Financial Assistance Fund (FAF) – Staff Briefing Guide

This guide provides University staff with an overview of how the Financial Assistance Fund (FAF) operates and aims to support your decision-making when referring students to the Funding team.

Who Can Apply?

The FAF is open to:

• UK (home-rated) and international students
• Undergraduate and postgraduate students
• Full-time and part-time students

Applicants must be:

• Registered or suspended within the academic year of application
• Externally repeating a full or partial year

Not eligible:

• Students who are “under examination” or “not in attendance” (i.e. have stepped off the course) cannot apply.

What is the FAF?

The Financial Assistance Fund is a university funded scheme designed to support students and Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) experiencing genuine and unexpected financial hardship. It replaces the former government-funded Access to Learning Fund.

Where a financial need is identified through assessment, a FAF award may help cover essential living costs, with the aim of enabling students to continue their studies or access expert financial advice. The fund is not intended to serve as a primary source of income as students are expected to have other financial arrangements in place.

In many cases, a FAF application also leads to a referral to specialist support services, with the student’s consent, to address non-financial challenges that may be impacting their wellbeing or academic progress.

Common Reasons for Applying

Students may apply for a wide range of reasons, including:

• Unexpected financial emergencies
• Statutory funding not meeting exceptional needs (e.g. living far from campus due to caring responsibilities)
• Not receiving family contributions
• Loss of income or funding
• Health issues affecting ability to work alongside study
• Budgeting difficulties
• Changes in personal circumstances
• Caring responsibilities

Each application is assessed individually—students do not need to meet specific categories to apply.

Summer Applications

Students may apply during the summer vacation if they:

• Are living with dependents
• Are prevented from undertaking paid employment due to an evidence disability or illness
• Are Care Experienced or Estranged
• Have been part of a homelessness support scheme
• Are Nursing/Midwifery students or on courses with non-standard term dates who haven’t applied during the academic year

Other students may enquire with Student Funding and will be advised on eligibility.

Who Is Eligible?

All registered students can apply, except those on degree apprenticeships, students who are not in attendance (ESTS status NA) and students who have completed their final year of study. Suspended (SP) and external (EF/EP) students may apply, but FAF is not a substitute for statutory funding.

How Are Applications Assessed?

Applications are reviewed by experienced Funding Assessors using approved written guidance to ensure consistency and fairness. Awards are discretionary and based on evidence, not automatic.

Required Evidence

Students must submit:

• 90 days of bank statements for all accounts
• Rent/mortgage documents
• Student finance notifications
• Medical evidence if unable to work

Additional evidence may be requested based on individual circumstances.

Staff Support for Applications

If a student has disclosed sensitive information to you, you may support their application by providing a brief email or letter. This should:

• Confirm the disclosure
• Validate the situation as genuine
• Explain how it affects the student financially

This helps reduce the need for students to repeat personal details in their application.

Assessment Criteria by Student Type

Full-Time Undergraduates:

• Income and expenditure are calculated from evidence
• Some income (e.g. Child Benefit, DSA) is disregarded
• Some expenses are capped
• Awards may be standard (based on shortfall) or non-standard (for emergencies or unexpected changes)

Part-Time Undergraduates:

• Expected to have other funding sources (e.g. employment, benefits)

Postgraduates (Taught & Research) and Part-Time Undergraduates:

• Must show that they had realistic financial planning for fees and living costs
• Awards only made if there’s evidence of an unexpected, unavoidable change in circumstances

Second Undergraduate Degree Students:

• Treated like postgraduates due to limited statutory funding
• Must show that they had realistic financial planning for fees and living costs

Assessment Timelines

• Decisions are guaranteed within 4 working weeks of a complete application
• Average turnaround: 7 days
• FAF is not an emergency fund, but urgent cases may be fast-tracked

Award Amounts

• Awards currently range from £100 to £4,500.

Appeals

Students may appeal any decision within one month. Appeals are reviewed by a cross-University panel, and their decision is final.

Information for Students

The Financial Assistance Fund section on the student site has further information for students, including who can apply and how decisions are made.

Student Funding – July 2025