Financial Help within College and the University
University is expensive, and college staff do recognise the difficulties students face. There are a number of hardship funds available should you find yourself in financial difficulty. Do not assume you are not in enough of a dire strait to require help; you will not be criticised or made to feel guilty. Speak up before it gets out of hand.
HEFCE Hardship fund
This is the main hardship fund for non-international students. If you are having trouble paying rent, college fees or anything else then you may be able to obtain a grant. Please note applicants must have already taken out their full student loan entitlement to be eligible. The college’s Hardship Committee makes decisions and the utmost discretion is assured. Application forms are available from Katie Mackay.
University Hardship Fund
This fund is available mainly for international students whom cannot apply to the HEFCE fund. To apply you must show that there has been a change in your circumstances that has put you in a position of hardship. Please see the senior tutor for more details.
Access to learning and mature students
There are grants and funds available for access and mature students (usually with dependants). Please see the Senior Tutor for details.
Short-term “emergency” Loans
Short-term loans are available from both college and the DSU. These are usually to cover costs if a loan cheque has not yet arrived or you will soon have money which is not yet available. Applications should be made to Katie Mackay (college), or Nicky Godfrey, DUS Education and Welfare Officer (dsu.welfare@dur.ac.uk).
For General information regarding student financial support refer also to the following websites:
www.dur.ac.uk/student.support
www.dfes.gov.uk/studentsupport/
JJCR Members Fund
The members fund is partly made up of the JJCR Membership each of us pays at the beginning of our time here at John’s. The fund is there primarily to help students who find they need money for miscellaneous one-off needs such as text books, train tickets, ball tickets etc that they hadn’t realised they had to factor into their budget. Applications can be made to the JJCR, CCR and MCR Presidents at any point of term.
Hardship Fund
Support is most often given to students through this fund in the case of unavoidable situations of hardship; for example, taxi fees in case of personal injury, general maintenance and fee payment, funding for education assessment, etc. If interested in accessing this fund contact Dr Ogden, Senior Tutor.
JJCR Travel Bursaries
Need money for a trip during vacation? Think this trip will benefit the university, college or yourself? Then you may be eligible for a JJCR Travel Bursary. Applications are accepted at the end of each term for trips during the coming vacation. The application deadline and criteria will be thoroughly advertised in the final weeks of term.
College Travel Bursary
The College also provide a travel bursary for those students who wish to travel during vacations, with the same basic criteria as the JJCR Travel Bursary. Applications are sent to the Senior Tutor, Dr Ogden and they are usually advertised to students at the appropriate times.
SCR Travel Bursary
The amount of £500 each is generally awarded to two people, usually to contribute to a summer expedition or project which is interesting and unique. Applications for this bursary are only open in Epiphany term and an email is sent with all the relevant details. The people who receive this bursary are usually required to give a short talk about their experiences to the SCR.