Hardship Fund (Leeds Beckett University)

What the Hardship Fund gives you

You get a one-off grant that you never have to pay back. It helps cover essential costs so you can stay on your course when money runs short. There is no fixed amount. The university works it out for you by comparing your income against your essential outgoings, using a standard student-money formula. It tops up your costs rather than replacing your main funding, and you can apply once per academic year. One special case is fixed: if you are pregnant for the first time, you get a flat award of about 585 EUR (500 GBP). Leeds Beckett University runs the fund for its own students.

Who can apply

• University: You are enrolled at Leeds Beckett University.
• Level: Undergraduate or postgraduate, on campus or by distance learning.
• Study load: Full time, or part time at 50% or more of a full-time course. If a disability stops you reaching 50%, then 25% is enough.
• Financial need: You are in real financial difficulty. Regular spending on non-essentials (nights out, taxis, takeaways, gambling) can count against you.
• Other funding used up: You have already claimed everything else available to you, including your full government student loan.
• Postgraduates: You can show you made sensible plans to cover your tuition and living costs.
• International students: You can apply only in exceptional cases.
• Priority: You get priority if you have children (especially as a single parent), are a carer, have a disability, are care-experienced or homeless, are a finalist on a reduced student loan, or are estranged from your family and aged 25 or under.

How to apply

You apply online through the university's MyHub portal and attach evidence as PDFs, such as bank statements and your student finance letter. For 2025/26 the fund opens on 24 September 2025. It closes on 20 April 2026 for finalists and 18 May 2026 for continuing students. Assessment takes around four weeks.

How realistic are your chances?

This is not a contest you win against others. It is a needs test. If you are genuinely short of money and have already used your full student loan and other funding, you have a good chance of getting help. Clear evidence makes your case stronger. Bank statements showing regular spending on non-essentials weaken it, because assessors read this as a sign you are not truly in hardship.