05/03/2024

£1m Allocated To Support Students Facing Financial Hardship

A fund of £1 million has been established to support students facing financial hardship as a result of the increase costs of living, Economy Minister Conor Murphy has announced.

The funds will be distributed to Queen's University, Ulster University, The Open University, St Mary's University College and Stranmillis University College for eligible students at those institutions to apply for.

Highlighting the additional funding, the Minister said: "I am acutely aware of the impact of cost of living increases on students and am pleased to make this additional £1million available immediately."

The support funds are distributed by the higher education institutions to students who find themselves in financial hardship and who, without additional financial support, might not be able to complete their course.

This funding of £1million is in addition to the £2.8million of support funds already committed by the Department for the Economy this year and is in response to the high level of demand being experienced by the higher education institutions.

The Minister continued: "A thriving higher education sector is critical for a strong, regionally balanced economy and I am engaging with my officials to fully scope the options for further changes to financial and other means of support."

In conclusion, the Minister stated: "I encourage any student who feels that they may be eligible for additional support to contact their higher education institution and apply. I also urge the institutions to ensure they apply eligibility criteria as flexibly as possible when considering applications for support from students."

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

22 August 2022
£2.8m Support Fund Announced For Higher Education Students
An additional £2.8 million to support higher education students across NI, has been announced by Economy Minister Gordon Lyons.
27 May 2022
Finance Minister To Ensure Energy Payments Are Made In NI
Finance Minister, Conor Murphy, has said that he is committed to working with Treasury to ensure the Energy Bills Support Scheme will provide assistance to citizens here given the absence of an Executive.
07 March 2019
Student Mental Health Services Allocated £150k
Student mental health services in Belfast are set to benefit from a first of its kind pilot project worth £150,000.
18 April 2002
Dodds announces extra help for “most needy" in society
The Minister for Social Development, Nigel Dodds, has announced a further £1.73 million cash injection for the Northern Ireland Social fund. The increase brings the Social Fund, which helps the most needy people in society up to a total to £51 million for the next year.
16 August 2001
Northern Ireland pupils are in a class of their own
Northern Ireland students have outperformed their peers in England and Wales in both A-level and the new AS level exams. Figures released by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) on Thursday August 16 show a record 48,000 grades have been issued to Northern Ireland students across all exam boards.