Hardship Fund 2017/18

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1 Hardship Fund 2017/18 Family name (please print): First name (please print): To be eligible you must be registered on a programme of study (including leave of absence or placement year). In addition you will be expected to have arranged appropriate funding: UK Undergraduates and PGCE students should have applied to SLC (see below) for finance UK Postgraduate Taught students should have applied for a SLC Postgraduate Loan or Professional Career Development Loan. All International and EU students should have made reasonable provision to fund their fees and living costs Postgraduate Research students should have made reasonable provision to fund their fees and living costs Further Education students should have made reasonable provision to cover any fees and living costs SLC: Student Loans Company which includes Student Finance England SFE, Student Finance Wales SFW, Student Finance Northern Ireland SFNI, and Student Awards Agency Scotland SAAS If you are a UK student and have not applied for your full entitlement of loans/grants the Hardship Fund will not be awarded. If you need help with applying for student loans/grant contact Student Advice and Support Service , advice@lboro.ac.uk Guidance Notes Please read these guidance notes carefully BEFORE starting to complete the application form. If you need help with completing the form please contact Student Advice and Support on What is the Hardship Fund? The Hardship Fund (HF) is provided by the University as a safety net for students in unforeseen financial difficulty despite having received all financial support available to them. It is not a main source of support. The fund cannot help with tuition fee payments. You need only make one application in any academic year, unless you experience a further change of circumstances. Not all applications will be successful. The maximum award is 2,500. Decisions are made by the Assistant Registrar. These notes give a general overview of how applications are assessed. What kind of awards can be made? Any assistance is normally a non-repayable grant and will be assessed as either a standard or non-standard award. Where appropriate a loan may be offered. Any awards are paid by bank transfer. Standard awards Standard awards are assessed by calculating the difference between your expected provision (from income and/or capital) and standardised living costs to identify any shortfall. See page 2 for the figures used when making the assessment. Successful applicants will receive either the amount requested or the calculated standard award, whichever is the lower, up to a maximum of 2,500 Non-standard awards In exceptional circumstances non-standard awards may be paid even though there may be no calculated shortfall. For example - emergency situations, emergency flights home, unexpected costs due to ill health. The amount of assistance is discretionary, up to a maximum of 2,500. International students are generally considered for a non-standard award. Income and living costs used to assess applications What is expected provision? In addition to having sufficient funding for tuition fees, all students are expected to have made reasonable provision for their living costs (and any dependent family) before starting their studies, as summarised above. Students with partners UK Undergraduate/PGCE students If you have a partner who is living with you only include their income and expenditure on the form if your student finance assessment was based on their income. All other students If you live with a partner as one household include their income and expenditure on the form. 1

2 When assessing your income it will be assumed that you have at least the following available for living costs: Type of Student SLC maintenance funded undergraduates (nonfinal year)* SLC maintenance funded undergraduates (final year)* *Except SLC maintenance funded undergraduates unable to work due to disability or caring responsibilities Further Education students Other students E.g. Postgraduate students, EU undergraduates (Tuition Fee Loan only), international students Except those students unable to work due to disability or caring responsibilities Expected provision per academic year 1,920 in addition to any SLC maintenance funding and any assessed parental contribution 650 in addition to any SLC maintenance funding and any assessed parental contribution Any SLC maintenance funding and any assessed parental contribution Not applicable actual income figures are used In Loughborough 181 per week Eg PG 9,412 ( 181 x 52 weeks) In Loughborough 145 per week In London 305 per week 15,860 ( 305 x 52 weeks) In London 250 per week Living costs The standard assessment is based on Reasonable Living Costs and Additional Living Costs. Reasonable Living Costs (RLC) These are SET FIGURES (see details in sample budget sheet) deemed to cover costs such as food, housekeeping, toiletries, bills, clothes, leisure. The weekly Reasonable Living Costs that will be used are: Reasonable Living Costs (RLC) weekly figures Loughborough London Single students Students living with a partner/spouse Students with children 72 per child plus per child plus 19 Additional Living Costs (ALC) These figures may vary depending on your individual situation and may be capped. Rent/Mortgage costs weekly figures Loughborough London Students living in parental/relative s home Up to 40 Up to 60 Non-first years in halls or renting privately Up to 80 Up to 150 Students not in either of the above categories Within reason Within reason Travel costs averaged as a weekly figure Standard allowance for local travel and trips within mainland UK If travel costs exceed these figures please confirm the amount in Part 3, provide an itemised list and justification for the extra expenditure in Part 6. Course Costs annual figures Loughborough London Standard allowance - books, stationery, art and design materials, etc If these costs exceed 300 confirm the total amount in Part 3 and provide an itemised list signed by your tutor. Course costs are subject to a 1,000 cap. Other Other expenditure will only be considered if; you provide figures, explain why it is needed in your personal statement and provide evidence of the cost. See examples under part 3. 2

