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Discretionary Fund for UK students
Please note that, due to high numbers of applications received this semester, we are not accepting any further applications for the Discretionary Fund for academic session 2011/12.
**If you should find yourself facing unexpected financial difficulties during the remainder of this current session, please contact EUSA Advice Place staff for advice. Tel: 0131 650 9225/ 0800 206 2341**
Students enrolling for session 2012/13 will be able to apply to the Discretionary Fund at the start of the new academic year.
We understand that students can often find it hard to cope financially during their time at university.
Additional financial assistance is available from the Discretionary Fund which is provided by the Scottish Government for UK matriculated students.
Eligibility
You must be from Scotland, England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
To qualify, you must be able to demonstrate all of the following:
- You have applied for your full student loan entitlement and received your first instalment.
- You have already exhausted all other possible sources of funding such as the Student Loans Company, Professional and Career Development Loans, bank overdrafts and any other grants that may be available to you.
Applying
Please note that, due to high numbers of applications received this semester, we are not accepting any further applications for the Discretionary Fund for academic session 2011/12.
**If you should find yourself facing unexpected financial difficulties during the remainder of this current session, please contact EUSA Advice Place staff for advice.**
Students enrolling for session 2012/13 will be able to apply to the Discretionary Fund at the start of the new academic year.
A list of the documents we require is on the application form. Once you have completed your form, you can return it to the Advice Place where it will be checked to make sure you have completed it correctly, or alternatively, you can submit your application directly to the Scholarships and Student Funding Services. Please make sure that you have filled out the form fully and that you supply photocopies of all the required documentation otherwise this could delay your application being processed.
You must make sure that the documents you supply with your application are photocopies as there is no procedure for original documents to be returned to you.
Assessment of Application
Assessment normally takes about 15 working days, after which the administrators will write to you to inform you of their decision.
If your application is successful, it can take up to 10 working days for payments to be processed.
Payment of award
Awards are normally paid by BACS. You will be asked to provide the Finance Department with your bank details to allow the funds to be transferred directly to you. You can however ask for the payment to by made by cheque if this would suit you better.
Can I apply more than once?
Yes. You can apply as many times as you wish during the academic year. 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. The maximum you can receive from the Discretionary Funds in any given academic session is £3,500.
What if I disagree with the assessment of my application?
If you disagree with the decision reached you are entitled to request a review of your application. Reviews are handled by Scholarships and Financial Support staff.
Reviews should be requested in writing, clearly stating the grounds for appeal 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.
After you have received the outcome of your review, if you still disagree with our decision you may appeal in writing to Mr Robert Lawrie, Head of Scholarships and Student Funding Services, who is responsible for handling the final appeal. You should clearly indicate how you believe an incorrect decision has been made. The Head of Scholarships and Student Funding Services will review the case and inform the applicant of the decision in writing within seven working days.
EUSA Advice Place staff will be able to advise you as to whether or not you have sufficient grounds to request a review.
This article was published on Apr 17, 2012