You may be eligible to receive a one-off payment if you are experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties.
The information on this page is correct for the 2024/25 academic year.
Overview
The Hallam Hardship Fund is available to help with essential living costs so that your studies are not impacted.
We understand that unexpected financial issues can be stressful and, therefore, the support we offer may not always be financial. We may invite you to an appointment to discuss alternative funding and support.
If financial difficulties are affecting your mental health, the Student Wellbeing service provide support and resources that you may find useful.
What you could receive
In normal circumstances, payments will not be more than £600.
How are applications assessed
There is no automatic entitlement to an award and all applications are considered on their individual merits. When assessing an application, we will consider:
- whether you have an exceptional circumstance,
- whether your situation was foreseeable,
- whether you have other sources of funding available and/or savings,
- the level and type of spending shown on your bank statements, and
- the impact on your studies.
Who can apply
You can apply for the Hallam Hardship Fund if you meet all of the following criteria:
- You are enrolled on a taught credit bearing course or research degree during the current academic year.
- You are a home fee status student and studying a course that attracts a fee which is payable directly to Sheffield Hallam.
- You have applied for all other viable sources of funding and benefits that you are eligible for.
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.
If you are an international student, you should apply for the International Emergency Fund.
If you are enrolled on the Physician Associate course, you should apply for the Physician Associate Studies Hardship Fund.
When to apply
Applications are open throughout the academic year. However, if all available funds have been allocated, applications may close before the end of the academic year.
How to apply
You will need to submit an application form. The form will ask you for:
- information about your personal circumstances,
- information about the amount of money you need and why,
- information about the exceptional circumstances that have led to your current financial situation, and
- evidence to support your application (such as bank statements and funding/benefit documents).
You must read the terms and conditions and the guidance on providing bank statements before applying. These can be found at the start of the application form.
The Hallam Hardship Fund is unavailable whilst the University is closed over the Christmas break. Applications will re-open on Thursday 2 January. Our activities and support over the festive break page has details of the range of support available to you while we are closed and who to contact if you need urgent help.
