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Hope Student Support Fund: Explained

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Liverpool Hope University Student Support Fund: Explained

Managing your finances as a student is no easy task.

And if your budget is giving you sleepless nights, you need to remember that Liverpool Hope University has a dedicated ‘Student Support Fund’ that’s in place to help those who really need it.  

Read on to find out everything you need to know: 

 

What is the Student Support Fund? 

It’s available to undergraduates, on a discretionary basis, and applications are open from October 11th 2021 - right at the start of the academic year. 

The maximum amount available is £3,000, the minimum is £100, if you’re eligible. Whatever award is made, it does not need to be paid back. 

And Davina Beattie, Student Funds Officer at Hope, says the Fund offers ‘peace of mind’ for successful recipients or those nervous about how their finances might pan-out over the next year. 

She adds: “Where students are really struggling financially, the Student Support Fund can make a big difference. And we want to identify problems early so that they don’t become a crisis in the future. 

“We’re looking to see if whatever provision you had was ever going to be enough for the whole year. It’s not a reflection of what your application looks like on the day you apply. 

“After all, money worries can easily stop people from focusing on their studies and sometimes a student might even struggle just to afford to travel to their lectures. 

“Lots of students who have successfully applied for the Student Support Fund have told us that it ultimately helped them to stay on their course.”

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Who qualifies for the Student Support Fund?

Davina says you shouldn’t apply to the Student Support Fund for ‘course-related’ costs. That means you should have already made provision for things like tuition fees, or travel to and from any placement, before you started your programme. 

Meanwhile Linda Christian, Scholarship and Bursaries Officer, says the Student Support Fund is there for students whose income falls short of ‘essential expenditure’ - such as the cost of rent, travel or textbooks, or the cost of expensive art materials if you’re on Hope’s Creative Campus. 

Linda explains: “It’s about us saying, ‘This is your income, this is your essential expenditure - how much disposable income do you really have left?’ Based on that, we assess whether or not you’re likely to be able to manage your finances. 

“We don’t take into account so-called ‘lifestyle’ expenditures. For example, if you’re suffering financially because you’ve chosen to pay for Sky TV, an expensive mobile phone contract, or to run a car, then chances are you won’t be eligible for the Student Support Fund. 

"That’s your choice - we can’t consider that as essential expenditure. 

“But if you know there’s a genuine shortfall between your income and your outgoings, before the cost of any lifestyle choices, you could be eligible for an award. In some cases, your ‘income’ might only be your student loan.”

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How do you apply?

You can apply for the Fund once you receive the first instalment of your student loan. 

You also need to be an Undergraduate ‘home’ student, ie, those resident in the UK, and who has been here for the full three years before the first day of the academic year.

There’s a separate fund for International, EU and Islands students, which can be accessed in ‘exceptional circumstances’. 

From October 11th, you’ll be able to download the Student Support Fund application form from https://www-hope-ac-uk.ezproxy.hope.ac.uk/undergraduate/feesandfunding/. You can also email studentfunds@hope.ac.uk

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Is it tricky to fill out the application form?

The form is fairly long, but Linda says that students shouldn’t feel daunted about having to fill it in. 

Every year, Hope surveys students who’ve successfully received Student Support funds. 

Last year, 90 per cent of those polled said they found the form either ‘very’ or ‘quite’ simple to fill in.

There’s a section in the form called the ‘Personal Statement’. 

Again, Davina says “Just put down anything you think we should know but is not covered elsewhere in your application. 

“Overall, simply fill out the form as best you can and then contact us if there are any gaps. We can then talk you through what you need to do next.”

The Students’ Union also offers help and support when filling in the application form. 

You can contact the SU by emailing union@hope.ac.uk or pop in to see President Clara Priestley and the team in the Lecture Theatre Complex located behind the Gateway. 

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How is any award paid? 

If successful, you’ll receive the Fund directly to your bank account. In some cases, in order to help you budget, a payment is made each term, rather than being handed over in one lump sum. 

Below, you’ll find some other suggestions from our Student Funds colleagues when it comes to maintaining a solid financial footing: 


Choose the appropriate halls of residence for you. 

When it comes to choosing your hall of residence, make sure you’re not choosing one that’s slightly out of your budget. 

 

Prescription medication: 

If you need a regular prescription, it’s often cheaper to pay an annual charge as opposed to pay-as-you-go, as it’ll work out cheaper in the long run.

 

Bus pass: 

Running a car while at university - particularly the cost of insurance - can be a real burden for a student. A bus pass is a much more cost-effective way of getting across the city.

 

Book your flights well in advance: 

If you know you’re going to be flying regularly to and from Ireland, for example, make sure you try and book your flights well in advance, as they will be much cheaper than trying to book them with short notice.

 

** Liverpool Hope University Students’ Union also offers advice and can signpost to additional help: https://www.hopesu.com/main-menu/advice/learning-support-fund

 

** You can also read a Hope Blog covering student finance, too: 

https://hopeuniblogs.com/2020/01/27/student-finance-explained/


Published on 04/10/2021