About the Student Support Fund

The Student Support Fund is a range of different pots of money set aside to assist students who are experiencing unexpected financial difficulty. The Student Support Fund can only be used to help with living costs and are provided by the University based on an assessment of need.  When applications re-open in October, you can apply via the RISIS portal.

See further details and eligibility on the fund below and please read the Guidance Notes and instructions for applying before you start.

The Student Financial Support team are available to assist with your queries.

 Are you struggling to manage a change in your money situation?

Life can change unexpectedly; loss of a job, illness or family etc. In the event of unexpected changes in circumstances, the university is here to support you. Especially in cases where you are struggling financially.

The University may be able to provide short-term solutions in the form of bursaries, loans, support funds and essential food and household items. The Student Financial Support team can also help ensure you are receiving all the funding available while at university.

Deadlines

Please note the following deadlines in the academic year for Student Support Fund applications to be received:

Maximum Award Levels

The below maximum award levels have been agreed for applications submitted until the end of the academic year. The Student Support Funds are heavily oversubscribed and in the vast majority of cases we are only able to award a portion of the calculated shortfall or amount requested.

The maximum level of award is only given in situations of extreme hardship, it is NOT the standard level of award.

What can awards be used for?

The primary purpose of the Funds is to relieve unexpected financial hardship that might impact on a student’s participation in higher education. 

Awards from the Student Support Funds are not required to be repaid and can be used towards unexpected living costs, internet connectivity, specialist software, as well as IT-related study equipment costs.

The Student Support Funds cannot support students with any fee-related payments; including Tuition fees, Resit fees, Library fees, late payment charges and Hall fines.

Who can apply?

Any UK, EU or International undergraduate or postgraduate student currently enrolled at the University of Reading can make an application to the Student Support Funds.

Please note that students must normally be enrolled for a minimum of 60 credits or 50% of a full-time course. Disabled students studying less than 50% because of their disability may apply if they study at least 25% of a full-time course. New part-time students who started their course on/after 1 September 2013 must be enrolled for a minimum of 30 credits or 25% of a full-time course.

How to apply

When applications are open, you can apply via the RISIS portal.

Go to the “Actions” menu and then click on “Financial Support”. From this page you will be able to read the guidance notes and click on the link “Begin/Continue application for financial support or bursary”. When you have completed your online application you will get an acknowledgment email sent to you. 

If you get stuck with finding the application on the RISIS Web Portal then do take a look at the screen shots of the process.