Durham Grant Scheme

You can go to Durham

Our student support packages are amongst the most generous in the country. The 2013/14 Durham Grant Scheme consists of the following packages:

• Promise of Support - Package One: Family incomes below £25,000
  If you are a full-time home undergraduate and come from a household that has an income of less than £25,000, you will automatically get a Durham Grant worth £3,000 a year, either paid into your bank account or as money off your college living expenses (the National Scholarship Programmeshall be administered through this Promise of Support package).
• Promise of Support - Package Two: Family incomes between £25,000 and £42,600
  If you are a full-time home undergraduate and come from a household that has an income of between £25,000 and £42,600, you will automatically get a Durham Grant worth £1,000 a year, either paid into your bank account or as money off your college living expenses.
• If you are a full-time home PGCE student and come from a household that has an income of less than £25,000, you will automatically get a Durham Grant worth £1,000 a year paid into your bank account.

Promises of support for undergraduate students are targeted at college living expenses (except for students who have been given permission by their College Principal to live out of college accommodation). This is because your college will be a huge part of your student experience at Durham and we want to encourage and support your college life. Your college is your home in the first year, and, even though you are likely to live out in your second year (and third year, if you are on a four-year course), many students choose to live in during their final year so that they can concentrate on their exams.

Eligibility for both undergraduate packages is assessed annually, and it is a condition of the Promise of Support for:

• Package One that you live in college accommodation in your first and final years of study (unless you have permission from your College Principal to live out of college accommodation);
• Package Two that you live in college accommodation for your first year of study (unless you have permission from your College Principal to live out of college accommodation).

"College accommodation" includes Mezzino accommodation for students studying at the Queen's Campus and any other college-managed accommodation. Students who are not able to live in College accommodation for genuine reasons e.g. caring responsibilities are likely to be given permission to live out of college accommodation. Students who are not able to live in college accommodation because rooms are not available will be considered for the purposes of the Durham Grant to have been given permission by their College Principal to live out of college accommodation.

If you remain eligible, you will be supported every year that you are at the University.

How to apply

You do not have to apply to receive your Durham Grant. Eligibility is based on household income as assessed by Student Finance England (or equivalent). Provided that your parents/partner consented to share their household income information with the University during the statutory support application process, Student Finance England will pass your household income information to the University. We will then write to you and notify you of your Durham Grant entitlement. You are likely to hear from us during September 2013.

How it's paid

Undergraduates

If you are living in College accommodation the invoice you receive for your College accommodation will be reduced by the amount of your Durham Grant (either £3,000 or £1,000) at the start of the academic year. You will have to pay any remaining balance in three termly instalments.

If you have been granted permission by your College Principal to live out of College accommodation you will receive your Durham Grant in three termly instalments as set out below.

Please note that entitlement to each termly instalment of your Durham Grant is dependent on you being a registered student on a "trigger date" in each term. If you withdraw from or suspend your studies before the dates set out below, your entitlement will be as set out below.

You will then have to pay any balance owed on your college accommodation after your Durham Grant entitlement has been adjusted.

PGCE Students

You will receive one payment of £1,000 into your bank account on the 13th December 2013. If you withdraw from or suspend your studies in the first term before 1st December 2013 you will not be entitled to any Durham Grant.

Terms and Conditions

All students in receipt of a Durham Grant are required to abide by the Terms and Conditions, which are below. Please read these carefully.

Further information

If you have any queries about the Durham Grant Scheme in 2013/14, please consult our Frequently Asked Questions or contact our Financial Support Officer (Undergraduate) via email: financialsupport.undergraduate@durham.ac.uk or telephone: 0191 334 6116