Yorkshire university 'first in UK' to launch emergency student fund

A university in Yorkshire has launched an emergency student support fund in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The University of York claims it is the first university in the UK to set-up a fund of this kind for students facing financial challenges due to Covid-19.

The fund, which is being supported through donations from alumni, friends and supporters of the university, will provide bursaries of up to £500 for desperate students during this difficult time.

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Professor Charlie Jeffery, the vice-chancellor for the University of York said: “The world faces an unprecedented challenge and we are doing all we can to help our students through this incredibly difficult time.

Professor Charlie Jeffery, the vice-chancellor for York University said: The world faces an unprecedented challenge and we are doing all we can to help our students through this incredibly difficult time. Photo: Dan RowlandsProfessor Charlie Jeffery, the vice-chancellor for York University said: The world faces an unprecedented challenge and we are doing all we can to help our students through this incredibly difficult time. Photo: Dan Rowlands
Professor Charlie Jeffery, the vice-chancellor for York University said: The world faces an unprecedented challenge and we are doing all we can to help our students through this incredibly difficult time. Photo: Dan Rowlands

“We are able to react quickly to the crisis because of the support of our very many generous donors who also wish to help those students in greatest need at this time."

He added: “We are keenly aware of how fortunate we are to have such a compassionate community of donors and alumni.

"We will release the funding in several rounds in order to ensure that those in most need are able to receive the assistance that they require.”

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The fund will help students with housing and food costs, travel expenses, technology costs associated with online learning, and other financial challenges.

All current students who are registered at the university on a degree programme are eligible to apply but certain groups of students will be given priority where demand exceeds the funding available.

This includes students who are carers, have disabilities and long term health conditions and those with refugee or asylum-seeker status.

Students will also be prioritised if they are currently studying on a medical or nursing programme or midwifery programme, or if they have children.

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Mary Haworth, director of philanthropic partnerships and alumni at the University of York said: “We are so grateful to the community of benefactors who have made it possible for us to provide immediate assistance to our students.

"We will monitor the requests for emergency funding from our students over the coming weeks and will try our best to respond in a timely way to help with some of the financial pressures that our UK and overseas students might face as a consequence of the coronavirus pandemic.”

Full details and the application form will be available from 5pm tonight - Wednesday 25 March 2020.

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