Discretionary & Childcare Funds (UK Students)
Discretionary & Childcare Funds
About the Funds
Our Discretionary & Childcare Funds offer crucial assistance to eligible students, addressing childcare, living, and study expenses (excluding tuition fees). We encourage students to promptly submit their applications at the start of their degree, as funds are limited.
It's important to note that while these funds can alleviate financial strain, they may not cover all expenses and are not meant to replace primary sources of income. Awards are typically disbursed in monthly, non-repayable installments until July's end, though some may be issued as one-time, non-repayable grants.
Childcare Information
As a student receiving childcare support, it is essential to keep the Financial Aid Team informed promptly of any changes to your registered childcare arrangements. These changes can impact the accuracy of payments, leading to potential over or underpayment.
Please note that childcare awards are disbursed directly to students, in arrears. We do not make payments directly to childcare providers. It's your responsibility to ensure that your childcare provider receives payment for the services rendered. If you encounter any issues with payments, such as missing a payment, please reach out to the Financial Aid Team as soon as possible to address the situation.
To maintain integrity in the process, childcare costs are verified in collaboration with childcare providers, and any instances of fraudulent claims will be reported accordingly.
Discretionary Fund
The Discretionary Fund is designed to provide support for eligible students covering study and living expenses, with the exclusion of tuition fees.
For courses with extended durations, such as postgraduate programs, students typically receive more substantial assistance compared to those on shorter-term courses.
The Discretionary Fund does not offer direct assistance for purchasing laptops. If you require a laptop but are unable to afford one, we recommend applying for the Discretionary Fund first, and then accessing a laptop through our Laptop Loan Scheme.
Special consideration is given to students who are carers, estranged from family, mature learners, or have dependent children. These students generally receive enhanced support compared to those not belonging to these groups.
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For Student Carers
For students with caring responsibilities, additional funds may be awarded to address the extra costs associated with this status. When applying for support, please ensure to specify your status as a Student Carer in the Personal Statement section of your application. Additionally, provide evidence of any supplementary expenses incurred due to your caring responsibilities.
It's important to note that parental responsibilities alone do not qualify for Student Carer status, unless pertaining to caring for a disabled child. Similarly, caring responsibilities within voluntary placements or those for which you receive payment do not meet the criteria for Student Carer status.
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For Estranged Students
Estranged students may be eligible to receive additional funds to address the unique challenges associated with their circumstances.
An 'estranged student' is defined as someone who no longer receives support from their family due to a breakdown in their relationship, resulting in ceased contact. This may involve biological or adoptive parents, or other family members who previously provided support. It's important to note that estranged students have not been in the care system and do not have a corporate parent responsible for them.
If you are not care-experienced but will be studying without the support of your family, please inform us so we can provide appropriate assistance.
Any declarations of estrangement will be treated confidentially and used solely for your benefit. This information enables us to offer you additional support resources and ensure you receive the assistance you require during your time at the University.
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For Mature Students
You may be eligible for additional funds if:
- You are 25 or older at the beginning of the current academic year;
- You are under 25 but have been granted independent status by your funding agency.
Please note that if you receive any young student bursaries or allowances, you will not be classified as a mature student.
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Childcare Fund
Funds are available to help full-time students who qualify for SAAS tuition fee funding with registered or formal childcare costs not covered by other sources.
These funds only cover childcare costs during study time, not working hours.
Students receiving tuition fee funding from Student Finance England/Northern Ireland/Wales are not eligible for the Childcare Fund, but can apply for the Discretionary Fund.
We cannot consider any childcare costs incurred by you before the start of your academic year, so please ensure that your Registered Childcare Pro Forma is completed from the official start date of your academic year. Additionally, your child(ren) must have commenced childcare before your application.
The Lone Parents Childcare Grant (LPCG) is not means-tested, and is available to lone parents with formal registered childcare expenses while studying.
Am I Eligible?
To apply for the Discretionary Fund, you should be both:
- A UK domiciled student, receiving your full Student Loan entitlement
- Fully registered for the current academic year at undergraduate degree level or above (Short Courses, Upskilling, and undergraduate certificate students are not eligible)
To apply for the Childcare Fund, you should be both:
- A full-time, Scottish domiciled student, receiving your full Student Loan entitlement
- Eligible for full-time tuition fee support from SAAS
All students applying to the funds should be able to clearly demonstrate financial difficulty through a shortfall between income and expenditure.
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Who is not eligible?
- International and EU students (except those who were ordinarily resident in the UK prior to starting their course and are in receipt of UK Student Loans)
- Students studying below undergraduate degree level, including Short Courses and undergraduate certificate students
- Students enrolled in Upskilling courses
- Students who have not received their full Student Loan entitlement
- Students receiving tuition fee funding from Student Finance England/Northern Ireland/Wales are ineligible for the Childcare Fund but can apply for the Discretionary Fund
- Part-time students cannot apply for the Childcare Fund but can apply for the Discretionary Fund
Students registered on the following basis are not eligible to apply for the funds:
- Erasmus Incoming
- Exchange In
- Reassessment of Dissertation
- Sabbatical
- Visiting In
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How to Apply
1. Check that you are eligible to apply
2. Ensure you have completed Academic and Financial Registration
3. Collate all supporting documents as individual PDFs (ilovepdf.com)
4. Complete the Discretionary and Childcare Application Form
5. Sign Student Declaration and Privacy Notice (on application form)
6. Submit your application as a single email from your UofG email account, to the relevant address:
Discretionary Fund: discretionaryfund@glasgow.ac.uk
Childcare Fund: childcarefund@glasgow.ac.uk
In your email, include:
- A single PDF containing your Application Form
- Separate PDFs containing each supporting document, clearly labelled (e.g. Current Account Transactions PDF, Savings Account Statement PDF, SAAS Award Letter PDF, etc.)
