Applications now open for Emergency Hardship Fund

16 Jun 2020

The Emergency Hardship Fund has been created thanks to over £1m in generous donations from alumni, staff, students and friends of The University of Manchester, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic

The purpose of the Emergency Hardship Fund is to support defined projects that are of direct benefit to students and address the wider effects of Covid-19 on the student population. 

The Fund is now accepting applications from new and existing projects and initiatives that are aimed at supporting these students, with a deadline to apply of Wednesday, 24 June 2020. These applications will be assessed by a newly formed disbursement group, chaired by Professor April McMahon, Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students.

Disbursement decisions will be informed by need and will be made in line with the University’s wider strategic goals for Teaching, Learning and Students. The disbursement group welcomes applications for projects and initiatives that fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Emergency financial support – for students in financial difficulty
• Bursary support – to enable students to start or continue in education  
• Practical support – through free or subsidised access to accommodation or equipment, enabling students to engage more fully in learning, teaching and/or research
• Wellbeing support – including support with mental health and careers guidance

The Fund will support projects that help students across a range of levels of study. Both home and international, full- and part-time, and new and returning students, should benefit from the various projects that receive funding.

The Fund will be used to support a variety of projects that meet the above criteria, including those for which budget has already been approved, extensions to existing projects and new initiatives. 

Applications must be made by a member of staff of either The University of Manchester or University of Manchester Students’ Union. 

• To apply for funding from the Emergency Hardship Fund, please complete and sign the application form and return it to lucy.hobson@manchester.ac.uk by 5pm on Wednesday, 24 June. All applicants must agree with the requirements for spending funds and reporting on impact.