Summer support for students: review

Discretionary Funds

1. Awareness

• In general, students attending the workshops had heard of their college and university Discretionary Funds. However, a few were unaware that this support was also available to them over the summer.
• It was noted that colleges and universities have multiple funds available to students and that it is not necessarily clear what each of them is for.
• Some students reported that they don't think the funds are advertised particularly well at their institution whereas others advised that their institution promotes them at every opportunity.

2. Experience

• Discussions around the evidence required when applying for Discretionary Funds were that some students feel the process is invasive, degrading, unpredictable and inconsistent.
• Some students also reported that questions are framed in a way that they must have exhausted all other options, including turning to debt solutions such as overdrafts and credit cards.
• Students also identified barriers which hindered them from getting support such as not having applied for a student loan and/or inability to provide their partner's income information.
• In general, students reported that there is still a stigma around applying for Discretionary Funds. They also reported that myth-busting is needed as to how some institutions view students.
• The length of time for an application to be processed can vary across institutions and can be affected by external factors such as staff shortages.

3. Suggested Improvements

• Although some institutions promote the availability of the funds to their students well, some students felt that more focus could be given to the advertisement of these funds.
• As a way to introduce a level of consistency, some students suggested that specific amounts could be allocated depending on the item of expenditure e.g.: a set amount if the support was for rent or for bills.
• It was noted that providing applicants with reassurance on how their information will be used would also be helpful. For example: the use of privacy notices and making them readily available to students.
• Some students reported that the current process for applying for Discretionary Funds is impersonal and that they would benefit from a more relational process where they are able to contact the funding manager directly (in person or via telephone) rather than email a generic inbox.