Student Hardship Assistance Fund

The Student Hardship Assistance Fund provides one-off, short-term relief to students who have been impacted by an unforeseen hardship. This experience could include personal difficulties, local emergencies and/or wider spread community hardships.

Grants of between $250 and $1000 are available to eligible students who need emergency assistance while continuing their studies at The University of Notre Dame Australia.

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply for assistance through the Student Hardship Assistance Fund, you must:

  • Be enrolled in an undergraduate or postgraduate (including HDR) degree, VET award, or the Tertiary Pathway Program at the University.
  • Be currently enrolled either on a full-time study load, or on a part-time study load of 0.5 or higher, and continue your studies past the census date.
  • Be enrolled to study in the following Semester, unless you are currently enrolled in a VET certificate or the Tertiary Pathway Program or in the final semester of your current program, in which case you will be eligible only until the final week of the semester.
  • Demonstrate that you have experienced an unforeseen hardship that has resulted in financial difficulty.
  • Have not previously received any emergency assistance under this Program within the calendar year.

Medicine students

Students studying the Doctor of Medicine are eligible to apply for financial support through the Medicine Student Hardship Fund. To apply or discuss your eligibility, please contact Professor Bruno Ferraz-de-Souza.

How to apply

To apply for emergency assistance from the Student Hardship Assistance Fund, please complete the steps outlined below. Please read the Conditions of the Fund prior to completing the form.

Application process

  1. Complete the Student Hardship Application Form.
    1. Provide written details of your current hardship and its impact on you.
    2. Include a short summary of how the Student Hardship Assistance Fund would benefit you.
  2. Prepare your supporting documents.
    1. Provide at least one supporting document that provides evidence of hardship and/or disadvantage to assess eligibility.
  3. Submit your application

Outcome and notification

  • You’ll receive updates on your application status via your student email.
  • You will be advised on the outcome of your application within five working days.

Payment method

If you are deemed eligible to receive one-off emergency assistance through the Student Hardship Assistance Fund,

  • You will be paid in either a lump sum or in instalments.
  • Grants may be monetary assistance or in-kind assistance (for example, a prepaid card).
  • If assistance is to be provided as a monetary payment, it will be paid directly to the student, as determined by the Financial Assistance Assessor.

The maximum amount of financial assistance shall not exceed $1,000 (unless special consideration is granted by the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Student Experience, due to extreme circumstances).

Additional support

The University provides a range of free support services for students that can help you during challenging times. Learn more about available services on our Student Support Services page.

Contact us

If you have questions about your application or eligibility for the Student Hardship Assistance Fund, a member of our team is here to help. Please contact us at studentassist@nd.edu.au