
Financial support is available to students experiencing financial difficulties whilst studying and comprises two funds, the Department for the Economy (DfE) Student Support Fund and the University Financial Assistance Fund. Further support is provided through the Queen's Bursary and the Care Leavers Bursary.
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Student Support Fund
The Student Support Fund is a discretionary fund which may provide financial assistance to students from Northern Ireland and the UK who encounter financial difficulty whilst studying.
The Support Fund is focused on providing support for living costs. We recommend that all eligible students consider applying for Support Funds.
Who is eligible for the Support Fund?
- All full-time and part-time (25% of equivalent full-time course) Northern Ireland and Great Britain undergraduates and postgraduate students can apply.
- You must be in receipt of your full Student Loan entitlement, both tuition and maintenance loans.
- You have received your first payment of your student maintenance payment.
- You have already exhausted all other possible sources of funding, including the Student Loans Company and any other grants that may be available to you.
Who is not eligible for the Support Fund?
- Students from outside the UK are not eligible to apply for these funds but can be considered for the University Financial Assistance Fund
- Students from the UK who have not been assessed or taken their full entitlement from their funding body
- Students who registered as Exam Only
How to apply
- You can only apply to the fund using an ONLINE application, available by logging into their Qsis Student Account at https://qsis.qub.ac.uk/
For help completing the online application, please click this online help option.
Second Applications
Due to the fact that the Student Support Fund is now nearly full allocated, only second or subsequent applications, which are fully supported by exceptional circumstances, (which did not exist at the time a previous award was made), will be considered for an award. Documentary evidence of exceptional circumstances must be submitted with the application. Second applications which are not supported by exceptional circumstances will be refused.
What documentation do I need to submit?
The University assesses applications in line with the Conditions of Funding set by the Department for the Economy which requires an assessment of a student's access to funding and their living costs. We are required to assess a student’s access to funding and their living costs.
You will be required to submit the following supporting documentation with your online application which you will be asked to upload during the application process on the Document Management page:
- bank statements for all accounts for two months up to the application date to show your income and living costs. This includes all accounts you have access to including, digital savings accounts, ISAs, cryptocurrency, social media wallets, overseas accounts and shared accounts. These must be submitted in date order.
- evidence of your accommodation or lease or mortgage - to understand your housing expenditure commitment. Tenancy agreements should be current and show your name.
- evidence of your funding body or scholarship support, e.g. award letter - to understand the income level you receive
- a statement of any current benefits you are in receipt of
- Receipts for childcare costs
Please note that screenshots will not be accepted, and, if uploaded, your application will be delayed.
Please use the personal statement to communicate your financial circumstances. This is how we understand your financial circumstances to determine the level of support needed.
Assessment will begin once all documentation is received, if there are any gaps this will delay your application.
Any additional information required will be communicated to you through the Document Management page and you will be notified by email when we require further information. We update Qsis when assessment commences.
What happens next?
Depending on application demand, assessment normally takes about 30 working days from receipt of a complete application to date of payment.
Bank accounts
We are unable to make payments to overseas bank accounts. You must set up a UK bank account before applying to the fund.
Can I apply more than once?
We aim to support as many students as possible. You can apply more than once during the academic year. Each case is considered on its individual merits at the time of application. However, previous applications - whether successful or not - will be taken into consideration.
Why are applications rejected?
Applications can be rejected for lack of supporting information, evidence of excessive spending or gambling, or lack of financial hardship.
What if I disagree with the assessment of my application?
We aim to help as many students as possible in genuine hardship within the funds allocated but are not able to provide for all applicants. If you disagree with the decision reached you are entitled to request a review of your application. Reviews should be sent to supportfund@qub.ac.uk with the subject "Request for Review"
Reviews should be requested in writing, clearly stating the grounds for appeal and, where appropriate, supplying additional documentary evidence to support the review process. All requests for review must be received within 7 days of the date of the original decision letter. The review process can take up to two weeks.
- University Financial Assistance Fund
Applications to University Financial Assistance Fund from 15 May 2023
Please note that the University's Financial Assistance Fund has now been spent in full. Only applications which are fully supported by exceptional circumstances will now be considered. Documentary evidence of exceptional circumstances must be submitted with an application.
