Financial Support
NCL Hardship Fund
About
The Hardship Fund aims to assist students who experience unexpected financial difficulties due to circumstances that could not have been predicted at the start of their course and are struggling with their living costs. The fund is not intended to pay for students’ tuition fees or their ‘lifestyle choices’.
The fund is available on a first-come-first-served basis subject to eligibility checks.
Students can receive a grant of up to £500 which does not need to be paid back, to enable them to continue their studies.
The money can be used to support:
- Essential living costs (rent, utility bills etc)
- IT equipment or access to the internet
- Travelling expenses
- etc.
*The deadline to apply for Hardship Fund for 2024-2025 is 30th June 2025.
Eligibility
Students must meet all of the eligibility criteria below:
- The student must be enrolled on a full-time undergraduate (HND/ FDA or BA Top-up) course.
- The student must be a UK resident.
- The student must be eligible for funding as a Home student.
- In receipt of the maximum statutory funding to which you are entitled. (this would include means-tested maintenance loans and grants, Child Tax Credits, Housing Benefits, Parents Learning Allowance, Childcare Grant, and Council Tax Reduction).
- The students must be paid the first instalment of their Student Finance before applying to the NCL Hardship Fund.
- The student can apply only once during an academic year.
Please note that students applying for hardship funds must be able to
demonstrate that they have made provisions to fund both their tuition fees and
living costs prior to starting the course.
How to apply
- Students are required to complete the Hardship FundApplication in full and provide supporting documentation that is listed on the form.
- Students should state why they are applying for financial support from the college and Provide as much detail in a supporting statement section of the application form.
- Students must provide a copy of their letter from Student Finance England (SFE) and documents about their finances (three full months of bank statements)
- Hardship Fund application can be collected from the Student Welfare Officers or downloaded from the website.
- Students can submit the application to either the Student Welfare Officer or via email to student.welfare@nelsoncollege.ac.uk
Students will be notified by the Student Welfare Officer of the outcome of their application within 21 working days.
If the application is rejected, students may appeal to the Chair of the Student Access and Success Steering Group. Contact the Student Welfare Officer for further advice.
NCL Bursary Package
About
Bursaries support students through their studies by helping them with
their general living costs. The money can be used to purchase books, and
specialist equipment or cover travel costs and any other expenses such as
household bills, etc.
The fund is available on a first-come-first-served basis subject to eligibility checks conducted by the College. Students on can receive a bursary package of up to £1,000 / (£2,000 - for care experienced) which does not need to be paid back.
Eligibility
Care Leaver[1] / Care Experienced[2] or Disabled Students must satisfy the following criteria to be eligible for the NCL bursary:
- Have been in care (You will need proof of having been in care from an official source, such as a local authority).
- Classified with a disability, long-term illness, mental health problems, or learning difficulties (evidence less than 3 months dated from the GP or medical evidence will be required).
- You must be a permanent resident in the UK and a home student for fee purposes.
- You must be in receipt of the maximum Maintenance Loan as assessed by the Student Loans Company.
- Student will have to be on the College disability register or Care Leaver register.
[1] Care Leavers as defined by the College are those who are aged 18-25 years old who are still under the responsibility of the local authority. This will also include all those who have experienced care at any stage of their lives, including those who have been adopted, estranged students, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
[2] Care Experienced are those who are aged 26 and above who have been in care including those who have been adopted, estranged students, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children.
How to apply
- Students are required to submit a Bursary Packageapplication form with relevant evidence in order to be assessed for the Bursary Package.
- Students can collect the Bursary Package application form from the Student Welfare Officer or download it from the website.
- Students must provide a copy of their letter from Student Finance England (SFE)
- Students can submit the application to either the Student Welfare Officer or via email to student.welfare@nelsoncollege.ac.uk
Students will be notified by the Student Welfare Officer about the outcome of their application within 21 working days.
Students can only receive one hardship fund or bursary package, which will be the one that has the highest monetary value.
Eligible students must maintain an appropriate standard of behaviour throughout their course of study at the College otherwise the bursary may be withdrawn.
