Introduction
The below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) sets out important information that students may wish to consider in relation to the cost of living payments announced by the University in October 2022.
You can use the quick links in the table of contents below to skip directly to the relevant section.
The first nine headings below are relevant to the £150 cost of living payment. The following two headings are relevant to the £400 cost of living payment.
- Payment Dates & Declining Your Payment
- £150 Cost of Living Payment FAQs:
- Eligibility
- Timelines & Method of Payment
- Student Workers, Suspended Students, Students Living at Home
- Additional Support Available
- Self-Funded Students
- Graduates
- Resitting Students
- International Students
- £400 Cost of Living Payment FAQs: Eligibility
- £400 Cost of Living Payment FAQs: Timelines & Method of Payment
- Other
Payment Dates & Declining Your Payment
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What date will my Cost of Living Payment be made?
It is anticipated that you will receive your Cost of Living Payment by 31 January 2023 or within 3 working dates after this date.
- I do not want my Cost of Living Payment
You can donate your Cost of Living payment.
If you would prefer to decline your Cost of Living Payment, you can instead opt to donate it to a fund that supports student wellbeing initiatives.
If you do not wish to receive the payment, please confirm at the following link: http://go.qub.ac.uk/CoLdonate
£150 Cost of Living Payment FAQs:
The below FAQs are in relation to the £150 Cost of Living payment. For FAQs relating to the £400 Cost of Living payment, please scroll to the relevant section below.
Eligibility
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Who is eligible for the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
Full-time and part-time Queen’s students who are registered on their programme of study in the 2022/23 academic year, on the census date (please note exceptions below in FAQ 2 - directly below).
- Who is not eligible for the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
- Distance learning students who are not resident in UK
- Students registered at partner institutions such as CQC and not resident in UK
- Individuals registered as studying at the Clinton Leadership Institute
- University employees who are also registered students, including students whose funders require them to have an employment contract e.g., Marie Curie Fellows
- Students registered on Foundation Degrees at Further Education Colleges
- Students registered at INTO (including BEng Year 1 on collaborative programme with INTO)
- Students registered at Stranmillis University College, St Mary’s University College, all Regional Colleges and Partner organisations
- Students in Years 1 and 2 of the UG programme BSc Agricultural Technology who are taught at CAFRE
- Students registered on postgraduate taught programmes at CAFRE
- Opening Learning Students
- What is the census date for registration at the University for students to be eligible to receive the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
To be eligible to receive the payment, eligible students must be registered at the University on 1 December 2022.
A second census date will be set in semester 2 for those students who register in Semester 2 to determine eligibility for the payment. Further information will be posted in these FAQs in due course.
Timelines & Method of Payment
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When will the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment be made?
The payment will be made in late January 2023 for those eligible on the first census date.
- Do I need to apply to receive the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment or is it automatically issued?
No, you do not need to apply to receive the payment.
- How will the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment be made?
- Payment method 1- If you are an undergraduate student registered with Student Finance NI (Northern Ireland), England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) and in receipt of a maintenance loan or grant, we will make this payment to the bank account you have registered to receive your maintenance loan or grant. This payment will be issued to you automatically.
- Payment method 2- If you do not fall into the category for payment method 1, we will send you an email to your Queen’s email account, in early December 2022, with details of how to register your bank account details so that we can make this payment to you.
- Do I need to provide details of my household income to get £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
No, the £150 payment is not based on your assessed household income.
- What type of bank account should I have to receive the payment?
Payments can only be made into a UK bank account.
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Can I get the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment in cash?
No, payments will only be issued to a UK bank account.
Student Workers, Suspended Students, Students Living at Home
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If I am a student working on QWork do I get the staff or student Cost-of-Living payment?
You will receive the student payment.
- I am suspended for not paying tuition fees, am I still eligible for the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
Yes, you are still eligible to receive the payment.
- Am I still entitled to the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment if I live at home?
Yes, you are still entitled to the payment if you live at home.
Additional Support Available
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What can I do if I am still struggling after I receive the £150 Cost of Living payment?
If you are still struggling financially you can apply for the financial assistance from the Support Fund
Student Financial Support | Study | Queen's University Belfast (qub.ac.uk)
- I’m struggling to budget my income and expenditure, can I get help with this?
Reviewing your expenditure and categorising this into essential and non-essential outgoings would be a first step to identify areas where you may be able to reduce non-essential spending. You can then allocate these funds to cover essentials such as rent, food and travel.
To help with this, you may find it useful to register with the new Queen’s Students’ Union online financial education resource, launched in collaboration with Blackbullion.
Build your money skills. From navigating student finance to planning your pension, we focus on the financial skills you will actually use. Whatever your goal, we’ll get you there.
You can register using your QUB email and, by indicating you are a student from Queen's Students' Union, you will be given free and unlimited access to all Blackbullion resources and information.
Topics covered include, budgeting, avoiding financial scams, financial risks, understanding investments and dealing with debt. In the first instance, looking at the following resources which can help you get on top of your finances:
Understand, and plan for, your financial circumstances at university with this easy-to-use budgeting calculator
Discover different budgeting styles, how to budget your student loan, the obstacles you might face and what to do about them.
