Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible for Council Tax Exemption?
Visit our Students and Benefits section to find out more about the benefits you may be entitled to.
How do I apply for the Council Tax Exemption?
If you are staying in University accommodation you do not need to apply for this. If you are staying in private accommodation you will need to have the Council Tax Exemption/Discount form completed by Student Administration. They will be able to confirm that you are a student. In most cases, you will need to approach your Council in order to get a form. Remember that part time students and students who own the property in which they live may still become liable for the Council tax.
How long can I expect to wait before hearing back from SAAS?
SAAS expect to deal with applications within 28 days, and almost all of the applications are up to date. f you still have not heard from SAAS 28 days after making your application, or if you are concerned, please check the status of your application at www.saas.gov.uk before contacting the Agency by e-mail, or calling them on 0845 111 1711. Although SAAS is still receiving large numbers of applications, these are returning to the levels normally expected at this time of year.
How are Discretionary and Childcare Fund applications processed?
When a student submits their application, it is added to their file and matched to any other documentation or previous application we may have form that student. The application is then added to the Advisers processing tray were it will be dealt with on a first come, first served basis. The maximum amount of time it should take for your application to be processed is 4 weeks.
On submitting your application, you will be given a yellow card showing the date when the 4 weeks ends. We ask you not to enquire after the progress of your application until this date as this only causes delays. Advisers will look at each application on its own merit and make an award to the student or childcare provider based on information provided.
Payments will be paid straight into the bank account of the person receiving the money. Students will be paid on a 4 weekly basis which allows you to budget you income more efficiently.
Why does it take so long for my Discretionary and Childcare Fund application to be processed?
It takes up to 4 weeks to process due to the volume of applications we receive. Processing applications is only part of the work of the Funding and Advice team. In most cases, depending on the volume of applications being received, it may take less than 4 weeks for a decision to be made. It takes longest when we are busiest, and bank paymnents take 5 days to reach a student account.
I don’t understand my Discretionary or Childcare award?
If you don’t understand an award you should email your questions to the email address provided on your award letter. An adviser will be happy to explain your award and answer any further questions you may have. You can also book an appointment to discuss your award. The most common problem with awarding is a lack of information or supporting evidence to justify an award. Advisers can only work with the information that they are given in your application, so please try to be as clear as possible, and provide as much evidence as you can to support your case.
I didn’t get as much as I thought I would, how do I appeal?
The discretionary and childcare funds are not a guaranteed source of income and should not be expected when you are budgeting. Each case is dealt with on its own merit and advisers will have reached their decision using the information you have provided. Advisers have to work within maximum caps, and consider other students who also need support with our limited funds.
In most cases, it turns out that the student has received a smaller award because they have forgotten to include an expense on the application and it hasn’t been taken into consideration by the Adviser. For this reason, we would ask you to email your query to the Adviser or arrange an appointment to discuss the issues. If you are still not happy with the outcome of your application, you should lodge your concerns in writing to the Director of Student Services.
How do I book an appointment?
You can book an appointment by contacting us or visiting the reception of Student Services on your campus.
What is a Trust Fund?
A Trust Fund is an amount of money that has been placed in custody of a trustee to be administered for the benefit of another (the beneficiary). The Trust Funds that we administer, or help administer, through the University are funds that have been set up for specific groups of students.
Some Trusts may accept applications from students based on their place of birth, the course they are studying ot even what their parents do for a living. You can find out what Trust Funds are currently available on our funds page. We could not possibly know of every fund out there so you can use one of our affiliated search engines such as EGAS or Funderfinder to track down some additional sources of funding you may be able to apply to.