3 Help with the application If you have any questions or need help completing your application, contact Student Advice and Support Service Guidance before you apply If you have a question about your application you can advice@lboro.ac.uk including a draft of your application in pdf format if you wish. Once the application has been completed please follow the instructions below How to submit your application When is the closing date? Applications can be made throughout the year. Applications are reviewed regularly during term time. Undergraduates, PGCE and Further Education students should normally apply before the end of the summer term. How to submit your application 1. By Submit your completed application and evidence in pdf format. Please create two separate PDF documents one for the form and one for the evidence. Label each pdf appropriately with your name and form or evidence. All pages must be orientated correctly. All computers on campus have Adobe software to convert files. your application to HFapplications@lboro.ac.uk PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS MUST BE SUBMITTED IN PDF FORMAT AND WILL NOT BE PROCESSED WITHOUT FULL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS AS LISTED IN PART 7 OF THE FORM. 2. In person You can hand in your paper form and evidence to the Information Desk in the Bridgeman Building or the Student Services counter at London Campus. 3. By post Student Advice and Support Service, Bridgeman Building, Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire LE11 3TU. (You must ensure that you pay the correct postage.) How long will it take to process the application? Usually completed applications will be assessed and a decision communicated within 28 days. During undergraduate vacations it may take longer than 28 days. Decisions will be ed to your student account. How are payments made? If your application is successful payments are made to the bank account details held on the University s records. Please check that your bank details are up to date Direct payments can be made to your University account, for example towards hall fees. If desired please request in Part 6. If you have any outstanding Emergency Hardship Loan and your application is successful the amount of the loan will normally deducted from the Hardship Fund payment in order to clear the loan. Awards in excess of 1,000 will normally be paid in instalments. What can I do if I am not satisfied with the outcome? You should contact the Student Advice and Support Service who will be able to help explain the review/appeal process. What if my circumstances change after I have had a decision? If your circumstances change within the same academic year you can request a review. Any amount awarded in the academic year will be taken into account for any re-application. Please contact Student Advice and Support Service. Data Protection Loughborough University is a data controller for the purpose of data protection legislation. The data requested in this form is covered by the notification provided by the University under the Data Protection Act. Personal data will be used solely in the University for statistical purposes and electronic record keeping. Data will not normally be passed to any other third party without your consent, except when the University is required to do so by law. Any formal enquiries concerning the use of data noted here should be addressed to the secretary to the Hardship Fund. Confidentiality Applications are seen only by the Assistant Registrar, Secretary to the Hardship Fund and Student Services staff. Appeals are reviewed in confidence by a senior member of staff within the academic registry. By making this application you are consenting to checks being made against other relevant information held within the University. 3

4 Hardship Fund application Part 1: Your Personal and study details Name Student number Personal Status Housing status Single Married/living with partner Have dependent children Children s ages: Living with other dependants - (e.g parent/relative) please give details in your personal statement - Part 6 University halls of residence Private rented accommodation (including private halls) Home owner Living with parents/guardians Other Disability/medical condition Do you have a disability or chronic/long term medical condition? Yes No If yes, please give details in your personal statement at Part 6 Course Details Course title and level of study: Tick if any of the following apply: I am on a placement year of study/year abroad I am repeating my year of study I am on Leave of Absence Student status Undergraduate PGCE Postgraduate Taught Postgraduate Doctoral Research Further Education 4

5 Part 2: Student (& Partner) Income Enter figures for the whole academic year. Proof must be provided of all income, please refer to the documentary evidence checklist at part 7. All applicants must complete the blue sections. Students with a partner and/or dependants living with them must also complete the pink sections. Student finance per year Undergraduate: Maintenance Loan Undergraduate: Maintenance Grant OR Special Support Grant Postgraduate Loan (PGL) available for living costs after tuition fees are paid Professional & Career Development Loan (PCDL) available for living costs after tuition fees are paid Undergraduate: Parents Learning Allowance (PLA) Undergraduate: Adult Dependants Grant (ADG) Undergraduate: Childcare Grant (CCG) SUB TOTAL 1 Bursaries, Scholarships and Sponsorship Loughborough Scholarship Programme UG per year PGCE Bursary (PGCE students only) PG Scholarships/Studentship/Sponsorship after tuition fees Name of Scholarship: UG Sponsorship Name of your Sponsor: Any other grants/bursaries/trusts e.g. ERASMUS+ Name of grant/bursary: SUB TOTAL 2 Other Income Enter figures for the whole academic year per year Net salary/wages (after tax) Money from parents/guardians/relatives Other income please specify Spouse/partners income Child maintenance Jobseekers allowance/employment and support allowance/income support Universal credit/tax credits Housing benefit Other benefits e.g. Child Benefit please specify SUB TOTAL 3 TOTAL INCOME ( Add SUB TOTALS 1, 2 and 3) 5

