The Student Financial Support team has a number of resources to support students who may have concerns about their finances in the current circumstances:
- Students can apply for the Student Support Fund by logging into their RISIS Web Portal if they are in unexpected financial hardship. (more details below)
- The Digital Support Fund is available to students who have a household income of £27,000 or less and who live in an area of low participation in Higher Education quintile 1 or 2. (more details below)
- The Essentials cupboard is still available to give students in the moment support and can provide three to four days’ worth of essential items including food with recipe ideas, household items and personal care. Students will need to contact studentfunding@reading.ac.uk for further details and to make arrangements for the collection of items.
- Campus Card meal plans: each year Catering Services provide the Student Financial Support team with a limited number of meal plans for students in hardship, these can still be offered and students should contact studentfunding@reading.ac.uk for further details.
- Blackbullion is a financial education tool that aids students to take responsibility for their financial future. Made specifically for university students, Blackbullion offers several short relevant courses for students in topics like budgeting and saving. Blackbullion is free to use by all University of Reading students and staff at www.blackbullion.com.
Students and staff can find out more by visiting www.reading.ac.uk/money.
Students who are struggling to pay tuition or halls accommodation fees should contact student credit control studentcreditcontrol@reading.ac.uk to discuss their situation.
If you find yourself in unexpected financial difficulty, then please email the team on studentfunding@reading.ac.uk.
Student Financial Funds open now:
Digital Support Fund
Additional funding has been secured to re-open applications for the Digital Support Fund after 46 grants of £500 were awarded to students in October 2020.
The University of Reading is committed to ensuring that no applicant is disadvantaged in accessing our undergraduate degree programmes because of their background. We recognise that some students, through no fault of their own, are more likely to face financial barriers during their higher educational experience. The Digital Support fund has been created to support students with the associated costs of online learning and studying.
There are limited grants of £500 per student designed to be used as a contribution to a laptop and accessories – these could include: mouse, keyboard, extra monitor, router, dongle, etc. If you are struggling to pay broadband bills this fund could also support payments.
The fund will provide financial support for applicants who live in areas of the United Kingdom with high levels of deprivation and low participation in Higher Education and whose assessed taxable household income is below £27,000.
To apply for the Digital Support Fund, you must:
- Be a first-year or a returning student on any undergraduate course; and
- Be a permanent resident of the UK; and
- Live in an area with low participation in Higher Education (defined as Polar4 Quintile 1 or 2); and
- Be assessed by your Student Finance Authority as eligible for financial support and have an assessed household taxable income of below £27,000.
- Limited funds are available, so priority will be given to students who are estranged/care experienced, students with school-aged dependants, or students whose course is known to require high specification IT.
If you are interested in applying for the Digital Support Fund you can find out more, check your postcode and apply via the Money Matters section of Essentials.
This fund has been made possible thanks to the generous support of University of Reading donors, many of whom were once students at Reading themselves. We are grateful to Santander Universities for their substantial contribution.
Student Support Fund
If you are not eligible for the Digital Support fund but are facing unexpected financial difficulty you may be eligible for 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.
To apply for the Student Support Fund please log into your RISIS Web 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 acknowledgement email sent to you.
Apply Now via the RISIS portal.
Find out more via the Money Matters pages on Essentials.
If you find yourself in unexpected financial difficulty, then please email the team on studentfunding@reading.ac.uk.