UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE ACCESS TO LEARNING FUND 2015/16 GRADUATE APPLICATIONS: GUIDANCE NOTES
Important
. Please read the guidance notes below carefully before completing and submitting the form.
. Your application may not be considered if you do not answer all the appropriate sections and attach copies of all relevant, specified documents.
General Information and Application Procedure
1. Access to Learning Fund: purpose and scope The Access to Learning Fund (ALF), a non-repayable discretionary fund, made up by funds provided by the University. The primary purpose of the Fund is to relieve financial hardship that might impact on a student's participation in higher education, including: assisting those who need extra financial help to meet particular costs which are not already being met from statutory (or other) sources of funding; meeting specific course and living costs, other than tuition fee costs, which are not already met from other sources; providing emergency payments for unexpected crises; and, intervening in cases where a student may be considering leaving higher education because of financial problems.
2. Eligibility The ALF is there to help any eligible student who can demonstrate a particular financial need according to the guidance previously defined by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), but the University cannot always meet all of the costs that might be applied for and awards will usually cover only part of the student's additional need. Full-time undergraduate students are eligible. Also eligible are: full-time and part-time students on a postgraduate course that is a minimum of 1 year, providing that part-time postgraduate students are studying at least 50% per academic year (for courses starting before 1 September 2012) and 25% per each academic year (for courses starting on or after 1 September 2012) of a full-time equivalent course. The ALF is for ‘Home’ students, EU students and overseas students.
3. Priority groups for help Institutions are expected by the university to give priority to the following: students with children (especially lone parents); disabled students (especially where the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs) are unable to meet particular costs and the institution has no legal responsibility to do so); students who are self-funding.
4. Who should use this form Use this form if you are a research (PhD), MPhil, MSc, MLitt, MSt, MEd, or LLM student. (If you are taking a PGCE, Part III Maths, MSci or MEng, or if you are a Clinical Medic, or Veterinary Student, or are on the Cambridge Graduate Course in Medicine use the UNDERGRADUATE form.) UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE
ACCESS TO LEARNING FUND 2015/16
GRADUATE APPLICATION FORM
Office use only: RECEIVED IN STUDENT REGISTRY: SURNAME: ______COLLEGE ______HUSID
CUFS SUPPLIER - Section 1 to Clerk? HOME’? ALF – GS UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE ACCESS TO LEARNING FUND 2015/16 GRADUATE APPLICATION FORM
1. Personal Details – to be completed by all students University Student Number (to be entered by College)
Title - Mr / Mrs / Miss / Ms / Other ………….
Surname …...... … First names ...... ……...... (or family name)
Gender M / F Date of birth (DD/MM/YY) ………/….……/.….…… Age in years on 1/10/2015 ...... …
College ...... ……...... Email ...... @cam.ac.uk
Is this your first application to the ALF for the 2015/16 Yes / No academic year? 2. Course Details – to be completed by all students
Graduate Student: Research (e.g. PhD, MSc, MLitt)
Graduate Student: 1-2 year course (e.g. MPhil)
Other Postgraduate Student (e.g. LLM)
Number of Terms already completed at 1 October 2015
Weeks in residence this academic year / 52 Length of course 39 (If you are about to submit your thesis, calculate the weeks from 1 October 2015 until the expected submission date.) Other (Please specify)
Degree/Course (as appropriate) .………………………….……………………………………….……….…….
Y / N Faculty/Dept. ……………….…………………………..………………. Are you studying part-time?
Start date of course (DD/MM/YY) ……...... …/..…..………/.……...... …
– Other Year of study - 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 (Please state year:)
3(a). Special Personal Circumstances Please tick if:
. Live with a partner or spouse
. Your partner, or other adult, is financially Give full financial details in Section 4 dependent on you Give name & date of birth below.
Please indicate how many – . You have any dependent children & give details below.
Dependants
If you have any children or adults who are financially dependent on you please give details here. Full name Date of birth (DD/MM/YY) Gender ( M / F )
Tutor’s comments:
3(b). Disability/Special Medical Needs
. Do you have a disability (including a long-term health condition, mental Yes / No health condition or specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia)?