Who is eligible for the University Financial Assistance Fund?
- Undergraduate, postgraduate taught postgraduate research students
- ROI, EU and International students, and UK students who have not been assessed by a UK Funding Body.
- You have already exhausted all other possible sources of funding, including the Student Loans Company and any other grants that may be available to you.
- You have experienced a change in your financial circumstances since declaring you have the funds to support tuition and living costs to UKVI to obtain your sponsorship.
- Evidence of exceptional circumstances must be submitted for an application to be considered from 15th May 2023
How to apply
You can only apply to the fund using an ONLINE application, available by logging into their Qsis Student Account at https://qsis.qub.ac.uk/
For help completing the online application, please click this online help option.
What documentation do I need to submit?
We assess a student's access to funding and their living costs to determine eligibility for an award. You will be required to submit the following supporting documentation with your online application which you will be asked to upload during the application process on the Document Management page:
- bank statements for all accounts for two months up to the application date to show your income and living costs. This includes all accounts you have access to including, digital savings accounts, ISAs, cryptocurrency, social media wallets, overseas accounts and shared accounts.
- evidence of your accommodation or lease or mortgage - to understand your housing commitment. Tenancy agreements should be current and show your name.
- evidence of your funding body or scholarship support, eg, award letter - to understand the income level you receive
- evidence of other costs claimed, such as childcare costs
Please note that screenshots will not be accepted, and, if uploaded, your application will be delayed.
Please use the personal statement to communicate your financial circumstances. This is how we understand your financial circumstances to determine the level of support needed.
Assessment will begin once all documentation is received, if there are any gaps this will delay your application.
Any additional information required will be communicated to you through the Document Management page and you will be notified by email when we require further information. We update Qsis when assessment commences.
What happens next?
- Depending on application demand, assessment normally takes about 30 working days from receipt of a complete application to date of payment.
Bank accounts
- We are unable to make payments to overseas bank accounts. You must set up a UK bank account before applying to the fund.
Can I apply more than once?
- We aim to support as many students as possible. You can apply more than once during the academic year. Each case is considered on its individual merits at the time of application. However, previous applications - whether successful or not - will be taken into consideration.
Why are applications rejected?
- Applications can be rejected for lack of supporting information, evidence of excessive spending or gambling, or lack of financial hardship.
What if I disagree with the assessment of my application?
- We aim to help as many students as possible in genuine hardship within the funds allocated but are not able to provide for all applicants. If you disagree with the decision reached you are entitled to request a review of your application. Reviews should be sent to supportfund@qub.ac.uk with the subject "Request for Review"
Reviews should be requested in writing, clearly stating the grounds for appeal and, where appropriate, supplying additional documentary evidence to support the review process. All requests for review must be received within 7 days of the date of the original decision letter. The review process can take up to two weeks.
- How to Apply to the Student Support Fund and University Financial Assistance Fund
Students can only apply to the Student Support and University's Financial Assistance Fund using an ONLINE application, available by logging into their Qsis Student Account at https://qsis.qub.ac.uk/
For help completing the online application please click here
All applications to the Fund must be made through the online application facility above, no paper applications will be accepted.
Documentation
All documentation must be submitted via the online application process this academic year.
DO NOT SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION VIA EMAIL
Please record your student number on all documentation uploaded.
Do not submit photographs of bank statement please, these must be submitted as a pdf in date order, for all bank accounts held.
If you are in receipt of an NHS Nursing Bursary you must provide evidence of this. A copy of your DHSSPS Nursing Notification letter can be requested from:
Email: studentnurse.bursaries@hscni.net
Telephone: 028 95 363988Students will be advised by email whether their application has been successful or not.
- Queen’s Care Leavers Bursary
The Queen’s Care Leavers Bursary, is paid directly to an eligible student’s bank account on receipt of a successful application, and is paid in two instalments of £500, at the start of each semester. Please visit http://www.qub.ac.uk/directorates/sgc/wpu/CareExperiencedYoungPeople/
- Queen's Bursary
Find out about the Queen's Bursary, which can help you fund your study at Queen's.
More information
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Useful Contacts
Disability Services
disability.office@qub.ac.uk Learning Development Service
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