The Undergraduate Financial Assistance Fund provides support to undergraduate students in unforeseen financial need to enable them to complete their studies. Please note that this includes students studying for the 6 year VetMD and MBBChir degrees.
About the Fund
The Fund can provide awards of up to £3,000 for full time and £1,500 for part-time undergraduate students (2024/25 figures) who are experiencing unforeseen financial difficulties and meet the eligibility criteria. Students must apply more than 6 weeks in advance of their course completion date to be eligible for these funds.
The fund classifies unforeseen financial difficulties as a financial situation that could not have been otherwise predicted or expected when the student enrolled on their course. These circumstances must have occurred within the current or last academic term.
Students on intermission are ineligible to receive support from this Fund and should look into the eligibility criteria for the Realise Fund.
Applications are carefully reviewed by the University Financial Assistance Sub-Committee and the application process is managed by the Student Funding and Fee Policy Team, who consider applications on a monthly basis.
Before you apply
Students should ensure they have applied to any Government, normal funding sponsor, College and Department resources that could assist their financial situation before applying for University support. Follow the links below for other support available:
- Budgeting Advice from the Students' Union
- Money Saving Expert - Student Budgeting Planner
- Budgeting Advice from UCAS
- The Crane Medical Fund
- The Realise Fund
- The University's Childcare Support Fund
Applicants to the Fund must be registered current undergraduate students of the University who have matriculated. The Financial Assistance Fund classifies registered students as students who have not met their course requirements.
Applications must be submitted 6 weeks before the completion of course requirements in order to be eligible.
Applications for part-time students will be considered on a pro-rata basis for their FTE rate of study. For example, 0.5 FTE students would usually be eligible for 50% of an award (£1,500).
Applicants should have sought the maximum support from all available sources before applying. It is expected that if a student has access to a funder or a government supported, educational loan they will take out/extend this loan before applying for financial assistance from the University.
Financial assistance will not be provided for:
- Students who are on intermission
- Students who have not made adequate financial provision prior to starting their studies
- Students with access to savings of over £1000 or alternative funding that could meet their shortfall
- Students with high living costs that exceed the indicative amounts for undergraduate admissions of £10,950 p.a. for 2024-25, without acceptable justification
- Students without a student loan, who are otherwise eligible to receive one
- Students in the first term of their course
- 5th and 6th year clinical medics who are applying due to a reduction in Student Finance support.
- Students paying off debt or overdrafts
- Situations that were foreseen
- Situations that occurred more than 1 term ago
- Students supporting family members or friends
- Laptop or other IT costs
- Currency fluctuations, with the exception of a currency collapse*
- Cost-of-living crisis costs that are the sole reason for the application. Students who have seen a rise of more than 5% in living costs per year since they started may be considered
- COVID-19 costs
- Tuition fees
- Medical costs
- College accommodation costs over the holidays, without an exceptional reason
- Childcare costs**
- Visa costs
- Shortfalls exceeding £4000, where there is no viable plan to meet the rest of the shortfall
- Applicants who have received the maximum award this academic year (£3,000 for the year 2024/25)
- Costs that have already been mitigated against by a previous award from the fund
- Students applying during the last 6 weeks of their course
- Students who are applying due to a DSA shortfall***
* Please see the FAQ section for the definition of a currency collapse
**Please approach the University's Childcare Fund or the Central Childcare Bursary Scheme for EU and overseas students in the first instance
***Please approach the DSA in the first instance. If no funding is available and there is a shortfall, a supporting letter from the DSA is required for any application to the fund, explaining why the DSA award is insufficient and why there is a financial shortfall.
Financial assistance is available for undergraduate students studying on a Year Abroad who have not received funding from the Turing scheme or equivalent University funding. Please answer 'yes' to the question in the application form asking if you are applying for financial assistance for your Year Abroad.
Students must be able to demonstrate that without this award they will be placed in severe financial difficulty. In addition, it is expected that students would have taken advantage of the maximum Government education loan that might be available during their Year Abroad. You may also be eligible to receive a travel grant, please see this page for more information: Travel grants for students studying abroad or on placements.
This scheme is managed by the International Student Office and the Student Funding and Fee Policy Team.
Applications must be supported by a statement submitted by a College Tutor, which confirms they have spoken to the student about their financial circumstances. College Tutors will request to see evidence of financial documentation regarding income and expenditure to provide their supporting statement.
Please note, we ask for a College Tutor's support form to ensure assistance is available to students within the College in the form of pastoral care, as well as potential financial support from other avenues.
A step-by-step process of how to apply for financial assistance
You can download an offline copy of the application form to practise. Please note that this is for practice only and the link to the online application form can be found below. Applications need to be submitted via the online form in step 2 and not via email.
Step 1. Assess which fund you are eligible for
Look at the website and see which fund you are eligible for and is best suited for your needs.
Step 2. Discuss the application with your College Tutor
Please find the online application form.
Step 3. Apply to the financial assistance fund online
Complete the relevant online application form in step 2 for the financial assistance funds.
