The College and the University expect all students to have sufficient funds in place to cover the costs of their course before taking up their place. If you find yourself facing financial difficulties for reasons that you could not have anticipated when you began your course, contact your Tutor. You can then discuss your eligibility for the specific hardship fund. Eligibility criteria for each of the funds can be found on the University website.
Wolfson College Hardship Fund
- General Information
The College has a small fund to help students who encounter unexpected financial difficulties in meeting their living costs. Funds to support students comes from Wolfson Hardship Funds and for those with childcare costs are available from the generous benefaction of the Ujejski-Williams Fund.
Awards average around £400. Hardship funds are only intended to help with short-term living costs, not to cover tuition fees or regular College bills, which students are expected to be able to cover before they begin their course.
- Eligibility Criteria
Both undergraduates and postgraduates may apply for a Wolfson College Hardship Grant, with the exception of the following, who are not ordinarily eligible:
- Students in their first term of study (it is expected that you will have sufficient funds to cover your first term).
- Students who have not taken out Tuition or Maintenance loans for which they are eligible.
- Part-time students (as it is assumed that part-time students are covering their own living expenses through work).
- Any student who has already completed all the requirements for their degree.
- PhD students who have already completed four years of full-time study.
- Hardship funds are only intended to help with short-term living costs and cannot be used to cover tuition fees or regular College bills, nor Thesis binding costs.
The college awards will be awarded using the same eligibility principles and guidance (https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/fees-and-funding/financial-assistance) as for University financial assistance. Please refer to these criteria and discuss with your tutor.
Applicants for Wolfson awards are expected to apply for all other funding for which they are eligible, including government maintenance loans, department/faculty awards and University hardship funds.
- How to Apply for the Wolfson College Hardship Fund
If you are considering applying for Hardship funding, please talk over your situation with your Tutor. Then apply using the online Wolfson Hardship application form. Deadlines for applications can be found on the Financial Support page.
Students should in all cases discuss their application with their Tutor before submitting it. Your application is not complete without a supporting statement from your Tutor. Applications without a supporting Tutor statement will not be considered.
IMPORTANT: In order to support and process your application, your Tutor or the Student Finance Officer may need to see evidence of your income and expenditure. The sort of documentation they may ask for includes:
- Evidence of funding (e.g. notification of your student finance arrangements, or scholarship award letter)
- Evidence of other income (e.g. family contributions, loans, wages)
- Evidence of government benefits or Tax Credits
- A rent or mortgage agreement
- Bank/Building Society statements
- Evidence of significant expenditure commitments, e.g. childcare costs
- Evidence relating to any special circumstances noted in your supporting statement
Applications will be reviewed by your Tutor, the Student Finance Officer and the College's Student Finance Committee for the purpose of making the award for which you have applied. In certain circumstances, you may be asked to meet with the Student Finance Officer after you have submitted your application.
Bell, Abbott & Barnes Funds for Undergraduates
This is a Cambridge University fund for undergraduate students with unforeseen financial difficulty. You must be a candidate for: BA (including affiliate students), BTh, MB, BChir, VetMB, MusB, CGCM, MEng, MMath, or MSci.
UK students must have applied for their full entitlement of student Maintenance Loan from the SLC before submitting an application to the Bell, Abbott, and Barnes Funds. Students are furthermore expected to have applied for all other statutory and institutional awards to which they are entitled. This includes the Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant (or equivalent in Scotland, Wales or NI).
In addition, you should also have sought assistance from the following sources, where relevant:
- The Cambridge Bursary Scheme
- Faculty- or Department- managed funds (eg the Rebecca Flower Squire Fund for Law students),
- Hardship support from your own College
You could receive up to a maximum of £2,000 in one year, based on assessment of your need but most grants are in the range of £100 to £1,000.
University Hardship Funds
The university provides financial assistance to students who are otherwise facing exceptional and unexpected financial need. Further information can be found on the university website and all students should firstly consider the eligibility criteria.
Students are expected to have discussed their financial circumstances with their College Tutor before applying.
Regarding the Realise Financial Assistance Fund if your application is successful, you may be required to report back to the Student Funding and Fee Policy Team when you return from intermission.
External Hardship Funding for Students
Funding from BMA Charities
Second year Medicine students, who are doing Medicine as a second degree, can apply for hardship from the BMA Charities (for their third year only).
NHS Bursary Hardship Grant
Medicine students can potentially receive a hardship grant from the NHS. You can find further information regarding the NHS Bursary Hardship Grant here.
NHS Low Income Scheme
The NHS Low Income Scheme provides financial support to help students with their health costs. All students may apply for this and further details can be found here.