Helping students in hardship

Power cuts. Rising inflation. Energy bills. Terms we’re hearing more and more often as the long-term effects of the pandemic and world events combine to place increasing pressure on the global economy. 

With inflation at its highest in over 10 years, rising household costs are impacting our students in different ways. Unable to turn to families and friends whose own budgets have been hit hard and no longer able to rely on part-time jobs to top-up finances in the face of widespread job cuts, some of our students are reaching a tipping point.

Supporting our student community

Here at UEA, we are committed to ensuring our students get the support they need – putting practical support in place and providing financial aid in the form of student hardship grants and loans, bursaries and scholarships.

We believe that staying united as a community has become more important than ever and hence, have transformed our campus into a haven for practical advice, handouts and resources. Regular drop-in sessions have been scheduled with the aim of providing students with the guidance they need to navigate the higher cost of living . For those experiencing unforeseen hardship, urgent food, toiletries and personal care items are available at all times. Charging ports allow students to top up their electronic devices free of charge, “magic bags” of food are available at low cost and blankets and heat packs can be borrowed from various locations for anyone feeling the cold.

Many of our students have told us they are keen to get involved and have volunteered their time and skills to support the wider community. 

And our philanthropic scholarship programme has supported more than 50 students to access our world-class education this year.

Philanthropy is truly invaluable

Like many other universities, at UEA we’ve seen a significant increase in applications for student hardship funds from students struggling to meet basic living costs like food, bills and even text books. We are proud of our excellent reputation for helping the brightest and best to access university education, no matter their background or circumstance. And we are committed to supporting our most important and vital asset – our students – to pursue their studies with us. Philanthropy at UEA and the generosity of our friends, supporters and alumni is truly invaluable in helping us to ensure all of our students can thrive.

In the words of one recipient of student hardship support last year:

It meant I could continue my studies, have access to transport and support my child when I desperately needed it.

To find out more about how you can support our students, please get in touch with the Development Office by email at giving@uea.ac.uk or by telephone on +44 7990 438106.