Financial Assistance Fund

Financial Assistance Fund (University of Gloucestershire)

You get a one-off cash grant that you never have to pay back. It helps when you hit money trouble during your studies. The University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham runs this emergency fund for its own students. There is no fixed amount. The sum is worked out from your personal income and outgoings, so it is not guaranteed until you send a full application. To show the scale, the fund paid out about EUR 115,000 (£100,000) in total across the 2024/25 academic year.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled on an undergraduate or postgraduate course at the University of Gloucestershire, on a university campus. Students at a partner (franchised) college cannot apply.
• Fee status: You are a 'Home' student (usually a UK resident), or an EU student who started their course before September 2021 and pays Home fees. International students, and EU students who started from September 2021, cannot apply.
• Student loan: You have already taken out your full Maintenance Loan (the government loan for living costs) for the current year.
• Financial need: You can show real financial hardship. The award is means tested, so it depends on your own income and expenses.

How to apply

You can only apply once you have enrolled and started your course. Log in to Student Records, open 'Bills, Funding and Finance', then 'Funding and Bursaries', and choose 'Apply for Financial Assistance Fund'. Upload your documents there. There is no interview and no deadline. The fund stays open through the academic year, and the university's team assesses your case within about 21 working days.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a hardship fund for enrolled Gloucestershire students, not a competition. If you meet the fee and loan conditions and can clearly document your financial difficulty, you have a fair chance of support. The amount is decided case by case, so a well-evidenced application showing your income and outgoings matters most. Apply as soon as trouble arises, since the total pot is limited.