Recently, it’s been much harder for students to live on a tight budget – part-time jobs and budgeting can help, but recent rent and price rises have been so high that money can be a real source of worry. At King’s, we’re fortunate to have a Housing & Money Advice Service (and the Money Mentors!) who are here to show you where you can access support during and after your time at King’s.
King’s Housing and Money Advice Service:
While at King’s, you can arrange to speak to one of the specialist advisers at the Housing & Money Advice Service if you have queries or concerns about money management, accommodation – especially if it’s urgent (for example, you’re worried you’ve been the victim of a scam). They’re here to provide advice if you fall under financial hardship.
Before getting in contact, check whether your questions have already been answered anywhere on the Student Services Fees, Funding and money advice page. If not, then you can arrange a consultation with an Adviser through this Registration Form. Alternatively, they offer telephone appointments or drop-in sessions; you can find out more on their page.
Funding Opportunities by KCL:
King’s College London offers various scholarships and bursaries for students needing extra financial support. Here are some of the main ones:
King’s Hardship Fund
This bursary is open to all home-fee students – undergraduate, postgraduate, and those on an NHS-funded year. If you experience a sudden hardship or change in financial circumstances, you can apply for this fund to help with your daily living expenses. The amount you receive depends on the severity of your situation but can be up to £3,500.
King’s Living Bursary
This bursary, intended for alleviating day-to-day expenses for home students with a household income of £42,875 or less. The amount you receive will depend on your household income, and this information can be found in the link above. You don’t need to apply for this bursary – if you’re eligible, the King’s College Funding team will have already contacted you about it near the start of the academic year. Although, if you’re eligible for the Living Bursary but the Funding Team haven’t yet reached out to you, it’s worth checking in with them – you can find their page here.
King’s Student Fund
If you’re receiving the King’s Living Bursary but go through an unforeseen change in financial circumstance, you might be eligible for this bursary to further aid your rent, bills, or travel costs. Like the Hardship Fund, the amount is judged on a case-by-case basis but can be up to £3,500.
International Hardship Fund
This bursary is open to international students who have experienced a sudden unforeseen financial hardship. The maximum amount for this fund is £6,000, but like the others, it depends on the severity of your situation.
Other potential source of funding
These are just a few of the opportunities available – have a look at the King’s Funding Opportunities page for the full list of bursaries, scholarships, studentships, and their eligibility requirements. There are also some useful articles listed here:
What loans, grants or scholarships can I get from King’s?
I’m having money difficulties, where can I find support?
What are the fees and funding options available for undergraduate study?
I’m an International student, what financial support can I access?
External funding:
Beyond the financial support at King’s, there are external funding opportunities available too. These cover everything from general financial support to specific placement funding or education grants.
You can check out the Blackbullion Funding Hub for a list of different scholarships and bursaries, or, if you’re an international student, the Study UK scholarships page.
Beyond King’s
We’ve covered where you can access support at King’s, but how about once you’ve graduated? There is financial support available from the government, if you find yourself in need. You can look at your options on the Benefits page of the UK Government website, which includes information on welfare benefits and eligibility requirements. You can also check out this article on Student Services:
What welfare benefits can I claim when my course ends?
There are a few charities that offer support for those experiencing financial hardship, some examples being Citizens Advice, Shelter, and Turn2us.
If you have any more questions, please don’t hesitate to contact the Money Mentors or the Specialist Advisers in the Money & Housing Advice team.
Angel Damonsing
King’s Student Money Mentor
Part of Money & Housing Advice
The King’s Student Money Mentors blog shares our students’ personal experiences and thoughts on money-related topics. Any reference, opinions or recommendations on a particular company/brand are only the views of the student(s) who wrote the blog post. King’s College London, the Money & Housing Advice service and the Money Mentor project do not share the views in the blogs nor endorse any of the companies mentioned. Readers should conduct their own research before using any companies mentioned in our blog posts.