Funding

What is the Welfare Loan?

The Students' Union Welfare Loan is a short-term loan of up to £100 designed to help students who have run into an unexpected shortfall in their budget. The loan can be arranged within a few days and can help you keep going until your next loan instalment or payday. The Welfare Loan is funded by a University grant designed to help students struggling at University.

We do not charge any interest on the loan and we will always work with you to organise a repayment timetable that takes your circumstances into account.

If you are facing longer-term financial difficulties, we may still be able to issue you the loan to help with any immediate needs, however we would strongly encourage you to contact the University’s Advice and Counselling Service who can help you manage your finances and access additional financial support.

How does the process work?

1. Fill out the form on this page to request a meeting, indicating which dates you are available to meet with us (you will need to log in to the website to access the form).
2. A member of Students' Union staff will contact you to arrange an appointment, either at the Students’ Union Hub in Mile End or at the BLSA Building in Whitechapel. At the appointment, we will discuss whether the loan is suitable for you, work out any details needed to pay the loan, and agree an achievable repayment schedule.
3. If the Welfare Loan seems right for your circumstances, we will provide you with the loan, either in cash after the appointment or by bank transfer. You should note that if you opt for a bank transfer, there will normally be a delay of a few days before you receive the money.
4. After the appointment we will send you confirmation of the details of your loan and the agreed repayment schedule. You will need to repay the loan in full by the dates agreed.

Why do we offer a loan?

The loan was introduced after our students voted to ban payday loan companies from operating on campus in order to safeguard students on campus from being exploited by unethical and dangerous methods of securing money when difficulties arise. We introduced the loan so that students who are struggling can come to a responsible lender and, if necessary, access additional services to help with longer-term financial difficulties.

Appointment requests received during the break will be responded to when we reopen. For advice about finance and money, please visit the Advice and Counselling Service website here.

The Graduation Fund is a fund that exists to support Queen Mary students who are facing financial hardship with the costs of graduation.

At the Students' Union we recognise that forms of structural oppression serve to marginalise some groups of students, including LGBT+, trans, BAME, disabled and women students. For this reason, the Liberation Fund aims to support student-led projects, campaigns and events that challenge structural oppression and support marginalised communities of students.

The Liberation Fund provides funding for each of the Students' Union's month-long liberation campaigns, as well as liberation projects throughout the year. On this page, you can find the key deadlines and documents you will need to apply. You can find out more about our liberation work, including elected representatives, here.

Applications to the Liberation Fund are reviewed by a panel made up of relevant student groups and reps. Applications for general projects will be considered by the Students’ Union Welfare Board. Applications for projects during one of our annual liberation campaigns will be considered by an Organising Committee composed of the student groups and liberation reps who are leading that campaign.

How to apply

To apply for the Liberation Fund, you must complete an application form. For general projects, the application form can be found below and can be submitted at any point in the academic year. We recommend that you discuss the project with your staff support before submitting it.

For projects that are part of one of the Students' Union's annual liberation campaigns (e.g. Black History Month), you must first register your interest using the form and deadline listed below. You'll then be assigned a member of staff to support your project, who will help you complete the application form.

Key deadlines & documents

Below you can find all of the deadlines, documents and application forms you will need to apply for the Liberation Fund in the table below.

You may be able to obtain a supermarket voucher from us if your funds are low, you are in immediate financial difficulty and you unable to afford to buy food, toiletries or other essential items. This can be used at a number of dedicated supermarket stores. Cash funds are not available. To be considered you must be registered on a course at Queen Mary and have limited access to funds. Each case is considered individually. A voucher is normally for £25 and can be issued once within an academic year.