Emergency Student Support Fund boost
Posted on 5 June 2020
The fund provides bursaries of up to £500 to help students with COVID-19 related financial challenges such as housing, food, travel, and technology costs associated with online learning.
Initially supported entirely by donations, an additional £240,000 has now been allocated to the fund by the University. This means that in addition to the three rounds already delivered (in March, April and May) there will be rounds in June, July, August and September.
The fourth round of ESSF applications opened at 2pm on Wednesday 3 June and closes on Wednesday 10 June at 2pm.
Students whose courses formally end in June 2020 will continue to be eligible to apply for this fund throughout Rounds 4–6. Round 7 in September 2020 is the first round that 2020/21 new entrants will be eligible to apply for.
Successful applications
I will remember this help my whole life.
- Anuradha, Electronic Engineering postgraduate and international student
The first three rounds saw 600 successful applications with a total of £289,400 distributed. All applications are assessed for need by impartial volunteers drawn from University staff, following which all applications were moderated and scored before being taken to a final panel for decision.
For the first time, students who successfully applied to the ESSF in previous rounds are now eligible to apply again in the current and future rounds.