Contact money advice
We offer advice about student funding, benefits, budgeting and debt, over the phone and at appointments. We run a Money Advice Line on 0113 812 5593. It is open Monday to Thursday between 10:00 and 12:00.
Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Summer Assistance Fund
Page last updated:
The Leeds Beckett Summer Assistance Fund provides financial support to some students over the summer, whilst our main Hardship Fund is closed.
This page explains eligibility, support available and link to the application form.
What is the Summer Assistance Fund?
The Summer Assistance Fund provides support for certain categories of student experiencing financial hardship over the summer.
The fund is restricted primarily to those students who are unable to receive parental support or work over the summer, whether for study, family or medical reasons.
Assessments primarily look at relevant income and expenditure, providing a contribution towards identified shortfalls where applicable. Some non-standard awards can be made for emergency or additional needs in exceptional cases.
If your application is submitted in August, you will only be assessed for support over that month, unless there are exceptional circumstances for late submission, e.g. hospital admission.
Please be aware that if you have received the maximum award from the Hardship Fund for this academic year, you are not eligible for further support from the Summer Assistance Fund.
If you are a final year student, you can only apply if you are resitting exams over the summer period.
Students who have suspended studies may be entitled to some emergency support if they have a disability which prevents them from working. You would need to contact the Money Support Team in those circumstances.
Please note that the Summer Assistance Fund is open from 2nd June to 31st August 2025
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
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We will consider an application from you if you are a continuing student and satisfy one of the following:
- You have children.
- You are care experienced, a carer or you are estranged from your parents.
- You are ill or have a disability and are therefore unable to work, and for whom other benefits are not available.
- Your course continues over the summer with no break in study, providing you haven’t already applied to the Hardship Fund in the academic year just gone.
- You are unable to work because you are retaking/resitting elements of your course over the summer. The level of support will be proportionate to the numbers of weeks and intensity of study.
- You are studying a 52 week course and have not applied to the Hardship Fund this academic year.
- You are an international student who is unable to cover living costs over the summer. (Please note that we will have to assume a minimum income as per any other applicant The Summer Assistance Fund only considers living costs, it can make no provision for fees. We will not be able to assess your application if you do not hold a U.K. bank account).
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Students meeting the above eligibility criteria should click on this link to access the online application form.
Once you have submitted your online application along with your supporting documentation, we will assess your application. We aim to send confirmation of the outcome to your university email address within 10 working days, however during busy periods this may take longer.
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Where relevant, you will need to provide:
- A confirmation letter / email from your School of how many credits you are resitting / repeating over the summer period
- Three months bank statements for all of your bank accounts, including savings accounts (and your partner’s accounts if applicable)
- Documentation confirming your benefits or evidence to show you have applied for these
- Details and evidence of any other income received over the summer
- A sick note or a letter which specifically states that you cannot undertake paid work to confirm any illness that prevents you from working over the summer period
- Documentation from your GP / Disability Services / Support Worker (as applicable) to confirm your disability and to confirm you are unable to work over the summer
- A letter from your social worker to confirm that as a care experienced student you do not have any other means of financial support over the summer
- Any other supplementary evidence that you feel supports your application
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Where your statutory student funding has already been taken into account in a previous term-time assessment, we will not consider this again. We will take into account all other income.
If you are eligible for welfare benefits during the summer, we will include the relevant benefit figure in your assessment even if you are not yet in receipt of this.
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Help with your day-to-day living costs, such as food, travel and help with housing costs.
Note that we can only make awards if there are sufficient funds remaining.
Please also be aware that any award made is merely a contribution towards the above expenses. We emphasise that the fund generally cannot cover all of a student’s assumed shortfall.
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If you feel you require a formal review of your assessment, please consult the Summer Assistance Fund appeals procedure.
Appeals need to be completed within two weeks of receiving your Summer Assistance Fund decision and must be made by completing an Appeals form. You must clearly explain your exceptional circumstances or source of concern. Where applicable, evidence should be provided. It must be stressed that a shortfall in funds, already assessed by the fund, would not itself constitute grounds for appeal.
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You may get the answer to your question via our Frequently Asked Questions so please consult here first.
Please contact the Student Advice Team for Summer Assistance Fund updates and general enquiries.
Email - studentadvice@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Phone - 0113 812 3000
For complex enquiries and difficulties applying, please contact the Student Money Team.
Email - studentmoney@leedsbeckett.ac.uk
Phone - 0113 812 6701 (Monday, Wednesday and Friday 10am-12pm)
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Our Money Advisers can help with any questions you have about your funding, welfare benefits and help from the university.
You can contact our Money Advice Line to speak to one of our Money Advisers on 0113 812 5593 between 10 and 12 Monday to Thursday, or you can complete a Money Advice contact request form and we will try to contact you within 2 working days.
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