The University is providing a new Humanitarian Response Fund to support students facing financial struggles as a result of significant conflict or humanitarian crisis. Initial funds of £100,000 have been set aside by the University to offer emergency assistance.
The University is providing a new Humanitarian Response Fund to support students facing financial struggles as a result of significant conflict or humanitarian crisis. Initial funds of £100,000 have been set aside by the University to offer emergency assistance.
Students who may, for example, be facing difficulties in completing their course or returning home as planned during, or immediately after, their studies, will be able to apply for financial help. Grants will be available to help to meet an unexpected shortfall in living costs, as well as exceptional caring responsibilities associated with conflict or crisis.
The funds will be administered by the University’s International Response Task Force (IRTF), and it is hoped the pledge of £100,000 will be augmented by philanthropic donations. Grants will support living costs at the prevailing student cost of living rate. Applications will be assessed to ensure that funding is directed to students who are most in need. These grants will be in addition to any awards made by Colleges and to the University’s standard financial assistance award, which had a maximum value of £2,500 in 2023/4.
Those eligible to apply will be current students at the University (undergraduate and postgraduate taught and research):
- whose homes are in conflict zones and humanitarian crises as defined by the UNICEF Level 2 and Level 3 Emergencies List: currently Palestine, Sudan, the DRC, Haiti, plus Myanmar, eastern Chad, Ethiopia, Ukraine and Mali; and/or
- with Refugee, Asylum Seeker, or Humanitarian Protection status who are able to show evidence that they have a valid Asylum Registration Card or Biometric Residence Permit; and/or
- who have valid permission to remain in the UK and where the situation in their home country prevents them from travelling home and they are forced to remain in Cambridge.
Support will be available for child dependents who reside with the student and for other exceptional caring responsibilities where such support is required to enable the student to complete their studies.
Full details of the application process for the Humanitarian Response fund will follow as soon as possible.
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