Extra money for those who need it

If you're eligible, you'll get an award from the NTU Undergraduate Support Fund. This is to supplement your main source of funding for your undergraduate course during term-time. It offers some support in meeting any shortfall between your income and expenditure. It's a grant, not a loan, so you won't have to repay it.

The fund cannot:

• meet your shortfall in full or
• make up for an absence of funding.

Financial support may be available if your circumstances change during the academic year.

To be eligible to apply, you must meet all the following criteria:

• You're studying at least 25% of an equivalent full-time undergraduate course.
• You're fully enrolled and attending your course.
• You satisfy the residence criteria to be classed as a 'home' student for fees and UK Student Finance (both tuition fee loan and maintenance loan).
• You've applied for the maximum maintenance loan you're entitled to during the 2026/27 academic year. If you haven't applied the maintenance loan on religious grounds, email supportfunds@ntu.ac.uk for advice.

To get help from the NTU Undergraduate Support Fund, you must:

• Submit the application form and all required evidence.
• Show a shortfall between your annual income and expenditure over the academic year. This means the period that covers term-time and the Christmas and Easter vacations. We'll assess this against the standard hardship fund assessment criteria.

Be aware that our assessment may not match your own calculations.

• We only allow essential expenditure.
• We use a combination of standardised figures and caps on expenditure. This ensures fairness and consistency.
• We often assume certain types of income if we think you can reasonably access it
• If you have savings, we'll take these into consideration too.  This will include money in savings accounts and any other saving plans (such as saving accounts, investments, ISA account(s) & trust funds (where applicable) provided they are in your name and you can get access to (even if you may incur a financial penalty for early withdrawal).  It may also include any large sums of money in your current account that exceed the amount needed for your basic living expenses.
• We do apply some disregards on certain types of income and savings.

You can apply to the Undergraduate Support Fund at any point after the fund opens at the start of the academic year.

We'll assess applications throughout the academic year. You should ensure you apply no later than three or four weeks before your academic year finishes. This allows us the necessary time for us to check and assess your application.

If you are eligible for an award, the amount you receive, and the timing of the payment, will depend on the date you submit your completed application and the number of weeks from that point, that you are in need of support before your academic year finishes.

After this fund closes, you may be eligible for support from the Summer Vacation Support Fund.

You can apply to the Undergraduate Support Fund in three easy steps.

Step 1. Visit your NOW Learning Room and complete the Intro to Financial Wellbeing Module

Please refer to this guide to finding the NOW module if you need help.

If you have already completed this module or any other part of Managing Your Money then you don't need to do this.

Step 2. Prepare and save the required evidence documents ready to upload with the form

Get the following documents ready. Give them a recognisable name and save them in one place. This will make it easier for you to upload them when the time comes.

Find the document upload options in the 'Supporting Evidence' section of the application form. Use them to upload your documents.

Do not email these documents to us in advance. Only upload them securely within the online form. This is for data security reasons. It will also help speed up your application.

Uploading all your documents with the form means your application passes straight to the assessment team. If you don't, your application goes into the queue for chasing missing documents.

You'll need to provide the following six things:

1. One full month's bank statement in PDF format for yourmain account, covering the most recent month.

Your main account is the one we'd expect to see:

• your student finance being paid into, and
• your housing costs being paid out of.

The statement should be a PDF document. It must include your:

• full name
• bank name
• sort code
• account number.

It should also include:

• detailed transactions, and
• the starting and ending balances for the month in question.

2. Additional bank statements showing funding going in and rent or mortgage going out (if necessary)

The statement you provide may already include details of:

• your student finance payment coming into your account, and
• details of your termly or monthly housing payment going out of your account.

These details may not appear on your most recent statement. If they don't, you must upload copies of additional statements. These extra statements must show this information.

3. Current balances for all other bank accounts in your name

These can be screenshots from online banking. They must clearly show your:

• balance
• sort code
• account number.

4. Your 2026/27 student finance entitlement letter

This must clearly show the amount of maintenance loan you're receiving this academic year.

5. Proof of your housing costs

This shows what housing costs you have to pay each month, term or year. This should be:

• a copy of your housing contract, or
• a copy of your mortgage statement, or
• evidence of board payments to your family.

