Financial Support

If you find that financial concerns are impacting your mental health or ability to study, you can speak confidentially to any member of the Wellbeing Team or your tutor. You will not be the first person to find these things difficult and they will be able to discuss sources of support with you and refer you, where necessary, to Justyna Gabrowska our Student Finance Officer, (student.finance@lmh.ox.ac.uk ) who can guide you through the process of making applications for financial assistance from both the University and college funds. Please do not allow such worries to become a burden, there is assistance available, and Justa can also provide support and guidance in budgeting and planning your spending. 

For a whole host of information about fees and funding, including living costs and how to apply for government support, visit the Oxford University Fees & Funding pages. 

The Student Advice Service further provides a confidential, independent advice and information service available to all students. The service has advisors (contact advice@oxfordsu.ox.ac.uk) who can advise on financial matters (sources of funding, handling your budget, and practical matters such as opening a bank account). 

For those who need financial support at the start of their undergraduate degree, for purchase of a laptop, bicycle, books, or any start up items, there is the Coombe Fund.

Support grants are available from the College for a wide range of academic projects which directly contribute to your degree course, e.g. field courses, language courses, travel for research purposes, fine art materials. These grants are made from funds given to the College, many of which have specific purposes and/or subjects, so the awards vary for each subject. Application can be made for extension activities which are not essential to the course; these will be funded if money is available. Generally, a limit of £250 applies and your Personal Tutor will be able to tell you what specific awards are made in your subject.

An email will be sent to all students at the start of each term and must be submitted by the deadline in order to be considered. Your Personal Tutor or College Advisor’s written support will be required, so please do consult them in good time. Decisions will usually be made by the Grants Committee on Wednesday of 5th week of each term. Your Tutor or College Advisor may also be able to advise you on possibilities of departmental/faculty funding.

Any queries regarding Financial Support Assistance should be directed to the Student Finance Officer at student.finance@lmh.ox.ac.uk (with the exception of queries concerning Academic Development Grants, which should be directed to the Student Support Coordinator at student.support@lmh.ox.ac.uk).

If you are ever in financial difficulties and want some help and advice then contact us - the College can offer help for severe and unforeseen financial problems.

Students can also apply to centrally-administered hardship funds through the University, including the Oxford Assistance Fund (OAF) programme, which is open to everyone. You can find full details on the University's website here.

Oxford Bursaries

• If you have a direct entry place to study at Oxford University, and receive a Higher Education Maintenance Grant or Special Support Grant of any level, you are eligible for an award from the Oxford Bursary Scheme.
• Applicants must complete a financial assessment in their application for UK Government Funding and consent to share their household income with the University.
• You do not have to make a separate application for an Oxford Bursary, and eligible students will receive a letter from the Student Funding Office explaining their entitlement.
• Students receive between £200 and £4500 each year of their course depending on when they started their course and their household income.
• If you are a student applying to Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) or if you believe you have not signed the bursary consent statement, you need to contact SAAS or the SLC (Student Loans Company) to give them permission to pass on your household income information to the University.

For details, see the Oxford Bursaries and Fee Reductions webpage.

Oxford Assistance Fund (OAF)

• Oxford Assistance Fund (OAF) aims to assist students who experience unexpected financial difficulties due to circumstances which could not have been predicted at the start of their course.
• The maximum award is £8,000. Awards of this level will usually be a combination of a grant and a loan.
• Students in their final year will normally be given a loan as it is expected that they will be able to take on paid employment on completion of their studies.
   

University Student Support Fund Bursary

The University is launching its’ own Student Support Fund Bursary, which is similar to the College’s Coombe Fund.

The SSF Bursary aims to help first-degree UK undergraduates who commenced their course in the 2020/21 academic year or later who may require financial assistance in a range of circumstances, ranging from a shortfall in their finances to help meeting additional exceptional costs.

Eligible students are able to apply for a non-repayable bursary of between £50 and £750. Students in more significant financial difficulty, or those who are suspended, should apply to Oxford Assistance Fund for a full assessment of their finances and access to a greater level of support.

Applications for the 2023/24 academic year will be accepted on a rolling basis from Week 3 of Michaelmas term until Week 8 of Trinity term. Find more information here.

Funding for Students with Disabilities

• Enquiries regarding funding for students with disabilities are handled by the Disability Advisory Service.
• Disabled Student's Allowances (DSAs) are available to all British ('home') students. DSAs are not means tested and do not need to be repaid. Details are available on the GOV.UK website.