Financial support
for university students

We know that university life is an exciting journey, but it can sometimes feel financially challenging. That's why we’ve created our financial support package, designed to help ease financial pressures so you can focus on achieving your goals.

Both our £5,000 Cost of Living Allowance and Kick-Start scheme funds do not need to be paid back, providing you with valuable financial assistance to cover essential expenses such as accommodation, food, and study materials. 

What does the financial support package include?

1. £5,000 Cost of Living Allowance

Non-means-tested. No repayment

All full-time UK undergraduate students starting in February or September 2026 will receive a £5,000 Cost of Living Allowance, which doesn't have to be paid back. No catch, just some extra support. The allowance will be paid in eight monthly instalments of £250 in the first two years of the course. A further £1,000 will be paid in two instalments of £500 each in the final year.

Find out more

2. Kick-Start Scheme (up to £800 per year)

No repayment necessary

All full-time UK students starting an undergraduate course may be eligible to receive financial support worth up to £800 in each year of study. Funds are provided as a credit which can be spent on the Kick-Start website to buy course-related materials and products to support your studies. You can also purchase bus passes via Kick-Start from the Guild of Students.

Find out more

3. Free fruit, toast and soup

Available for all students across the university

We provide free fruit and toast in the morning and soup and bread in the afternoon at our Summer Row cafe. Whether you need a quick, nutritious snack before class or a warm, comforting meal during your day, we’ve got you covered. 

Additionally, Kick-Start funds can be used across our food outlets.

 

Scholarships and waivers

University College Birmingham provides a range of scholarships, bursaries and fee waivers designed to encourage individuals to access programmes of study at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

Find out more

Additional financial support

There are other ways we may be able to support you financially during your time at University College Birmingham.

University Support Fund

The University Support Fund is to assist UK (‘home’) students who have experienced financial difficulties due to an unexpected change in their circumstances, which has led to a shortfall in funding, negatively impacting their ability to continue or succeed in their studies here. The Fund is a financial support resource designed to assist as many eligible students as possible, taking into account their engagement and commitment to their course, and helping them achieve a positive outcome from their time at university.

Specifically, the aim of the University Support Fund is to support students with:

  • Assisting students who need short-term financial support to help meet costs that cannot be met from statutory (or other) sources of funding.
  • Providing emergency funding for unexpected crises
  • Meeting specific course and living costs, other than tuition fees, which are not already  met from other sources i.e. student finance, kickstart etc.

This fund cannot under any circumstances be used towards tuition fees.

Students eligible to apply

To apply for the University Support Fund, you must meet all the eligibility criteria:

  • be an undergraduate or postgraduate student fully enrolled on a course at UCB and required to attend sessions on campus
  • satisfy the residency criteria to be classed as a ‘home’ student for fee and funding
  • have applied for all public funds accessible to you and have received your first payment before making an application to the fund e.g. Student Finance Loans, eligible benefits etc.
  • have made arrangements to cover all your fees and made adequate provision to cover your living costs for the academic year through other sources of income prior to and during your attendance at university. This include but is not limited to, maintenance loans from Student Finance, savings, familial contributions and salary. If adequate provision cannot be evidence, then financial support may not be given
  • have a minimum of four weeks remaining on your course at the point of application to the fund if you are in your final year of study.

How to Apply

To apply for financial support from the University Support Fund you will need to do the following:

  1. Contact f.support@ucb.ac.uk to request an application with some information on your reasons for applying
  2. If eligible, an application form will be sent to your student email address. If you are not eligible, we will contact you with alternative information

International University Support Fund

The International Student University Support Fund is available to support international students who are experiencing unexpected financial difficulties during their studies at University College Birmingham. 
 
The fund is intended to provide short-term financial assistance in exceptional circumstances. Funding is limited and awards are made at the discretion of the University.
 
Who can apply?

You may be eligible to apply if you:

  • Are classified as an international (non-UK) student
  • Are enrolled on a full-time course at the University College Birmingham
  • Are experiencing unforeseen financial hardship during your studies

What can the University Support Fund help with?

The fund may be able to provide support towards:

  • Essential living costs
  • Short-term financial difficulties caused by unexpected or exceptional circumstances

What can the University Support Fund not help with?

The fund cannot be used to support:

  • Tuition fees
  • Costs that were foreseeable before starting your course
  • Ongoing or long-term financial shortfalls
  • Visa or immigration-related costs

How to apply

Applications must be submitted via the University’s Support Fund application process. You will be required to complete an application form and provide supporting evidence as part of your submission.
 
