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Hardship Funds

There are resources available to help all students who experience a financial shortfall whilst at University. The Colleges and the University are very sympathetic to the increasing costs that everyone faces. There are however, some basic rules that apply to all funding streams. If you would like to discuss your application for any of these funds, or you wish to discuss your financial situation in general, you can contact Lynn Wilkinson in the Academic Office.

• If you are a UK student, have you taken everything that is available to you from your LA and the Student Loans' Company?
• If you are an EU student, did you ensure that you would have sufficient funds to cover your maintenance costs before you came to Oxford?
• If you are an overseas student, did you ensure that you would have sufficient funds to cover all your costs before you came to Oxford?

These sorts of questions will be asked before you can apply for further assistance from the college or the university.

There are various funds to help students. Some are related to academic performance, or to help you with course costs, to help subsidise your current income, or to help you if something unexpected happens. The pages below detail the resources that are available and the conditions attached to the awards. There are also details of who you need to speak to and deadlines for applications.

• Access to Learning Funds
• University Hardship Fund
• College Hardship
• Other University Funding Schemes
• Childcare Funds
• Funding for students with Disabilities

Access to Learning Funds:

These are funds from the government, which are administered and distributed by the University from 2005-2006, but application forms are available in College from the Academic Office. Only students from the following groups are eligible for assistance from this fund.

• British students
• refugees, their spouses, children or step-children
• persons who have been informed by the Home Office that although they do not qualify as a refugee, they have been granted exceptional leave to enter or remain in the UK, their spouses, children or stepchildren
• European Economic Area (EEA) migrant workers, their spouses and children
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• spouses and children of members of the armed forces who have been abroad due to their spouses or parents serving outside the UK You should collect an application form for this fund from the Academic Office. Further details about this fund are detailed in the notes that accompany the form.

University Hardship Fund:

Please note that this is different from the Access to Learning Funds.

The specific remit of the University Hardship Fund is to provide for unforeseen financial difficulties experienced by students. This means that a student's financial circumstances will need to have unexpectedly changed for the student to be eligible to apply.

Any undergraduate or graduate student from any country is entitled to apply for assistance from the University Hardship Fund, as long as the criterion of unforeseen financial difficulty is met. Before applying to the University Hardship Fund you are expected to apply to the Access to Learning Fund (if eligible) and College hardship funds. The University administers the hardship fund but application forms are available from the Academic Office.

College Hardship

This is primarily to cover hardship not covered by the Access to Learning or University funds or to supplement their sources. There are limited funds available. Overseas students may apply. You should collect an application form from the Academic Office.

Other University funding schemes

Details of other University funding schemes may be found on the University's website - from the home page, click on 'current students', then go to the section on 'fees and funding'. Alternatively these details may be found in the supplement to the University Gazette entitled 'Notices of University scholarships, fellowships, studentships, exhibitions, grants and prizes', issued in October/November.

Childcare funds

Home students should apply through the Access to Learning Fund for childcare provision costs.

1. Childcare Relief Fund. All matriculated full time students are eligible to apply to this fund, in cases of unforeseen changes of circumstances, which place the student in financial hardship. It is a means tested emergency fund to assist students for up to six months for the cost of childcare only. The fund is administered by the Student Funding Office, but application forms will be available through college from the Academic Office.
2. Childcare Grant. This is funding provided by the government and students apply through their LA. This is for childcare provision costs for full time students with dependent children in registered or approved childcare. It is based on actual childcare costs and is means tested.
3. Parents' Learning Allowance. This is for course-related costs for full time students with dependent children. It is means tested and students apply through their LA.
4. Child Tax Credits. For students this replaces Dependants Grant for children. It is means tested on income and circumstances (Inland Revenue). You don't have to be working to claim it. See www.dfes.gov.uk and www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk/taxcredits

Funding for students with disabilities

There are three different sources of funding for students with disabilities and enquiries are handled through the Equal Opportunities department in the University.

1. Disabled Student's Allowance. DSAs are available to all British ("home") students. They are not means-tested and the assistance does not have to be repaid. Applications are made through the student's LA and further details can be found at www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/disab/funding.shtml
2. The Southern Trust Fund for Students with Disabilities. This is a fund administered by the university to help UK students who incur costs as a result of their disability. Students should demonstrate that they have received a DSA and that the college is willing to help with some of the costs. For more information see www.admin.ox.ac.uk/eop/disab/funding.shtml
3. The Dyslexia Fund. Students can now apply to one source, centrally, to cover the costs of their dyslexic assessment. See website above.