**The Summer and Progression Funds will be open for new applications 19/05/25**
University Financial Assistance Fund (UFAF)/Summer Fund
The Summer Fund provides discretionary financial assistance to non-final year home students, in the form of a non-repayable monetary award. The fund can help to alleviate unexpected financial hardship and is intended to help with essential living costs. Students who may be considering leaving higher education because of financial problems are particularly encouraged to apply.
Awards received will be offset against any outstanding accommodation debt to the University as a priority. If there is any balance remaining after, this will be paid by BACS into your nominated bank account. An award will never be paid to a student in cash.
Eligibility
The Summer Fund is available to non-final year Undergraduate students, Nursing or Midwifery students and Postgraduate students, who have applied to the appropriate funding body and are in receipt of their full entitlement. If you an Overseas or EU (as assessed by the Student Loans Company) please contact the Student Funding and Financial Support team at financial-support@herts.ac.uk for details of financial support available throughout the summer period.
· The Summer cannot be used to pay tuition fees. Any applications stating this will be rejected.
· Students can only make one application to the Summer Fund per academic year unless there is an unexpected change in circumstances since their initial application.
For full information on eligibility, fund opening and closing dates and documentary evidence required, please ensure you download and read the Criteria document before submitting your application.
Awards
Assessments are completed using set criteria.
The Summer Fund awards are set as £150 as a minimum and ranges up to £500.
Progression Fund
A non-repayable financial award to support final year UK domiciled students with employment seeking and related activities.
Eligibility
Final year UK domiciled students requiring support with employment seeking costs and related activities are eligible to apply for a fixed Progression Fund award. This may include support with travel costs, appropriate clothing, funds to enable interview attendance if P/T work is missed due to an interview, financial support for undertaking employment related volunteering activity or other experiences such as a short-term work shadow experience.
· Dormant, withdrawn or completed students cannot apply to the Progression Fund
· The Progression Fund cannot be used to pay tuition fees. Any applications stating this will be rejected.
Awards
Only one award can be received from the Progression Fund per student ID, during your time at the University of Hertfordshire.
Successful applicants will receive a fixed £150.00 award which will be paid by BACS into your nominated bank account. An award will never be paid to a student in cash.
For full information on eligibility and fund opening and closing dates, please ensure you download and read the Criteria document before submitting your application.
Dates and Deadlines
Please note, both the Summer and Progression Fund have limited budgets so we would encourage you to apply early. Once the fund’s resources have been exhausted, shortfall percentages may be reduce, or it they may be closed without advanced warning prior to the deadlines provided.
For full details rgarding the fund opening and closing dates, in addition to information on eligibility and documentary evidence required to support your application, please refer to the Criteria document before submitting your application.
How to apply
You will need to register online at www.blackbullion.com. Using your student email address in the following format ab20cde@herts.ac.uk. *Please note, this is an example and you should use your own details to sign in.*
The application will ask you what financial provisions you have put in place for your living costs prior to the start of the academic year, as well as asking for a description of the unexpected financial difficulties you are facing. You will also need to upload supporting evidence. If any evidence is missing or unclear in your application, we will request this evidence from you through Blackbullion.
If you would like some guidance or support with your application, we offer Drop-in Sessions with a member of the team.
Students will also be required to complete two Blackbullion e-learning modules. There is a short quiz at the end in which students will need to achieve 80% pass rate. These modules can be taken as many times as needed. Please see the Blackbullion Ask Herts page for more information.
Timeframe
An assessment and decision should be made within 4 working weeks of submission of a completed application form, including all required documentary evidence.
However, there may be times when this process may take longer than the 4 weeks outlined above; you will be notified via email if we require a longer time for the assessment to be completed.
Appeals
UFAF/Summer Fund
If you are unhappy with the decision made by the Student Funding and Financial Support team and wish to appeal the decision, please see the appeal page.
Progression Fund
The decision on your application from this award are final. There is no right to appeal. However, if you are unhappy with the outcome of your application, please contact the team via the following email: financial-support@herts.ac.uk
Student Funding and Financial Support
Please visit our Financial Support page, which details the different forms of financial support offered by the Student Funding and Financial Support team, in addition to information regarding Blackbullion and Appointments.