The City, University of London Hardship Fund

Students can apply for a grant or loan, dependent on their current financial circumstances. To be considered for a grant students need to be financially assessed the maximum grant value is £1500 and for priority* students £2500 (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). Funding can be provided towards living costs and course materials only.

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

Students must meet all of the eligibility criteria below:

• Students on Foundation, Undergraduate, Masters or Research courses enrolled full-time or part-time (at least 50% of a full-time equivalent course) at City, University of London including Urdang undergraduates in Year 1 and 2.
• Students must be in receipt of all eligible sources of funding before applying to the City Hardship Fund, including maximum entitlement to 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 SFE assessed household income with City.
• Applicants need to demonstrate that they have made realistic provision to pay their tuition fees and living expenses and are up to date with their tuition fee payments.

Please note: INTO and short courses students are not eligible. Students can only apply once during each academic year.

A) Evidence of income – submit all that apply to you

• Three months bank statements for all your bank accounts and investment: savings accounts, ISAs, investments, crypto-currencies, trusts (excel spreadsheets are not acceptable) please explain all transactions over £100;
• Student Finance entitlement statement or letter for 2023/24;
• NHS Bursary entitlement letter 2023/24;
• Studentship or scholarship letter for 2023/24;
• Three months payslips (modular, part-time, placement or secondment students only);
• Partner/spouse income for three months e.g. payslips or bank statements;
• Recent Welfare Benefit entitlement letter e.g. Universal Credit;
• Letter from Disabled Students' Allowance (DSAs) or welfare benefit related to disability or health condition e.g. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - required to be assessed as student with a disability or health condition.

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

• Rent/tenancy agreement, mortgage statement or parental confirmation of contribution to rent/mortgage;
• Priority bills e.g. rent arrears, council tax arrears, overdue utility bills;
• Childcare costs;
• If your term-time address is outside London please highlight your weekly/monthly travel expenses on your bank statements;
• Other costs e.g. optical, dental, prescription;
• Council tax bill.

1. Register with Blackbullion and complete the ‘Spending snapshot’.
2. Complete all sections in the City Hardship Fund application form and upload all required evidence that applies to you. Incomplete applications will not be assessed until all the required evidence has been provided.
3. Applications are assessed in the order of receipt, normally within 4 weeks. We conduct a financial assessment and take into consideration personal circumstances.
4. You will be notified of the outcome via your City email address. If you are given a grant/loan we will pay you directly into your bank account, using the details you provide in your application form.