. Have you applied for the Disabled Students’ Allowances (DSAs)? Yes / No
. Do you wish to apply for assistance to help pay for specialist equipment or other support not covered by the DSAs, or to help with the cost of a Yes / No diagnostic assessment (e.g. dyslexia or other specific learning difficulty)?
If yes, give details of what your DSA currently covers and what additional support you are requesting. For a diagnostic assessment, state type, name of the DRC-approved educational psychologist and amount applied for:
4. Student’s Income – if you are a Self-Funding Student go straight to Section 5
. Research Council Grant or other major award this academic year £ p.a.
. Total other sponsorship/scholarships/awards this academic year £ p.a.
(include ALL college or University grants and awards; exclude travel grants) Please give details:
______
______
______
______
______
______
. Net earnings, savings, and private (include income from capital investments, trusts, £ subletting, supervising, demonstrating or other income this academic year part-time employment etc.)
. Professional & Career £ . Child Benefit £ Development Loan . Contributions from parents/ £ £ . Child Support Maintenance guardians/partner/families
. Disabled Students’ . Child/Working Tax Credit (per week) £ £ Allowances
. State benefits & support (per week) £ . Partner’s income
(e.g. Income Support / Jobseekers’ - Net earnings £ Allowance / Pension Credit) - Other income £
. Any other income (Specify below) £ Total £
______
______
______
______
Once completed go straight to Section 6 5. Self-Funding Students only If your circumstances have not changed since you gave your financial guarantee for admission you will be assessed purely on maintenance costs. It will be assumed that you have funds to meet your fees.
. Calculation of your basic financial guarantee:
- Basic maintenance (BGS rates for 9, 10 ,11 or 12-mth courses)* £ p.a.
- University fees payable £ p.a.
- College fees payable for this academic year £ p.a.
- Total financial guarantee TOTAL £ p.a.
* These are the minimum sums estimated by the Board of Graduate Studies. Additional provision is expected for accompanying dependants (see BGS website for details).
. Have your circumstances changed since you gave a financial guarantee Yes /No to the University/your college? - If NO, complete column 1 below giving your current income - If YES, complete columns 1 and 2 below - Column 1 must show how you expected to meet your total financial guarantee as calculated above
Column 1 Column 2 Income to meet Actual Income Income for the academic year 2015/16: financial (if as a result of a (to cover both fees and maintenance) guarantee change in (as above) circumstance)
. Grants/Scholarships/Sponsorships £ £
. Loans £ £
. Family/Partner/Friends £ £
. Capital (if used to meet guarantee) £ £
. Private Income £ £
. Other (please specify) ______£ £
______
. Total Income £ £
. Other Capital £ (Give total amount of savings or capital - exclude any capital already shown above)
Reason for change in financial position:
Tutor’s comments:
6. Expenditure – to be completed by all students 6. (a) Rent
. Rent per week £ (Do NOT include Kitchen Fixed Charge or meal ticket costs)
. Total rent for period £ . Mortgage per month £ claimed (from 1 Oct. 2015) . Type of (College-owned or C / P accommodation Private)
. Address: ______
______
If you have moved (or your rent has increased) during the academical year 2015-16 give details of your previous accommodation (or rent) so that an average rent for the year can be calculated:- . Date of move/rent increase: ______
. Previous Rent per week £
. Type of (College-owned or C / P accommodation Private)
. Address: ______
______
6. (b) Additional Expenditure Please give details for any claim made. Any claims allowed will be added to your expenditure total. . Exceptional You may claim for travel costs to Cambridge and your permanent home For Office Use Travel Costs where they exceed £200 per annum. Give details:
Destination ______£
No of return trips (max. 3) ______Cost per trip £______
. Childcare Give full details, and append documentary evidence, of costs incurred on registered/approved childcare, or informal childcare. If you have children Costs For Office Use living with a former partner, you may claim for costs associated with visits/weekend or holiday care, depending on level of contact/care.