Self-Funded Students
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I am a self-funded UG, PGT, or PGR student. Am I entitled to the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment, if so, where do I provide my bank details?
Yes, you are entitled to the payment. An email will be sent out in December 2022 to self-funded students detailing how to provide UK bank details.
Graduates
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I graduated in July 2022, am I entitled to the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
No you must be fully registered at the University on 1 December 2022 and fall into one of the eligible groups noted in the first FAQ at the top of this page (under "eligibility").
Resitting Students
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I was meant to graduate in July 2022 but had to re-sit one of my exams, so I won’t be graduating until December 2022, does that make me entitled to the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
Yes, if you are fully registered at the University on 1 December and fall into one of the eligible groups noted in the first FAQ at the top of this page, you will receive the payment.
International Students
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I am an international student, will I receive the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
Yes, if you are fully registered at the University on 1 December and fall into one of the eligible groups noted in FAQ 1 you will receive the payment.
- I am an international student, can I receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment
No, international students will not be eligible to receive the £400 cost of living payment. This payment will only be made to NI/GB undergraduate and PGCE students with an assessed household income of £25,000 or less. The household income assessment is carried out by Student Finance NI, England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
The University will not undertake any assessment of household income for any students, therefore since your household income is not assessed by Student FinanceNI, England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), you are not eligible for this payment.
£400 Cost of Living Payment FAQs:
The below FAQs are in relation to the £400 Cost of Living payment. For FAQs relating to the £150 Cost of Living payment, please scroll to the relevant section above.
£400 Cost of Living Payment FAQs: Eligibility
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Who is eligible for the higher £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
All NI/GB undergraduate and PGCE students where Student Finance NI, England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) has assessed their household income at £25,000 or less, for their funding application for the 2022-23 academic year.
- Do I need to apply to receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment or is it automatically issued?
No, you do not need to apply to receive the payment.
When you apply for tuition or maintenance support from Student Finance NI, England, Wales or SAAS you submit details of your household income. We will use the household income details you have submitted during your application process for 2022/23 to determine your eligibility for this payment. You must have consented to share this information with the University.
If you are assessed as eligible you will receive the payment automatically.
- Do I need to send the University details of my household income?
No, payments will be issued to students by the University based on the assessed household income from details you submitted to Student Finance NI, England, Wales or SAAS when you applied for your funding for 2022/23.
- My household income is less than £25,000 but I am not an undergraduate in receipt of Student Finance/SLC funding. Will I receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
No, the £400 cost of living payment will only be made NI/GB undergraduate and PGCE students with an assessed household income of £25,000 or less. The household income assessment is carried out by Student Finance NI, England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
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I am a postgraduate in receipt of Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance NI. Will I receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
No, the £400 payment will only be made to undergraduate and PGCE students with an assessed household income of £25,000 or less. No assessment of household income is undertaken in the PGT loan application process by Student Finance NI.
- I am a postgraduate in receipt of Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan from Student Finance England, Wales or SAAS, will I receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
No the £400 payment will only be made to undergraduate and PGCE students with an assessed household income of £25,000 or less. No assessment of household income is undertaken in the PGT loan application process by Student Finance England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
- Can I submit details of my household income for the University to assess?
No, the University will not undertake any assessment of household income. The household income assessment is carried out by Student FinanceNI, England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
£400 Cost of Living Payment FAQs: Timelines & Method of Payment
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When will the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment be made?
The payment will be made in late January 2023.
- How will the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment be made?
The payment will be made into the bank account you have registered with Student Finance NI, England, Wales, or Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS).
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What is the census date for registration at the University for students to be eligible to receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
To be eligible to receive the payment, eligible students must be registered at the University on 1 December 2022.
- How do I check that I have consented to share this information with the University?
- My household income is slightly above £25,000, will I be eligible to receive the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
No. Only students whose assessed household income is £25,000 or less will be eligible.
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My household income is below £19k and I am eligible to receive the Queen’s Bursary of £465 in February 2023. Will I still receive this in February, in addition to the £400 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
Yes, you will receive your £465 Queen’s Bursary in February 2023, in addition to the £400 Student Cost of Living Payment.
- Can I receive both the £150 Cost of Living Payment and the £400 Cost of Living payment?
No.
- I am a nursing/midwifery/PGT student. Can I be means tested?
No, the Department of Health does not undertake an assessment of household income when awarding the Nursing Bursary. The University will not undertake any assessment of household income.
Nursing students will therefore not receive the £400 payment and will receive the £150 cost of living payment. Students in financial need should apply to the Student Support Fund at Student Financial Support | Study | Queen's University Belfast (qub.ac.uk)
Other
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How often can I receive the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment?
The payment is a one-off payment.
- Will the £150 Student Cost-of-Living Payment be made as part of my student loan?
No, this will be made as a separate payment in late January and does not form part of your student loan.
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Who do I contact if my query is not answered in the above FAQs?
If your query is not answered above please contact studentfinance@qub.ac.uk
Or log your query at: https://myportal.qub.ac.uk/