Student Advice and Support Service

We can provide you with a Emergency Hardship Loan up to £250 depending on need. This is short term and attracts no interest or charges, unlike an unauthorised overdraft or payday loan.

The loan is intended to cover your essential needs such as food and travel and will need to be repaid to the University. You will agree a repayment date with your adviser at the same time as you agree the loan.  

Book an appointment with an adviser to discuss eligibility for an Emergency Hardship Loan.

If you are in financial hardship you may be able to get some help from the University’s Hardship Fund. Application form, information on eligibility and sample budget figures will appear below later in October 2022.  The form and budget figures are currently being updated to reflect recent cost of living increases.

The University’s Hardship Fund provides a grant to students who find themselves in financial hardship due to unforeseen circumstances since starting the course. Please note that the fund cannot help with tuition fee payments.

An application can be made to the Hardship Fund each academic year. All enrolled Loughborough students can apply e.g. UK, EU and international students studying further education, undergraduate, postgraduate taught and postgraduate research courses. Students on a leave of absence are also eligible.

The Hardship Fund cannot be applied for in advance of your enrolment. You are expected to have planned ahead to have adequate financial provision in place for your studies. You should have secured / saved enough money to cover all your reasonable costs whilst studying and an expected provision assessment is part of the Hardship Fund assessment process.

If you are a UK student and have not applied for your full entitlement of loans/grants, you will not be eligible for an award.

An award from this fund is not automatic and awards are granted according to individual circumstances. Students need to make a full application with the supporting documentation requested on the form. Please note that as part of the decision making process, you might be asked to provide additional evidence to support your application.

We strongly recommend that you contact the Student Advice and Support Service for feedback on your draft form and supporting documentation prior to formal submission. You can book an appointment to do this by phoning +44 (0) 1509 222765.

A link to the application form will be available here later in October 2022

Hardship Fund form	Sample budget for Loughborough	Sample budget for London
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RECEIVING A DECISION

Completed applications will be assessed and a decision communicated usually within 28 days. A maximum of £2,500 can be received in any one academic year but this depends on individual circumstances.

If your application is successful, payments will be made to the bank account details held on the University’s records. Awards in excess of £1,000 will normally be paid in instalments. If you have any outstanding Emergency Hardship Loans, it is usual to deduct the loan from any award you received from the Fund.

If your application is unsuccessful, you can seek advice as to your possible next steps.

If you are in financial hardship you may be able to get some help from the University’s Hardship Fund.

The Hardship Fund Summer Scheme is intended to help undergraduate students who face financial difficulties during the summer vacation.

Financial assistance may be granted if students are living independently over the summer, possibly due to being a care leaver, estranged from their family, prevented from supporting themselves due to caring responsibilities or other family, personal or health difficulties which make it necessary to stay in Loughborough. It is expected that students will attempt to find paid work or other means of supporting themselves over the summer but should explain if they have reasonable grounds for not doing so.

Applications will be accepted from the end of summer term (mid-June) to mid-September and decisions/payments will be made within four weeks of receipt of a completed application.

RECEIVING A DECISION

Completed applications will be assessed and a decision communicated usually within 28 days. A maximum of £2,500 can be received in any one academic year but the amount awarded depends on individual circumstances. If you have already received the maximum £2,500 amount, no further award will be paid.

If your application is successful, payments will be made to the bank account details held on the University’s records. Awards in excess of £1,000 will normally be paid in instalments. If you have any outstanding Emergency Hardship Loans, it is usual to deduct the loan from any award you received from the Fund.

If your application is unsuccessful, please seek advice on your options.

If your circumstances have changed since you submitted your application within the same academic year, you can re-apply using a shortened application form (below) setting out the changes and providing relevant evidence.

Please note that if you have already received £2,500, you will not be eligible for anything further.

• Applications must be submitted by email to HFapplications@lboro.ac.uk.
• If you do not have access to IT to be able to scan and/or compile documents as a pdf other document formats may be accepted.  Please ensure attachments are clear and easily readable, for example this could include well taken screen shots or mobile phone photos.  Please keep file sizes to a minimum and use suitable file names to help the prompt consideration of your application.                                  _________________________________________________________________

The change of circumstances application will be reviewed and there will be a fresh decision based on your original application and the new information you have provided.   

It is recommended that you discuss your Change of Circumstances application with a Student Advice and Support Service adviser before re-applying. Please note that as part of the decision making process, you might be asked to provide additional evidence to support your application.

Hardship Fund Change of circumstance form

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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 for the year. 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. Occasionally, a loan may be offered if that is deemed more appropriate. Any awards are paid by bank transfer.

Calculation of awards

Awards are assessed by calculating the difference between your expected provision (from loans, income, savings or capital) and standardised living costs to identify any shortfall. See below for the figures used when making the assessment. Successful applicants will receive either the amount requested or the calculated award, whichever is the lower, up to a maximum of £2,500.

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 below.

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.

What is expected Parental Contribution (PC)?

 Expected provision

When assessing income, it will be assumed that you have at least the following available for living costs:

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) to reflect ordinary costs such as food, housekeeping, toiletries, bills, clothes, leisure. The weekly Reasonable Living Costs that will be used are:

Additional Living Costs (ALC)

These figures may vary depending on your individual situation and may be capped.