6 Part 3: Student (& Partner) living costs Set figures (Reasonable Living Costs - RLC) form part of the standard assessment. If there are special reasons that your expenditure is above the RLC figures, (e.g. higher costs because of a medical condition) list the amounts under other costs and explain in your personal statement. Please see the sample budget for the standard RLC figures Additional Living Costs ( ) Hall fees, Rent or mortgage Please Indicate: Weekly/monthly Other costs e.g. Travel costs over 10 per week (Loughborough) or 25 per week (London) (see Guidance Notes), if course costs are over 300, disability related or medical expenses, council tax (if applicable), childcare /nursery fees, child maintenance payments, agreed debt repayments etc. DO NOT INCLUDE; expenditure that is already covered by Reasonable Living Costs, e.g. utilities, food etc., unless the amount exceeds the RLC and you have justified the higher cost in your personal statement. Include the full weekly/monthly or yearly cost below EXPENDITURE TYPE Please Indicate: Weekly/monthly/yearly COST Part 4: University Emergency Loans Have you borrowed any emergency loan(s) from the University? Yes No IF YES -Amount Date Borrowed Have you paid the loan(s) back? Yes No Don t know Part 5: Bank/Building Society accounts Declare all bank accounts including savings accounts Bank, account type and number Agreed overdraft limit Account balance Bank account details If successful, payment will be made by BACS transfer to your bank account registered on Student Self-Service. Please check or add bank details by logging in to I confirm I have checked or added my bank details 6

7 Part 6: Personal Statement: 1. You must provide a detailed statement about why you are applying for financial help, including an explanation of how your circumstances have changed to cause unforeseen financial difficulties. 2. If relevant, please provide details of any dependants, disabilities or long term health issues. 3. If relevant, include an explanation of any living costs that exceed the sample budget guidelines and that you have set out in Part 3. Amount requested: Please explain, at the end of your personal statement above, how you have calculated the figure. The maximum award is 2,500. 7

8 Part 7: Documentary Evidence Mark the relevant boxes below to confirm the standard application requirements have been completed. Single applicants with no dependants should provide the evidence in the blue sections. Students with a partner and/or dependants living with them also need to provide the evidence in the pink sections. X to confirm evidence included or N/A if not relevant Evidence Current year Financial Notification from Student Finance/Student Loans Company which shows your payment amounts. This can be obtained via your online student finance account. Evidence of any Postgraduate Loan and/or Professional Career Development Loan (PCDL). Evidence of any scholarships/bursaries/studentship/trusts/prizes/grants you receive or have applied for (e.g. letters/ s, etc) either from the University or externally. Bank/Building Society Statements for the last three complete months for all accounts you hold (include any joint accounts, savings accounts, ISAs etc). You may provide internet bank statements in PDF format as long as all transaction details and balances are visible, showing your name, sort code, account number. You must explain all credits and transfers exceeding 100 clearly. Annotate your statements or attach a separate sheet explaining your transactions. If any account has been closed in the last 3 months and therefore inactive, please provide a closing statement. Bank account details held on Student Self-Service are correct. Evidence of your rent/mortgage payments (e.g. tenancy agreement/accommodation contract, annual mortgage statement). Evidence of any debts showing total amount outstanding at the time of your application and any ongoing repayment plans. If course costs exceed 300 provide an itemised list for the full year s costs, signed by tutor. Proof of partner s income (e.g. last 3 wage slips). Partner s Bank/Building Society Statements for the last three complete months for all accounts. Evidence of actual childcare payments (e.g. receipts, invoices). Other relevant evidence (e.g. medical evidence, disability support, mental health, counselling, letter/ from tutor). If applying via , confirm two separate PDF documents are attached one for the form and one for the evidence. Each pdf is labelled appropriately with your name and form or evidence. All pages are orientated correctly. Declaration I hereby declare that all the information supplied is complete, accurate and true to the best of my knowledge. I understand that giving false information will disqualify my application. I confirm that I have read the Guidance Notes provided with this application form. I understand that enquiries may be made within the University to verify the information provided. I confirm that I am in regular attendance if required. Signature Print name Date Documents checked by (print name) Bank statements Funding letter Housing costs Date form received Office use only 8