Financial Assistance Fund (Leeds Financial Assistance Fund)

Financial Assistance Fund (University of Leeds)

You get a one-off grant you never have to pay back, worth up to 4,500 GBP per academic year (about 5,200 EUR). It helps cover essential living costs if you hit sudden money trouble during your studies. In 2022/23 the average award was around 1,510 GBP (about 1,750 EUR), so most people get well below the ceiling. The University of Leeds pays for the fund itself. The money is only for day-to-day living costs, not for tuition or exam fees, and it is not meant to be your main source of income.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are enrolled on a higher education course at the University of Leeds, including postgraduate researchers.
• Study mode: You study full-time or part-time, at undergraduate or postgraduate level.
• Nationality: Anyone can apply, including EU and international students.
• Where you live: You normally live in the UK. If you are abroad, you cannot apply, unless you are a UK-loan-funded undergraduate on a compulsory placement or term abroad.
• Financial need: You face genuine, unexpected money trouble and have already used every other source of support. That includes your savings, partner or joint accounts and any arranged overdraft.
• Timing: You can apply from the start date of your academic year. If you get a student loan, its first instalment must have reached your account first.

How to apply

You send an application with supporting documents to the Student Funding Team. They check whether there is a gap between your income and reasonable living costs. You can apply at any point in the academic year, usually once per year, and urgent cases can be assessed faster.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a merit contest but a hardship fund. What matters is whether you can clearly document a real gap between your income and living costs. If you meet the need test and have used up your other options, the odds are reasonable: 767 students were funded in 2022/23. Prepare thorough evidence, because the whole decision rests on it.