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International Student Hardship Fund

The International Student Hardship Fund is a small university fund open to all current, full fee paying international students who are experiencing short term financial problems that could not reasonably have been anticipated.

Problems include:

  • Unexpected costs associated with your studies.
  • Unexpected cost associated with your personal circumstances.
  • An unexpected temporary reduction in income.

Some examples of things students might apply to the fund for are:

  • Loss of part-time employment.
  • The financial impact of a national crisis – please note we cannot consider applications based solely on a change in currency exchange rates.
  • A one-off unexpected expense, such as unexpected travel home due to family bereavement.
  • Students with a disability who would benefit from assistive technology like Dragon naturally speaking, or note taking software.
  • Students who are unable to work due to disability, ill health or caring responsibilities.

This list is not exhaustive, and we will consider applications that cover a range of circumstances. In all cases you will need to show evidence that you are in financial hardship or will be in financial hardship as the result of having to cover those costs.

Applications to meet course fees or as a result of changes in exchange rates with the students home currency will not be considered.

Applications to the fund solely due to the cost of placements will not be considered. This is because placements are an integral part of a professional course and cannot be considered unexpected. Similarly, applications on the basis of a temporary reduction in income due to being on placement will not be considered. If you are applying to the fund due to another unexpected costs / reduction in income, we will take into account placement costs as part of our general assessment of your living expenses. 

Students on eligible professional healthcare courses, please contact ESHenquiries@brighton.ac.uk to ask about the Practice Learning Fund. This is open to students not in receipt of NHS funding who need help with course costs.

Students can only apply once per academic year unless there has been a significant change in circumstances since last applying.

If you started your course less than 4 months ago or you are not sure if your circumstances meet the fund’s criteria, please contact the International Student Advice and Support Team at internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk to discuss whether you are eligible to apply to the fund so early in your studies.

Please note the fund is only open to current students paying international fees, so if you have been assessed as a Home student please return to the other fund options.

Please don’t hesitate to call the funds team on 01273 644300 or email funds@brighton.ac.uk if you are not sure which fund you are eligible for.

How to apply

You can from Monday 14 October 2024.

Braille or audio versions are also available (allow two weeks from request).

Before you apply please make sure you have copies of the following as you will be asked to upload them to the application form:

Financial documents

  • Bank statements from all your bank accounts, both those held in the UK and overseas for the last three months.
  • If you are living with a partner or spouse, bank statements from all of their bank accounts, both those held in the UK and overseas for the last three months
  • Please explain any credits or debits of over £100 of the equivalent in another currency. You can do this by adding notes to the bank statements themselves, or by providing a list of credits and debits from all accounts over £100 with a note next to them to explain what they were for. 

Proof of accommodation

  • Your tenancy agreement, halls contract or other proof of your accommodation and rent.
  • If you have paid any rent in advance, please provide proof of this e.g. receipts, proof of bank transfer, email from letting agent.

Evidence of the personal circumstances causing hardship

Some examples are provided below. This list is not exhaustive, and we may contact you following your application to ask for further documents.

Course costs
Receipts for materials purchased, with brief explanation of what they are for, or list of materials with prices. Email from your course leader to you confirming these costs are reasonable.

Long term health condition, or disability which affects your ability to work

Letter from your GP or another medical professional confirming how your disability of health condition affects your ability to work.

Assistive technology like Dragon naturally speaking, or note taking software.
An email from your Learning Support Coordinator to confirm the relevant technology.

Unexpected expense which has left you in hardship
Receipts or invoices for any items, travel or services purchased. Any other documents that relate to these purchases – e.g. if you needed to return home urgently due to a family member’s ill health please provide evidence of their health condition.

Unexpected reduction in your income
If you are supported by your family and they are unable to send you as much money as usual, we would require a letter from them to outline what their financial issue was, how much the funding was reduced by, and when they expected to be able to resume funding at the previous rate.

If you were working part-time and lost your job, please provide your if you have one. This is a document issued by an employer when a member of staff stops working for them).

If you do not have a P45 or are applying because you are still working but your hours have been reduced, please provide your payslips for the last 3 months.

In all cases
You will know best what documents you can provide to support your application. If you are not sure, please check your situation with the International Advisers who can advise on what other documents to provide. internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk.

When to apply

Undergraduates

Continuing students: please apply by 27 June 2025.

Final year students: please apply by 5 May 2025.

Postgraduates

Please apply by 5 May 2025 if you have a course end date in June or July 2025

Please apply by 27 June 2025 if your course end date is after July 2025.

How much are the awards?

Awards are made based on a student’s personal circumstances as laid out in the application and supporting documents. There is no minimum or maximum award. However, the fund is in place to support students with short term financial issues, rather than addressing gaps in funding or situations where a student has not made adequate financial provision for their studies. As such awards do not typically exceed £1,000.

How long does it take applications to be decided?

We aim to process all applications within 28 days of receiving them. Completed applications will be considered by an awarding panel which meets every 2 weeks.

Questions about the fund?

If you have any questions about the fund which are not answered here, please email internationaladvice@brighton.ac.uk.

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