If you're getting support with housing, you should also include evidence of this. Such support could include:

• housing benefit
• the housing element of universal credit.

6. Other evidence relevant to your individual circumstances

Such evidence may include the following.

• Up-to-date benefit notification letters. These must show your entitlement to all benefits you are receiving. These benefits can include:
  • Universal Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Tax Credits
  • Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA)
  • Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • any carers or disability benefits.
• In the case of Universal Credit, we'll need award breakdown letters. These must cover the two most recent months.
• Proof of medical costs, and/or evidence showing you're unable to work alongside your studies.
• Proof of dependent children who live with you, and any childcare costs you have.
• Proof of your partner’s income if:
  • you live together as a couple, and
  • you're classed as an independent student by student finance, and
  • your partner is listed on your student finance application.

Step 3:  Complete the online 2026/27 NTU Undergraduate Support Fund application form

NTU Undergraduate Support Fund Application 2026-27

Remember to upload all the necessary evidence you prepared in step 2 (above).  Not having to chase for missing documents will hugely speed up the processing of your application.

Once we receive your application, we'll check we have all the necessary information.

We'll contact you through your NTU email address if we need:

• any more information and/or supporting evidence
• to refer you to our advice team for further discussion of your financial situation.

We'll assess your application more quickly if you have provided all the required information.

Checking and chasing missing information will result in delays in the assessment process.

We may ask you for additional information or evidence. You must supply this within four weeks. If you don't, we'll assume you no longer wish to proceed with your application. If you decide at a later date that you wish to apply, you may need to complete the application process again. This ensures we have the most up-to-date information.

Once your application is complete, we will go through our standard assessment procedure. We'll calculate the shortfall between your annual income and essential expenditure.

If there's a shortfall, we'll use this figure to decide the annual level of support available from the NTU Undergraduate Support Fund. Please note that the fund can only offer a contribution towards any shortfall.

When considering income and expenditure, please be aware of the following.

Income:

• You must declare actual income from all sources.
• The figure we use in the assessment may be different to what you declare. We disregard some sources of income but assume others.
• You must declare any savings. These will count as income available to you. This includes money in savings accounts and any other saving plans (such as saving account(s), investments, ISA account(s) & trust funds (where applicable) provided they are in your name and you can get access to (even if you may incur a financial penalty for early withdrawal).  It may also include any large sums of money in your current account that exceed the amount needed for your basic living expenses.
• We assume some sources of income. These can include:
• potential earnings from employment for those who are able to work
• parental contribution for those not entitled to the maximum student finance
• certain welfare benefits where there is clear eligibility.

Expenditure:

• We can only consider essential expenditure.
• We don't take into account what you spend on tuition fees. The support fund is not able to pay for these.
• To keep things fair, we standardise most living costs in the assessment. This includes things like food, bills and socialising. We do this because they're common to all students.
• Other living costs can vary from student to student. These costs include things like accommodation, travel, and course costs. We place an appropriate limit on the amounts allowed in the assessment. This ensures costs are reasonable.

We aim to assess applications within 15 working days of the date we receive:

• your completed application, and
• all the required evidence to support your application

Please be aware that this may take longer at peak times. How quickly we can assess and pay you will differ if you're referred to us in an emergency situation.

We'll assess your application more quickly if you provide all the required information. Please do so when you initially make your application.

We'll contact you if you don't provide all the required information or evidence. Checking and chasing missing information will result in delays in the assessment process.

Once we've assessed your form, we'll send an email to your NTU email address. The email will notify you of the outcome of your application.

If your application is successful

The email will give details of:

• how much we're awarding you
• when and how we'll pay it to you.

If your application is unsuccessful

The email will explain why we haven't granted you an award.

The University makes all award payments using NatWest Payit

If you are eligible to receive an award, your notification email will include details of how to access your payment.

Have you submitted your NTU Undergraduate Support Fund application yet?

• If you haven't already applied, email studentmoneyteam@ntu.ac.uk for information. We'll be able to answer questions about eligibility and the application process.
• If you have applied, email supportfunds@ntu.ac.uk with your query. We'll be able to tell you about your application and the supporting evidence you need to provide.