Discretionary and Childcare Fund Application Form
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Has my application been processed?
The following applications cannot be processed:
- Applications submitted before a course has begun
- Applications not submitted as PDFs
- Applications with missing/unsuitable supporting documents
- Applications sent over/from multiple emails
Complete applications will receive priority processing. If your application is incomplete, you may be asked to re-apply, but your new application will be placed at the end of the processing queue.
While we strive to process applications promptly, please note that it may take up to 4 weeks, especially during busy periods like the beginning of term. Childcare Fund applications are given priority whenever feasible.
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Required Supporting Documents
For all applicants
1. Bank Statement(s) (including spouse/partner if cohabiting):
- Mandatory for all applicants.
- When cohabiting, students must provide spouse/partner’s bank statements.
- The document should display the last 30 days of transactions from the application date for all accounts held in the applicant’s name (and the partner/spouse’s name if applicable).
- Online statements and transaction lists are acceptable. However, Excel spreadsheets and Word documents are not permitted.
- Bank statements should be clearly highlighted to correspond with income, expenditure, and debt indicated on the application form.
- Food and social costs do not need to be highlighted.
- Transfers between accounts should be highlighted and explained in the Personal Statement.
- Outdated bank statements or those lacking appropriate highlighting/annotation will not be accepted.
2. Tenancy Agreement/Mortgage Statement:
- Mandatory for all applicants with rent/accommodation costs.
- The tenancy agreement should be current and include the applicant’s name, property address, dates of agreement, and monthly costs.
- An annual mortgage statement or a letter from the provider confirming the applicant’s name, address, and monthly payments is required. Bank statements showing an amount are not acceptable.
- Sub-tenants without a formal lease agreement should provide a letter from their landlord.
3. 2023/24 Award Notification Letter - SAAS/SFE/SFNI/SFW:
- Mandatory for all students receiving Student Loans.
- This document is accessible via the online account with the respective Student Finance body (SAAS, Student Finance England/Northern Ireland/Wales).
4. Birth Certificate for Dependent Child(ren):
- Mandatory for students with dependent children. Failure to provide this document may affect the funds provided.
- If obtaining a birth certificate is challenging, passports or tax credit/Universal Credit (UC) statements are acceptable. If using tax credit/UC statements, the full statement confirming dependent children must be attached.
5. Tax/Universal Credit Statement:
- Mandatory for all applications from students who recieve Universal Credit.
- You should provide a copy of your full, most recent statement that shows any contribution towards childcare costs and/or rent for the academic year.
For childcare applicants (in addition to above)
6. Registered Childcare Pro Forma
- Mandatory for all applicants seeking childcare cost support (from either fund).
- Completed by the childcare provider.
- One Registered Childcare Pro Forma per child, per childcare provider. If multiple children attend the same provider, multiple forms are required.
- The section requesting the level of support (full or partial) must be completed.
Application Do's & Dont's
Do's:
- Take the time to collate all required supporting documents as separate, clearly labelled PDF files before applying.
- Utilise online tools to assist with converting documents to PDF format and combining multiple pages of a document to one single PDF.
- If you are having difficultly attaching large files to an email, reduce the file size by utilising online tools.
Dont's:
- Applications containing supporting documents as multiple files, e.g. individual bank statement pages as separate PDFs, cannot be processed.
- Please refrain from including additional information in your application email. Only attached and labelled PDFs will be evaluated. Any supplementary details should be provided in the Personal Statement section of your application form.
- Please avoid submitting documents as zip files or shared documents.
- Once an application is submitted, additional documents cannot be added unless requested by a member of the Financial Aid Team. Please refrain from sending multiple emails.
Appeal Your Application
If your initial application is unsuccessful, you have the option to submit an appeal for a review. Please note that only applications including all required supporting documents can be considered for appeal.
To appeal the outcome, please email the relevant application mailbox (details can be found in the 'How to Apply' section above), providing a detailed explanation of why you believe your original application meets the eligibility criteria. You may also include any additional information or evidence you deem relevant. When emailing, mark your message as high importance and use 'Discretionary/Childcare Fund Application Appeal' as the subject line.
The Financial Aid Team will review your appeal, and you can expect to receive confirmation of the outcome via email within 28 working days of receipt.
Request a Reassessment
If you experience a significant financial setback due to an unforeseen incident after receiving support from the funds and struggle to meet your living costs, you can request a reassessment of your application.
To initiate a reassessment, email the relevant application mailbox (details can be found in the 'How to Apply' section), providing a detailed explanation of the changes in your financial situation. Be sure to include evidence of any alterations to your income or expenditure. Mark your email as high importance and use 'Discretionary/Childcare Fund Reassessment' as the subject line.
Please refrain from submitting a second application if you have already received support this year, unless specifically invited to do so.
The Financial Aid Team will review your reassessment request, and you can expect to receive confirmation of the outcome via email within 28 working days of receipt.
Please note that awards provided through reassessment will be limited and are typically not as large as any initial award from the funds.