You will be asked to provide evidence, such as, but not limited to:

  • Bank statements
  • Proof of income or sponsorship
  • Evidence of unexpected expenditure or changes in circumstances

Important information

The International Student Hardship Fund is not intended to replace personal funding arrangements. All applications are assessed on a case by case basis and there is no automatic entitlement to an award. Due to limited funding, not all eligible applications can be supported, and there is no guarantee that an award will be made.
 
To find out more information about what support is available, please email financialsupport@ucb.ac.uk

Childcare

All full-time university (higher education) students should apply to Student Finance England for help with childcare costs. The amount you can receive depends on your financial circumstances. The application form (CCG1) is available at www.gov.uk – visit the website and search for 'Student Finance forms.'

Need help finding suitable childcare?

For information about childcare providers, please visit birmingham.gov.uk/childcare.

You can also look at the guide to finding childcare in Birmingham

Financial support for Care Leavers

If you are a Care Leaver coming to study with us, you may be able to access additional financial support to help with your transition into university. The Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 defines a care leaver as someone who has been in the care of the Local Authority for a period of 13 weeks or more following their 16th birthday.

Our financial support offer includes:

  • Up to four weeks to pay the £100 security deposit necessary to secure accommodation for students choosing to stay in UCB Halls of Residence
  • A UniKitOut essentials starter pack (www.unikitout.com) ready for when you move into our Halls of Residence

The financial support offer is available to eligible students in their first year of study only.

In addition, you can access:

  • Pre-arrival budgeting advice and assistance with the Student Finance application process
  • Priority access to our HE Access Fund, if necessary
  • Summer accommodation at our Halls of Residence

Funding for nursing, physiotherapy and paramedic degrees

If you are applying for a place on one of our healthcare courses, you can of course apply for all the usual funding through your relevant Student Finance awarding agency.

The additional support available to Nursing, Physiotherapy and Paramedic students includes a non-repayable payment of £5,000 to eligible students each academic year, and additional payments worth up to a total of £3,000 to help students cover childcare costs. This support is administered by the NHS Business Services Authority and more information can be found here.

Please note that if you wish to study one of these courses, but you are unsure whether you will be entitled to student loans because you already have a first degree, the usual rules around ‘equivalent level qualifications’ (ELQ) do not apply. Nursing and Physiotherapy are considered as exceptions to the ELQ rules, therefore you will still be able to access tuition fee loan and maintenance loan funding for either one of these courses.

Access Fund – for diagnostic tests and DSA contribution fee support

If you are a home or EU student studying a university (higher education) course and you need support to pay for a diagnostic test for dyslexia/ADHD to support your application for DSA, or support with paying the £200 DSA contribution fee for equipment, you may be eligible for the Access Fund.

If your household income has been assessed as being under £30,000, you may be eligible for some support with the cost of the above.

In line with funding regulations, applications are prioritised for:

  • Students with dependent children, especially single parents
  • Mature students with existing financial commitments
  • Students with disabilities
  • Students who previously were in care or care leavers
  • Students who were homeless or living in a 'foyer' for young people

How much can I get?

Please note we use the information provided by Student Finance England to assess household income. If you did not apply for a maintenance loan and have not had your household income assessed please contact f.support@ucb.ac.uk for further advice.

Diagnostic Test Support

The level of award will be dependent on the level of household income.

  • £25,000 or below – 100% of the cost of a diagnostic assessment up to £500
  • £25,000 - £27,500 – 50% of the cost of a diagnostic assessment up to £500
  • £27,500 - £30,000 – 25% of the cost of a diagnostic assessment up to £500

If your household income is over the £30,000 threshold, you can still apply for support but you will have to do this via the Hardship Fund.

DSA contribution fee for equipment

The level of award will be dependent on the level of household income.

If your household income is below £30,000 per annum, we will award the full £200. If it is above £30,000, we will contribute 50% of the fee.

How do I apply?

Diagnostic Test Support

After checking you meet the eligibility criteria, you will need to contact our Disability and Neurodiversity Support team for an initial assessment.

You can then contact the financial support team (f.support@ucb.ac.uk) requesting an application form.

We will then send you an application form and guide to applying.

DSA contribution fee for equipment

After checking you meet the eligibility criteria, please contact the financial support team (f.support@ucb.ac.uk) with your letter from DSA stating that you are required to pay the £200 contribution cost for equipment.

We will then send you an application form and guide to applying.

Please ensure you have read the guidelines and information below on how to apply and who is eligible before submitting an application.

University Access Fund Guidelines and Information

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