The Student Funding Advice Team provide information, advice and guidance to students on all student money and funding related issues; including issues with funding their course, problems with student finance or questions about the Aspire bursary scheme. This team do not take payments for the University as that is done through the main Finance Office. The team also run money management campaigns throughout the year, offer 1-1 Money Health Checks for students to improve budgeting skills, administer the Aspire bursary scheme and the YSJ Student Support Fund for students in hardship, as well as the Foodbank. The Student Funding Advice Team also administer the YSJ Opportunity Fund, which provides students the opportunity to apply for a scholarship of up to £500 to go towards voluntary work either in the UK or overseas with a registered charity.
Aspire
Undergraduate first and second year students should be eligible for the Aspire Card, they will be awarded £100 in September and an additional £400 is available for students with a household income of less than £25,000. If the students is eligible for the £400 this will be automatically uploaded to the card in the February. Students can spend their funds via Aspire website.
The YSJ Bursary is still available for final year students who have a household income of less than £25,000. Students who are eligible for the YSJ Bursary will be awarded £500 which will be paid £250 on the 19th February 2019 and £250 on the 15th May 2019.
With both the Aspire Card and YSJ Bursary, students do not need to apply for these and should be automatically awarded if eligible. If any students would like the team to check on their eligibility please refer them to our email and we can look into this for them.
The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding
The Alternative Guide to Postgraduate Funding Online is all about alternative sources of funding – especially charities – which can make awards (fees, maintenance, research costs) to any student regardless of subject, or nationality.
The Alternative Guide Online contains a huge database of funding opportunities, comprehensive guidance, and numerous tools to help you prepare a winning grant application. York St John has purchased a licence to the guide, and so it’s free for all students and staff to use! Login Now!
Changing their plans
It is really important that students are aware of any change they make to their course whether it is restarting, resitting (internally/externally), changing from full time to part time or vice versa or even adding in a placement year there can be financial implications in doing this. The team have created a factsheet to provide generic advice but it is important that students seek advice on their individual circumstances.
Student Factsheet: Changing Your Plans
Withdrawing/Suspension of Studies
When students are thinking of withdrawing or suspending their studies there are financial implications in doing this for example as soon as they stop attending they will not receive any further student loan payments and any funding their have received previously will be prorated to their last date of attendance. The team can advise students on their individual circumstances as well as liaise with their funding body on the impact on future studying.
Student Factsheets: Withdrawal (Full Time); Withdrawal (Part Time); Suspension Of Studies (Full Time); Suspension Of Studies (Part Time)
Student needs help with budgeting?
The Student Funding Advice Team has teamed up with Blackbullion, an online money education tool, to provide a virtual financial education training package for all York St John students. This is an award winning product specifically for university students so please signpost this excellent resource to all students and ask them to sign up with their YSJ email directly at www.blackbullion.com. There is also a Budget Calculator available under the Tools section as well as a Student Loan Repayment Estimator.
Students struggling financially
If you have a student who is struggling financially you can refer them to the Student Funding Advice Team who can check that they have accessed all funding available to them. The team would also advise students to open up a student bank account with an interest free overdraft as well as working part-time. The National Union of Students suggests that students don’t work more than 15 hours per week and they can register on the YSJ Careers & Opportunities Portal for job vacancies within YSJ and York.
Student Factsheet: Financial Worries
YSJ Jobs & Opportunities Portal
YSJ Student Support Fund
Foodbank
The team have a Foodbank which is available via contacting our teams email, so if you know of a student who is struggling for food until their next payday/student finance instalment please advise them to come and access the Foodbank. All they will need to bring with them is their student ID card.
Contact Details
https://www.yorksj.ac.uk/student-services/funding-advice/
T: 01904 876939
E: fundingadvice@yorksj.ac.uk