Want to check the progress of your application?

Please wait at least 15 working days after you have submitted all the required evidence. This allows us to concentrate on assessing applications and getting awards out quickly.

16-18 FE  Bursary Fund

If you were aged 16-18 on 31st August this year, you can apply to the Further Education Bursary Fund using the online application below:

FE Bursary Application Form (you will need to be logged on to your NTU account to access this form.)

As FE Bursary applications are means tested on your gross household income (usually of that of your parent(s), we will require the following supporting documents to be able to fully assess your application.

• Proof of Students income (if applicable);
• Evidence of Parent(s) gross household income e.g. payslips, Universal Credit Entitlement Letter, pension statement, evidence of self-employment.

We would strongly recommend that you apply as soon as possible, as funds are limited.

For Student(s) using Nottingham City Transport buses to travel to Brackenhurst to attend your course.

If you are eligible for an award from the FE Bursary Fund and you are using Nottingham City Transport buses to travel to Brackenhurst Campus to attend your course, part of your bursary award will be paid in the form of an NCT academic bus pass directly to NCT.  If you  have already purchased an NCT Academic Year bus pass for 2026/27, please contact supportfunds@ntu.ac.uk and we can arrange to reimburse you for this cost as part of your bursary award (if applicable).

Free Meals in Further Education

Students aged between 16-18 years of age on the 31st of August 2026, may be eligible to receive up to £2.66 towards the costs of a meal on days they are required to attend college. Or for students who are aged 19 or over (on August 31st, 2026) continuing on a study program they began when aged 16 to 18 years old.

To qualify, a student must be in receipt of (in their own right), or have parents who are in receipt of, one or more of the following means-tested benefits:

• Universal Credit;
• Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999;
• Households in receipt of Income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the guaranteed element of Pension Credit may also be entitled to a meal.

If you believe you are eligible, please provide evidence of benefit(s) as listed above to supportfunds@ntu.ac.uk

If eligible and evidence verified, then the funds will be added on to your NTU Student Card termly.

16-18 Residential Bursary Fund

There is no university accommodation available on site for students aged under 18 years but for those aged 16-18 on 31st August, means tested support with privately rented accommodation costs is available in limited circumstances through the residential bursary fund.  For example, if you had to move away from your usual place of residence because the course you are studying is either not available locally and / or requires regular attendance at unsociable hours.

You can apply for the Residential Bursary Fund by completing the online application below:

Residential Bursary Fund Application Form

The Advanced Learner Loan Bursary

If you are studying for an eligible Level 3 qualification and in receipt of an Advanced Learner Loan from the Student Loans Company, you may be able to apply for a bursary to contribute towards travel and course costs.  These bursaries are allocated on a means-tested basis. Support with residential costs is available in limited circumstances.

To be eligible to apply for Advanced Learner Loan bursary support, you need to be fully approved and in receipt of an advanced learner loan before applying to the fund.

You can apply for assistance from the Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund by filling in the online application below:

Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Application

As FE Bursary applications are means tested on your gross household income (usually of that of your parent(s), we will require the following supporting documents to be able to assess your application.

• Proof of Students income (if applicable);
• Evidence of Parent(s) gross household income e.g. payslips, Universal Credit Entitlement Letter, pension statement, evidence of self-employment;
• If you are assessed as an independent student, then we will require evidence of only your income and that of a partner if they live with you (if applicable).

For Student(s) using Nottingham City Transport buses to travel to Brackenhurst to attend your course.

If you are eligible for the Advanced Learner Loan Bursary Fund and you are using Nottingham City Transport buses to travel to Brackenhurst Campus to attend your course, part of your bursary award will be paid in the form of an NCT academic bus pass directly to NCT.  If you have already purchased an NCT Academic Year bus pass for 2026/27, please contact supportfunds@ntu.ac.uk and we can arrange to reimburse you for this cost as part of your bursary award (if applicable).

Once we have received your application and ALL supporting evidence, we will complete our assessment and then email you to your NTU email address to advise of any award amount and next steps about how to claim your NCT Academic Year Bus Pass (if applicable).

For further information please contact supportfunds@ntu.ac.uk