International Student Support Fund 2025/26
The International Student Support Fund can offer support to international students who are experiencing financial difficulties.
It is important to recognise that the Fund has been established to act as a safety net and not to fund expensive lifestyle choices, e.g., expensive mobile phone contracts, holidays, gym membership, digital tv packages, streaming services or non-essential car costs etc. As a student, it is essential that you live within your means and take steps to increase your income and decrease your expenditure.
As an international student, you are expected to have made adequate provision for your tuition fees and living costs prior to starting each academic year of your course.
Please note, if you are studying the first year of your course, you cannot apply to the fund during the first term.
Who is eligible?
- The International Student Support Fund can be used to help University of South Wales International students studying at a USW campus.
- Students must have adequate provision in place for living costs and fees prior to the course commencing.
- The fund will consider providing support to help with the financial impact of specific unanticipated emergency situations. Awards will not bridge the gap between income and expenditure.
- Student route visa holders are expected to have provision for £1,136 per month for living costs after the payment of fees if you are a single student. This will differ for students who have a partner or children residing with them in the UK - Student visa : Money you need - GOV.UK
- Students at Partner Colleges should contact their own college regarding financial support funds.
- Only one application to the Fund may be made each academic year. However, if your financial circumstances have changed since the submission of your application form, you can speak to the Student Money Advice Team for advice.
Need help with the application?
- Make an appointment with an adviser to discuss your eligibility or to discuss your current circumstances.
How the International Student Support Fund can and can't help
Students must have adequate provision in place for tuition fees and living costs prior to commencing their studies. As a student, it is essential that you live within your means and take steps to increase your income and decrease your expenditure.
The International Student Support Fund reserves the right to make payments directly to a third party (such as an accommodation provider) on behalf of the student if it believes it is in the student’s best interests to do so.
How applications are assessed
Applications to the International Student Support Fund are assessed over the whole academic year – so it isn’t usually possible to reapply to the fund. However, if your financial situation changes, you can ask to be reviewed.
Please note that an award from the Fund is not an automatic entitlement – the Fund is subject to review and isn’t guaranteed to be available every academic year or during the whole of an academic year. If the fund is exhausted, it may have to close early.
If you have experienced a significant change in your circumstances, we recommend that you book an appointment with a Student Money Adviser and bring evidence of this (e.g., Evidence of sponsor's death -death certificate/order of service, Evidence of being a victim of a crime and the financial costs - crime reference number/ independent evidence and invoices/quotes for replacements items/costs, etc.)
The application process opens in October each year. Check the application guidance notes when you apply to make sure, you’re providing all the evidence you need to. Applications close six weeks before the end of your studies.
International Student Support Fund - Application Form (2025-2026)
Have there been any changes in your income/expenditure since you completed your application? Or has there been a change in your circumstances e.g., changes in employment hours, housing or debts?
If so, please complete a International Student Support Fund Review Form explaining these changes and how they’ve affected your financial position – including any evidence.
The Panel can then review your case.
You need to provide bank statements for your application, including all UK and overseas Bank, Building Society, Savings and e-Bank accounts. e.g. Plum, Monzo, PayPal, Starlin. You’ll need to provide bank statements that show your name, account number, all transactions and running balance.
If you’re downloading from your bank’s online banking or from the mobile app, make sure you’re saving the statement in an appropriate format – e.g as a pdf, not a CVS file or downloading to Excel, as these can’t be accepted.
If you’re unhappy with the decision made by the Panel, you may either appeal against the decision, or if your financial circumstances have changed since the submission of your application form, you can ask the Panel to review your case.
- If you’re happy that all of the information contained in your application is correct and your circumstances haven’t changed, you may wish to appeal against the decision made by the Panel.
- If you’d like to submit an Appeal, please notify us in the first instance. You’ll be offered help and support from a Money and Support Adviser with this process.
- If you decide not to meet with an Adviser, please submit your Appeal Letter outlining why you feel you should receive assistance/further assistance to [email protected], citing ‘Student Support Fund Appeal’ in the subject line.
- Once received, your appeal will be passed to the Student Support Fund Panel who will re-consider your case. If the Panel uphold their original decision, then the appeal will be passed to the Student Support Fund Committee.
- Once an appeal has been received, a decision will normally be communicated to you within 20 working days.
- As an appeal is the final action that can be taken by the Student Support Fund, you will not be able to reapply to the Student Support Fund in the academic year, regardless of if your financial circumstances change.
If you’re unsure whether a review or appeal is the best course of action, you can book an appointment with a Money and Support Adviser, who will be able to assist you.
Students who have submitted an appeal and are unhappy with the decision may wish to consider submitting a complaint to the University.