Overseas Students Hardship Fund: The Hardship Fund was set up by the Churches to assist international students, irrespective of their race, sex or religion, who face unexpected financial problems during the final stages of their courses.

It is administered ecumenically on the basis of agreed criteria and an Awards Committee meets four times a year, normally in March, June, September and December.

All grants are made at the discretion of the Awards Committee, whose decision is final. Grants do not normally exceed £800 in total but the average is £500.

Between Meetings, the Grant Secretary is authorized exceptionally to give emergency grants not exceeding £200 and these are reported at the next Awards Committee.

Scholarship Application Eligibility Criteria:

• Apart from exceptional circumstances, awards are made only to students from developing countries, preferably to those who can show that their qualifications will benefit the developing world.
• Awards are made only to those who can clearly show that an award would enable them to complete their courses: students in the final stage of a one-year or modular degree, or in the last 6 months of an M.Phil. or Ph.D. research programme, or for field trips abroad.
• No awards are made to those studying outside the U.K, E.U., U.S.A. or other developed countries, or for field trips abroad.
• No awards are made for courses below first degree standard.

For more information and scholarship funding applications, see: Churches Commission on Overseas Students Hardship Fund