Step 4. Support forms and support documents
Your College Tutor and potentially Academic Supervisor will be asked to complete supporting forms for your application.
Step 5. Receive your outcome
You will receive an outcome via email at the end of the month after you submit your application. For most funds, the award will be paid to your College within two weeks. For the Crane Medical Fund, a Tutor statement and receipts will have to be submitted at the end of the treatment to claim reimbursement of the award.
You will be notified of the results of your application at the end of the following month after you have applied to the fund*. For example, if you applied to the fund in October 2025, you should expect to receive an outcome by 30th November 2025.
Please see the below table to clarify when you will receive an outcome. You will be notified of your outcome via email.
*Please note, in cases where we are waiting for additional information, or in busy periods, the length of time to be notified of the award may be extended.
Am I eligible to apply for the fund?
Undergraduate students who may be eligible to apply include those who are:
- Studying for a BA, MusB, BTh, MB BChir, VetMB or an integrated Master's degree (MEng, MMath, MSci) taken as Part III of a Tripos.
- Affiliated students who already have a degree from another University and are taking the Cambridge BA in two years rather than three.
- Students studying on a Year Abroad who have not received funding from the Turing Scheme or equivalent University funding.
As well as being on one of the above courses, you will also need to meet our eligibility criteria.
How much support is available?
Eligible, full-time students can receive a grant of up to £3,000 (2024/25 rate) per academic year to assist with unforeseen financial difficulties. Eligible part-time students can receive a grant of up to £1500 per academic year
Can I apply to the fund for support with cost-of-living costs?
Cost of living is not usually supported as a sole factor for financial difficulties anymore, as it is no longer considered unforeseen. In exceptional cases it will be considered for final year students who have seen a greater than 5% inflation of living costs.
When can I apply to the fund?
Students can apply to the fund any time between 1 October 2024 and 31 August 2025.
How many times can I apply to the Undergraduate Financial Assistance Fund?
There is no limit on the number of applications you can make to the fund. However, the maximum amount that can be awarded per academic year is £3,000 (2024/25 rate). If you have already received awards totalling the maximum award for the academic year, you will be ineligible to receive further funding.
Who do I contact regarding my application?
The Student Funding and Fee Policy Team manage the administration of the Undergraduate Financial Assistance Fund. Please contact them here: financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk
How do I find out what is happening with my application?
To check on the progress of your application, please email financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk
How will my application be assessed?
We will assess your expected income against reasonable expenditure and annual indicative rates for living costs (£11,715 for undergraduate students in 2024/25). Additionally, we will consider your application against our eligibility criteria and your CamSIS record, to determine if an award can be made.
When/how will I hear my outcome?
Please see the below table to clarify when you will receive an outcome. You will be notified of your outcome via email.
How will I receive my award?
Awards are paid to your College, which will then reimburse you.
What is my payment reference?
This is made up of: Fund, USN and last name e.g. UG FAF 123456789 Smith
How do I appeal a decision?
If you are unhappy with the outcome you receive, please contact your College Tutor in the first instance. Appeals can then be directed to the Student Funding Manager at financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk.
I have appealed my outcome. When will I hear back about this?
If an outcome has been appealed, it is sent to the University's Financial Assistance Sub-Committee for re-consideration. Unfortunately, we are unable to give an exact timeframe as to when the outcome of an appeal will be made.
I have additional information in support of my application. Where shall I send this?
Please send any additional supporting information, which has not been included in your application, to financialassistance@admin.cam.ac.uk
What is considered a high shortfall?
Any shortfall over £4,000 where a sufficient financial plan has not been provided.
Do you expect me to run my savings down to £0?
No, savings over £1,000 will be considered as spare money to be used towards any financial shortfall.
Why am I unable to claim for the Cost-of-living Crisis as a reason for financial difficulties?
The Cost-of-living Crisis is not usually supported as a sole factor for financial difficulties anymore, as it is no longer considered unforeseen. In exceptional cases, it will be considered for final year students who have seen a greater than 5% inflation of living costs.
What is a currency collapse?
A devaluation of currency exchange rate of or equal to 20% or more, when checked by the Student Funding and Fee Policy Team over the course of the last month. Preference will be given to students whose money is in a currency experiencing a devaluation of 50% or more, or those on a course with a duration longer than 12 months. Devaluations of currency of under 5% are considered a reasonable reduction over the course of a period of study and will not be awarded where currency fluctuations are the only reason stated for financial difficulties.
What should I do if my household financial circumstances have changed?
If household financial circumstances have worsened since their initial application, students can apply to have their household income reassessed by Student Finance, which may result in further support and a higher Cambridge Bursary (which is calculated automatically based on household income and other factors). Your College Tutor can advise you.
Will Student Finance provide support during an intermission?
Student Finance funded students having to intermit their studies may apply for their maintenance funding to continue for up to 60 days (8 weeks) due to 'Compelling Personal Reasons'. Please read this page: Withdrawing or suspending study.