Finance
If you experience financial difficulties whilst at Cambridge there is plenty of help available from colleges, the university and from the government. The first point of contact if you're experiencing difficulties should be the personal tutor assigned to you by your college. If they are busy or unhelpful you can request to see a different tutor, or alternatively contact the CUSU-GU Student Support Officer.
We have put together a range of links you might find useful:
University Financial Support
- Searchable portal to find funds at Cambridge
- College awards
- Cambridge Bursary Scheme (support for both UK and EU students from low-income families)
- Financial Support for Disabled Students
- University Hardship funds
- Student Parents
University Finance and Costs
Student Loans and Student Support
- Student Loans Company
- New portal site for all student support details for students from England
- Student support for Welsh students
- Student support for students from Northern Ireland
- Student support for Scottish students
General Money Issues and Debt
- FSA Money Made Clear (Consumers general)
- Office of fair trading - protecting customers and explaining their rights.
- Financial Services Compensation scheme
- Money Basics - Clear independent advice about money
- National Debt Line - Free confidential independant advice on dealing with debt. Includes interactive personal budget forms and sample letters to send to creditors
- Government advice on debt
- Money Advice Service - provides free options which can give debt advice
- The UK's leading debt help charity, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) offer debt advice and a range of solutions, free of any fee. They have produced the CCCS Student Debt Help Guide, with useful tips and advice on managing your money whilst at University. If you need student debt help you can use Debt Remedy - their free online tool, or call freephone.
Scholarships and Bursaries
(For Cambridge-specific, take a look at the sidebar links)
- The Educational Grants Advisory Service
- Hot Courses Student Money Page - including a fundfinder package, tool to work out loan repayments, interactive budget planner, wage predictor etc.
Postgraduate Funding
Research Councils
These are the most important sources of postgraduate funding. There are seven research councils which award grants:
- The Arts and Humanities Research Council
- The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences research council
- The Economic and Social Research Council
- The Medical Research Council
- The Natural Environment Research Council
- The Science and Technology Facilities Council
- Research Councils UK - Gateway site for UK research councils
Visit the Prospects website for details of the grants available, and how to apply.
Also see the following bodies for grants and studentships:
- The British Council - Funding Information from the British council
- The Nuffield Foundation - funds research and practical work in social policy, education and science.
- The British Academy - the national academy for the humanities and the social sciences.
- The Joseph Rowntree Foundation - Social science research organisation
- The Leverhulme Trust - makes awards for the support of research and education. The Trust emphasises individuals and encompasses all subject areas.
- Society of Antiquaries - Offer grants for research about the past.
Banking
- Moneyfacts - compares bank accounts
- British Bankers Association - Advice on Banking
- Money Saving Expert - Compare information on financial products and more
Budgeting
Employment, Tax and Benefits
- Job Centre Plus - advice about finding work, claiming benefits and downloadable benefit application forms.
- Directgov's website on employment
- Inland Revenue - tax enquiry offices A-Z, and their students' page
- Information on Tax Credits
- The Child Support Agency