£
. Car You may claim £550 towards the up-keep of a car if it is strictly necessary for health reasons, or if you have children. Please state reason for claim:
Amount Claimed £
. Other Give full details, and append relevant documentary evidence, of any Exceptional other exceptional costs. (Please include here details of your partner’s For Office Use Costs essential expenditure, or Child Support Maintenance, if relevant.)
£
7. Additional Information: 10th term Research Students Research students who have completed more than 9 terms (3 years) of research MUST complete this section fully. . When were you registered as a Graduate Student? Michaelmas / Lent / (Term from which registered by the Board of Graduate Studies) Easter Circle as appropriate Year . When were you registered for a PhD? Michaelmas / Lent / (Term from which registered by the Board of Graduate Studies) Easter Circle as appropriate Year
No. of terms of PhD already completed at 1 October 2015?
. When do you expect to submit? (DD/MM/YYYY) ………. / ……..…. / ……….…..
. Why have you over-run?:
. Please provide full details of your actual or estimated income for each year (past and current) of postgraduate study:- Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Source of income From: From: From: From: From: To: To: To: To: To: Research Council funding Dept./Faculty funding College grants/loans/waivers Govt. hardship funds Other grants/scholarships Other loans Savings/personal funds Spouse’s earnings Family support State benefits Other income TOTAL
Supervisor’s (or Head of Department’s) Comments & Declaration Please comment in particular on: reasons for over-run; expected date of submission; departmental or other funding available to the applicant, whether applied for, awarded or likely to be awarded.
I declare that the funding and registration information stated by the applicant on this form is to the best of my knowledge correct, and I certify that the applicant’s proposed plans for completion are realistic and have my approval.
Signed ______Date ______
Title & Name (please print) ______Position/Dept. ______Email ______@______8. Further Information State briefly why you are in financial difficulty and why you believe your situation to be exceptional and to merit additional support (continue on separate sheet if necessary):
9. Declarations – to be completed by all students and their college tutor
The ALF Administrator does not require documentary evidence other than that specifically requested above (e.g. financial guarantee or undertaking; evidence of childcare costs for Section 6(b); evidence of rent (if private/non-college tenancy), or mortgage. Your Tutor may, however, ask to see other supporting documents before signing the declaration below. In line with previously defined BIS guidelines and university recommendations, you should be prepared to provide the following, if necessary, in order for your Tutor to counter-sign your application: bank statements; the assessment notices for any benefits or tax credits, where appropriate; evidence of savings or other income, or evidence to show that you have applied for other sources of income; evidence of childcare costs (if claimed).
I certify that to the best of my knowledge, I meet the following conditions: (Please tick ALL the relevant boxes, at least one from each Section) SECTION A:
i) I am a UK national/British citizen
ii) I am an EU student
iii) I am an overseas student ( continued on next page ) PART B:
I confirm that I am supporting the child(ren) named in Section 3
I confirm that I am not living with a spouse/partner (if relevant)
I confirm that I am registered & in attendance on the course stated in Section 2
I declare that the information I have given on this form is correct and complete to the best of my knowledge, and accurately reflects my financial circumstances. I understand that giving false information will automatically disqualify my application and may lead to the instigation of disciplinary proceedings. I further undertake to repay any grants or awards obtained by me as a result.
Signed ______Date ______
NB: The University of Cambridge is a data controller in terms of the Data Protection Act 1998. The data provided here will be treated in strictest confidence and will only be disclosed to staff of the University and colleges administering the scheme. The data will be used solely for the administration of access funds, for statistical purposes and electronic records keeping; the data may be submitted to the BIS & University for auditing purposes. Formal enquiries should be directed to: [email protected].
Tutor’s Declaration (The ALF Administrator requires only the documentary evidence indicated above. Tutors may, at their discretion, wish to see other supporting documents before signing the declaration below.) Comments:
I declare that the information given on this form is correct and reflects the student’s financial circumstances to the best of my knowledge.
Signed ______Date ______
Title & Name (Please Print) ______Email __ _ @ ______
College Administrator:
Phone: Email:
College Stamp - to confirm that the form has been For Office Use checked and signed, and that the student is registered for the course stated in Section 2 Form Checked
Data Entered Date 120925