a grant, students need to be financially assessed. The maximum grant value is £1,500 and for priority* students £2,500 (grants do not need to be repaid). Where students are experiencing a temporary shortfall in funding a loan maybe provided, the maximum loan value is £500 (the loan must be repaid). Funds can be provided towards travel, accommodation, course materials, childcare and general living costs.

* Students from low household incomes (£25,000 or less), students with a disability or health condition in receipt of Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) or a welfare benefit related to a disability or health condition (e.g. Personal Independence Payment/PIP), students with dependent children, carers, care leavers, estranged students and undergraduate in their final year.

Students must meet all of the eligibility criteria below:

• Enrolled full-time or part-time (minimum 50% of a full-time equivalent course) on foundation, undergraduate, masters or research course at City St George’s Northampton Square campus or Urdang.
• Students must be in receipt of all eligible sources of funding before applying to the City Hardship Fund, including maximum entitlement to the means tested maintenance loan* and allowances from Student Finance England, NHS training grant, Welfare Benefits (e.g. Universal Credit) where eligible. Applicants must have normally received their first instalment of student finance and shared their Student Finance England assessed household income with City St George’s.
• Students must be up to date with their tuition fee payments and be able to demonstrate how they planned to pay their tuition fees and living costs.

*Except for religious reasons - students’ interpretation of Islamic Sharia law or other faiths where usury is prohibited. The maximum means tested SFE maintenance loan (based on students’ household income as assessed by SFE) will be used as income in the financial assessment. In these cases, students are not required to take the loan. The University Iman can provide further advice about Islamic Sharia law and Sharia compliant finance.

Please note: students studying at City St George’s Tooting Campus, INTO and short courses are not eligible.

Students can only apply once during each academic year.

A) Information about student income – submit all that apply to you

Student finance notification letter 2024/25

Purpose: To determine if the maximum means-tested student finance has been requested.

NHS learning support fund letter 2024/25

Purpose: To assess if the maximum NHS funding has been requested.

Studentship or scholarship letter 2024/25

Purpose: To confirm whether funding has been secured for tuition fees and/or living costs.

The most recent three months bank statements for all your bank accounts and investments
This includes current, student, savings accounts, ISAs, investments, cryptocurrencies, and trusts. Please explain any transactions over £100.

PDF copies can usually be downloaded from your online account (Excel spreadsheets are not acceptable).

Purpose:
a) To assess immediate funds available.
b) To check for any undeclared income.
c) To evaluate the impact of student lifestyle choices on financial health (e.g., gambling, luxury purchases).

Recent welfare benefit entitlement letter (for students with dependent children only)

Purpose: To confirm whether welfare benefits, such as Universal Credit, are being received.

Letter from Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) or welfare benefits related to disability or health condition

Purpose: To confirm if funding has been provided for a disability and/or health condition (e.g., Personal Independence Payment, PIP).

Partner/spouse income for three months – pay slips or bank statements

Purpose: To estimate your partner/spouse’s net income, which will be factored into the financial assessment.

Three months pay slips (for part-time, placement, secondment, and modular students only)

Purpose: To estimate the student's net income.

B) Evidence of expenses – submit all that apply to you

Rental agreement, mortgage statement, or letter from parent(s)/guardian(s) confirming contribution towards accommodation

Purpose: To determine accommodation costs.

Childcare costs (e.g., invoice)

Purpose: To assess childcare expenses.

Weekly travel costs for term-time address outside London

Purpose: To calculate travel costs from outside London. Highlight relevant costs on bank statements.

Health costs (e.g., optical bill, dental invoice, prescription)

Purpose: To evaluate health-related expenses.

Priority bills (e.g., rent arrears, overdue utility bill)

Purpose: To assess priority bill repayments. Students are expected to contact the debtor and arrange a repayment plan.

Applications will open from Monday 30 September 2024.

1. Complete all sections on the City Hardship Fund application form and upload all required supporting information that applies to you.
2. If applications are incomplete, we will email you and ask you to submit the outstanding information. Your application will not be assessed until the outstanding information is received.
3. Complete applications will normally be assessed within 4 weeks. Applications are assessed in order of receipt.
4. Students will be notified of the outcome via their City St George’s email address.