University of Madeira - Emergency fund for students with financial problems

What the Emergency Support Fund covers

The Emergency Support Fund (Fundo de Apoio de Emergência, FAE) provides support to students at the University of Madeira (UMa) in Funchal, Portugal, who are experiencing financial difficulties. It is administered by the University’s Social Services (SASUMa) to prevent financial problems from forcing students to drop out of their studies. The support is paid directly to you and is available in three forms:

• Tuition grant: Covers your tuition fees, plus a supplement, up to a ceiling set by SASUMa. If you receive a national DGES grant that does not fully cover your tuition fees, the fund may cover the difference up to this ceiling.
• Accommodation grant: Covers all or part of your annual rent for a room in the university residence.
• One-off emergency aid: A one-off payment should you find yourself in serious financial difficulty during the academic year, subject to funds still being available.

You may continue to receive funding across several academic years within a degree cycle. The upper limit corresponds to the number of academic years in your degree programme plus 2 for a Bachelor’s degree programme, or plus 1 for a Master’s degree programme or a short, vocationally-oriented degree programme (CTESP). This time limit does not apply to one-off emergency financial assistance.

Who can apply

• University: You are enrolled at the University of Madeira.
• DGES scholarship link: You have applied for a national study grant from the Directorate-General for Higher Education (DGES) and your application was rejected, or you are the recipient of a DGES grant that does not cover your full tuition fees.
• Study load: You must be enrolled for at least 30 ECTS credits, unless you are in the final year of your degree.
• Results: You have passed at least 40% of the credit points you earned last year (30% if you were in your first year of study).
• Financial need: Your household income per person, as well as your household’s savings and assets, are below the thresholds set by SASUMa for the relevant year.
• No State debts: You have no outstanding tax or social security debts.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• CPLP students: If you are from a Portuguese-speaking country and are not eligible for the main fund, you can still apply for the one-off emergency grant.

How to apply

Please complete the application form on the ‘Social Engagement’ page of the SASUMa website. Send it, together with your supporting documents, by email as a single ZIP or RAR file. SASUMa sets a deadline for each academic year; for 2021–2022, this was 31 January 2022. There is no deadline for the one-off emergency grant, and you can apply for it at any time during the academic year.

Our guide Scholarships in Portugal brings together further funding options that may support you alongside or beyond this emergency fund.