Undergraduate Financial Assistance Fund

What the fund gives you

You get a one-off grant of up to about EUR 3,500 (£3,000) per academic year if you hit an unexpected money problem during your degree. It is a grant, not a loan, so you do not pay it back. The money comes from the University of Cambridge, which runs the fund to help students who cannot cover a sudden shortfall on their own.

Who can apply

• Where you study: You are a full-time undergraduate at the University of Cambridge.
• Nationality: Any nationality can apply, both UK (Home) and international (Overseas) students.
• Field of study: All undergraduate subjects.
• Financial need: You have an unexpected shortfall you can show with evidence. You must have already used your other funding options first.
• Savings limit: Your savings are below about EUR 1,170 (£1,000). If you have more and it would cover the gap, you cannot apply.
• Living costs: Your yearly living costs stay within the university's guide figure of about EUR 13,300 (£11,393) for 2025/26, unless you can justify higher costs.
• Active studies: You are studying now, not on intermission (a break from your course). You can apply during a year abroad, but extra conditions apply.
• Priority cases: Care leavers, homeless students and refugees in financial need may be given priority.

How to apply

First talk to your College Tutor. You must do this before you apply. Then fill in the online form and explain your financial difficulty, your income and your costs. There is no deadline and the form is open all year. Apply as early as you can, because the fund is limited.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a safety-net grant, not an open scholarship. It goes only to students who can clearly show a genuine, unexpected shortfall after using every other funding source. If you meet the savings and living-cost limits and can document a real gap, your case is strong. The fund is limited and gets many applications, so a clear, well-evidenced application and applying early both help.