The UK government has announced a new UK£50 million fund to support university students, including international students, facing financial pressures due to Covid-19.
The new announcement of UK£50 million is an addition to a UK£20 million fund unveiled in December, the government said, and can be used by universities to support students impacted by the pandemic, such as those facing additional costs for accommodation, loss of employment or extra costs to access online teaching.

Universities will distribute the funding and will be able to prioritise the funding to those most in need of help.

Michelle Donelan, UK Universities Minister, said, “This continues to be an incredibly difficult and challenging time for our students, and I am hugely grateful to all the university staff working hard to prioritise their health, wellbeing and learning during this pandemic.”

She added, “This additional support will provide real, tangible help for those students struggling financially as a result of the pandemic.”

Currently, the majority of university students have been asked to study remotely as part of efforts to reduce the spread of Covid-19. International students who had left the country for the holiday season were asked if they could postpone their return travel plans.

On reopening for face-to-face learning, Minister Donelan commented, “We will continue to prioritise a full return to education as soon possible, in line with public health advice. I am also working with universities and professional bodies to ensure students can graduate as planned.”

The government also said it welcomed the decision from many universities and accommodation providers to offer rent rebates to students who need to stay away from their term-time accommodation, and encouraged others to offer partial refunds.

Alistair Jarvis, Chief Executive of Universities UK, said, “Financial hardship has been a growing problem throughout this pandemic, significantly affecting students’ mental health and their chances of progression. The government’s recognition of this through a further £50 million of funding this term is therefore a positive step, and universities will do all they can to ensure the funding reaches the students most in need.”

However, he added that further funding was required to meet the demand for additional mental wellbeing and support services for students, and that the government should provide “support that recognises that students are missing out on the wider student experience that they would benefit from in a normal year”.

Alex Proudfoot, Chief Executive of Independent HE, an association of private higher education associations, said that the government was right to acknowledge student hardship but that funding should go beyond the university sector.

He tweeted, “The Universities Minister and the Office for Students must urgently look at how equivalent support can be extended to all students most in need, regardless of where they study. Hardship does not respect the clear categories of HE regulation.”