The NHS Exceptional Support Fund is available for students on some health courses.
Overview
The Exceptional Support Fund (ESF) is part of the NHS Learning Support Fund and is available to students studying certain health courses. It is for students experiencing unforeseen financial hardship, who have exhausted all other means of funding.
This fund is administered and funded by the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA), not Sheffield Hallam University.
What you could receive
Successful applicants will receive a grant from the NHSBSA.
Who can apply
You can apply for the Exceptional Support Fund if you:
- are eligible for the NHS Learning Support Fund,
- have applied for the Hallam Hardship Fund (regardless of the outcome), and
- have applied for all other viable sources of funding.
You can still apply even if your Hallam Hardship Fund application was unsuccessful.
If you receive benefits and/or any other financial support, it is your responsibility to check whether receiving an award will affect your entitlement(s)/payments.
How to apply
Applications for the Exceptional Support Fund are assessed by the NHSBSA.
To apply, follow these steps:
- Log in to your NHS Learning Support Fund account
- From your account, download and fill in the Exceptional Support Fund form
- Email a copy of your completed form to studentfunding@shu.ac.uk
- The student funding team will countersign the form, send it to the NHSBSA on your behalf and notify you by email
- Once you have received confirmation that the countersigned form has been sent, you must email a copy of your completed form and supporting evidence to nhsesf@nhsbsa.nhs.uk
The copy of the form you send to the NHSBSA will have sections incomplete. Don't worry, they will receive this information from the countersigned copy we send.
For advice on your application and the supporting evidence you need to provide, read the guidance from the NHSBSA.
What happens next
The NHSBSA will contact you with the outcome of your application. They will aim to do this within 15 working days of receiving your application.
Need help
If you have any questions about this process, please contact Hallam Help.
For support with the application form and supporting evidence, please contact the NHSBSA.
